Recycling credits

Third Party Recycling Credit Scheme – Policy Statement

Environmental Protection Act 1990

Payments for the disposal of waste

The following organisations are eligible to receive recycling credits:

• Not-for-Profit Community Groups (e.g. parish groups, scouts, etc)
• Social Enterprises (e.g. Council for Voluntary Service, etc)
• Registered Charities operating High Street Retail Outlets (e.g. Oxfam, Katherine House Hospice, etc)

Merchants, brokers, supermarkets and other commercial businesses are not eligible to receive Third Party Recycling Credits.

Materials eligible for recycling credits must be obtained from household sources only. Recycling credits cannot be paid for waste collected from commercial organisations (e.g. stock clearance donations from clothing retail outlets).

Registered Charities operating High Street Retail Outlets must be based in Staffordshire. Eligibility for payments is based on back-of-store textile recycling. Front-of-store retail items are not eligible for the payment of credits.

Third parties collecting textiles in line with paragraph 3 of this policy must use merchants that are registered with the Environment Agency as a Waste Carrier and have a Waste Management Licence/Permit or equivalent exemption where applicable.

Recycling Credit Payment Rates

• Textiles – £10 per tonne (no inflationary adjustments)
• Other commodities (paper, glass bottles, metal cans) – £58.12 for 2021/22, with a 3% annual increase in line with payments made to Waste Collection Authorities

Claiming Recycling Credits

Claims for Third Party Recycling Credits must be made using forms RC1, RC2 and RC3. These forms require supporting information including:

• Duty of Care and Corporate Social Responsibility evidence
• Copies of waste carriers/management licences
• Weighbridge tickets or similar proof of collection source and weights
• End destinations of waste

Claims must be submitted on a quarterly basis in line with the dates provided each year.

If you would like to speak to someone about registering for recycling credits, please contact 0300 111 8000 or email wastesavvy@staffordshire.gov.uk.