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Commercial waste collection providers in Edinburgh
Welcome to our guide on the top commercial waste collection providers in Edinburgh, Scotland’s historic capital.
In this guide, we highlight trusted local commercial waste collection providers that offer reliable, efficient waste collection services, helping you contribute to a greener, cleaner Edinburgh.
💡Click if you’re looking for commercial recycling, hazardous waste or council waste services in Edinburgh.
Dunedin Recycling Group
The Dunedin Recycling Group provides a 7-day-a-week collection service available to any business within 15 miles of Edinburgh’s city centre. Dunedin Recycling is headquartered in Edinburgh; they offer a commercial waste audit to all new customers to assess opportunities to maximise recycling properly.
Wasteworx Scotland
Wasteworx is a trade waste specialist providing commercial waste disposal services across Edinburgh, Midlothian and the Borders. Wasteworx focuses on providing a positive customer experience with their bespoke waste management service that enables them to work across a wide range of sectors.
NWH Group
The NWH Group is a leading recycling and waste management business serving Scotland and the North East of England. NWH is headquartered in Mayfield, a few miles South of Edinburgh. Their regular trade services encompass dry mixed recycling, cardboard, glass and commercial food waste collection.
Hamilton Waste and Recycling
Hamilton Waste is one of the largest independent waste management companies in Scotland, with over 110 employees offering commercial waste services across the East Lothian area. Hamilton Waste operate their materials recycling centre on the Wallyford Industrial Estate on the outskirts of Edinburgh.
Progressive Waste Solutions
Progressive Waste provides comprehensive commercial waste and recycling services to a large range of businesses across Edinburgh and the Lothians. The Progress Waste Solutions fleet of vehicles operates out of their facility in Bonnyrigg, providing a flexible 7-day-a-week collection service.
Commercial waste collection with the City of Edinburgh Council
The City of Edinburgh Council does not provide a commercial waste collection service, irrespective of the size of the business.
The Council’s website emphasises that whether your business operates from a shop, a van, or even your home, you cannot utilise the Council’s free domestic waste collection service.
Restrictions on putting commercial waste on Edinburgh’s kerbs
The City of Edinburgh Council strictly prohibits businesses from permanently leaving commercial waste bins on the roads, pavements, or any other parts of Edinburgh’s public land.
Commercial waste bins can only be put out for collection during the following times:
- 9:30am to 12 noon
- 2 pm to 4 pm
- 6:30 pm to 11 pm
Furthermore, commercial food waste and commercial glass recycling must not be stored on the streets at any time.
Commercial waste providers operating in the city of Edinburgh all offer advice to comply with these local regulations.
Source: Edinburgh Council’s Trade Waste regulations
Commercial waste recycling centres in Edinburgh
The City of Edinburgh Council operates public recycling centres at Seafield, Craigmillar, and Sighthill; however, businesses are strictly prohibited from utilising these facilities.
As an alternative, below is a private waste transfer station accessible to businesses in the vicinity of Edinburgh:
NHW Group at Leith – 2 Albert Road, Edinburgh, EH6 7DP
Additionally, located 20 miles south of Edinburgh in Peebles, the Scottish Borders Council offers trade waste services at their site:
Scottish Borders – Innerleithen Road, Eshiels, Peebles, EH45 8NA
⚠️ Businesses transporting their waste must possess a waste carrier licence. Register for a carrier licence here.
The waste transfer stations listed above will issue a Waste Transfer Note for any business waste you dispose of, ensuring your company can demonstrate compliance with commercial waste regulations.
Commercial waste collection services in Edinburgh
The City of Edinburgh Council does not offer any commercial waste collection services, and this includes recyclable materials. Companies in Edinburgh are obligated by devolved legislation to maximise recycling across all types of waste.
In this section, we’ll explore the more specialised waste collection services available to companies in Edinburgh.
The City of Edinburgh Council does not offer any commercial waste collection services, and this includes recyclable materials. Companies in Edinburgh are obligated by devolved legislation to maximise recycling across all types of waste.
In this section, we’ll explore the more specialised waste collection services available to companies in Edinburgh.
Commercial food waste collection in Edinburgh
According to Scottish legislation, businesses in Edinburgh that produce more than 5 kg of food waste per week must segregate, store and arrange food waste collections.
Most national and local commercial waste providers highlighted in this guide offer a food waste collection service.
Local businesses also have the choice of specialist providers like Change Waste Recycling, which offers a food waste collection service which converts your waste into fertiliser and biogas.
Commercial recycling services in Edinburgh
The Scottish Government’s Zero Waste Scotland initiative is an excellent resource, offering expert support to help Scottish businesses adopt circular business practices that maximise waste recycling.
However, no dedicated local council recycling service is available for businesses in Edinburgh. Instead, private providers offer a comprehensive range of recycling collection services, including dry-mixed materials, glass, and cardboard.
Our business waste experts are available to assist you in finding the best quotes for your waste and recycling needs. Enter your postcode above to begin.
Hazardous waste collection in Edinburgh
Companies and organisations within the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries generate various types of hazardous waste. To assist these firms, our waste experts have compiled a list of specialist waste providers:
Walsh Bros offers industrial waste removal services throughout Scotland, capable of handling the collection and disposal of acids, industrial solvents, coolants, and a wide range of other hazardous waste types.
Ellaway Environmental provides hazardous waste disposal services for industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, food and beverage, and scientific sectors.
National waste collection providers operating in Edinburgh
In addition to the local waste providers operating in the City of Edinburgh, businesses also have the option to engage with several large national waste management companies. Below, we have summarised the commercial waste collection services offered by these firms to businesses in Edinburgh, along with their broader activities within the city.
Biffa’s commercial waste collections in Edinburgh
Biffa, one of the UK’s leading commercial waste providers, offers a dependable waste collection service in the City of Edinburgh and throughout Scotland. Its Edinburgh operations are based along the River Forth in Granton, with recycling processes and separation occurring at a material recovery centre near Edinburgh Airport in Broxburn.
In addition to its commercial waste collection services, the Biffa Group operates a Company Shop in Saughton, South East Edinburgh. This shop acts as a redistributor of supermarket goods, offering items such as:
- Cosmetically damaged supermarket stock, like dented cans.
- Excess or misordered stock from other supermarkets.
- Previous seasonal lines from other retailers.
For more information, visit Biffa’s Company Shop store website.
Veolia’s commercial waste collections in Edinburgh
Veolia, a national commercial waste collection provider, serves over 70,000 business customers and offers services to 90% of the country, including Edinburgh.
Thanks to its extensive network, Veolia can provide a broad range of recycling services, catering to specific needs such as commercial hazardous waste and battery recycling.
Beyond its waste collection services, Veolia also operates Scotland’s largest wastewater treatment plant in Leith. This facility features an anaerobic digester that produces renewable gas, which is then utilised to generate renewable electricity for the City of Edinburgh.
Website: Veolia’s Commercial Waste Collections in Edinburgh
Enva’s commercial waste collections in Edinburgh
Enva employs over 1,700 people and operates from 38 facilities as part of their national service. They provide a comprehensive array of commercial waste services, including the disposal of specialist hazardous waste, laboratory chemicals, and radioactive materials.
Enva’s commercial waste collections for Edinburgh’s businesses are conducted from their facility on the Newbridge Industrial Estate, located west of the city.
Committed to promoting closed-loop recycling solutions, Enva ensures that waste materials are either recovered as secondary resources or utilised to produce new products.
In alignment with this sustainable approach, Enva also markets a variety of products derived from recycled materials, such as compost, animal bedding, and biomass fuels.
Website – Enva Waste Management Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh Waste Strategy
The University of Edinburgh, one of Scotland’s four ancient universities founded in the sixteenth century, exemplifies how a large institution can develop and implement an ambitious waste management strategy.
The University’s waste management strategy is designed to achieve zero-waste status by incorporating principles of the circular economy. It prioritises waste prevention, reuse, and recycling, laying a solid foundation for environmental stewardship and resource efficiency.
At the heart of this strategy is the objective to integrate circular economy thinking into the University’s culture, striving to maintain materials and products in use for as long as possible. This effort is supported by the #ZeroWasteUoE campaign, which encourages the University community to participate in waste reduction initiatives.
A notable initiative under this strategy is the establishment of TerraCycle recycling points at the University’s George Square campus, aimed at collecting hard-to-recycle items such as crisp packets.
Through focused, practical implementation and active community engagement, the University of Edinburgh demonstrates a comprehensive and forward-thinking approach to waste management.