All businesses in Scotland have a legal responsibility to manage their waste safely and responsibly, without harm to the environment. This applies to waste produced by self-catering properties, holiday lets, guesthouses, and bed and breakfasts.
Scottish Government legislation sets out a Duty of Care for businesses, requiring waste to be stored securely, transferred correctly and recycled wherever reasonable.
If you own or operate a guesthouse, bed and breakfast, holiday let or self-catering property, the waste generated is classed as business waste, even if the property looks and feels domestic in nature.
Under the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012, businesses are required to take all reasonable steps to separate key materials for recycling. These include:
- paper
- cardboard
- plastic bottles, pots, tubs, trays and punnets
- metal cans and tins
- glass bottles and jars
- food waste, where applicable
Ensuring that you are using the right waste services
Our team supports accommodation providers across Perth and Kinross with:
- free visit from our Commercial Waste Team to discuss your waste needs
- setting up compliant commercial waste and recycling collections
- advice on Duty of Care and recycling requirements
- tailored services for small, seasonal or part time holiday lets
- guidance where you already have another waste contractor in place
Domestic household waste services and recycling centres are designed for private households only. Businesses must use a suitable commercial waste service or an authorised waste contractor to remain legally compliant. If you are currently using Council domestic waste or recycling containers at a self-catering or holiday let property or disposing of waste at recycling centres without a Commercial Recycling Centre Permit, we encourage you to contact us as soon as possible.
If you choose to use our trusted and reliable commercial services, we can arrange a chargeable commercial waste and recycling contract suited to your property and usage levels.
If you already have an authorised commercial waste provider, we'll ask for confirmation and supporting Duty of Care documentation, after which any Council-owned domestic containers can be removed.
