What does duty of care mean for a UK business that sells its scrap metal?
Short answer: In England and most of the UK, a business that produces waste has a legal duty of care to make sure it is handled properly by the people it passes it to, which in practice means using authorised carriers and recyclers, describing the material accurately and keeping a record of the transfer, and the duty does not simply end when the load leaves your site, so it makes sense to check who you are handing material to.
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List Free →Why responsibility continues after collection
The duty is about making sure material ends up with someone entitled to take it, so passing it to an unauthorised person can leave you answerable if something goes wrong.
What it looks like in practice
Choosing authorised carriers and recyclers, describing the material honestly and keeping records are the usual steps.
Why it applies to scrap too
Scrap metal that you are discarding or selling on is generally treated as waste for these purposes until it has been recovered, so the duty is relevant even when someone pays you for it.
How ScrapTrade Fits In
ScrapTrade buyers are verified and each trade is recorded, which supports the checks and records that the duty calls for.
Good paperwork starts with a documented sale. ScrapTrade records each trade, with verified buyers, transparent weighing and escrow-protected payments.
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