Environmental Protection Act 1990

This provides for a range of control measures including:
• Part 1: Control of pollution.
• Part 2: The management of waste.
• Part 3: Control of nuisances such as smoke, gases, noise and clean air.
• Part 4: Control of litter.

The Waste Management: The Duty of Care Code of Practice explains the practical requirements of the EPA. "Section 34 of the 1990 Act imposes a duty of care on persons concerned with controlled waste. The duty applies to any person who produces, imports, carries, keeps, treats or disposes of controlled waste, or as a broker has control of such waste. Breach of the duty of care is an offence, with a penalty of an unlimited fine if convicted on indictment.

Waste poses a threat to the environment and to human health if it is not managed properly and recovered or disposed of safely. The duty of care is designed to be an essentially self-regulating system which is based on good business practice. It places a duty on anyone who in any way has a responsibility for controlled waste to ensure that it is managed properly and recovered or disposed of safely. The purpose of this code is to provide practical guidance for waste holders and brokers subject to the duty of care."
(https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20130402151656/http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/controls/documents/waste-man-duty-code.pdf, accessed 5th March 2022)