Written by Rob Binns Reviewed by Heleana Neil Updated on 7 June 2022 On this page Our method for ranking The case against the Big 5 Top-rated waste management companies AMA Waste Management Simply Waste Solutions Waste Managed Request a tailored quote Expand We ranked companies based on reviews by their customersThere are hundreds of commercial waste disposal companies in the UK to choose from — but which one is right for your small business?Costs are important, yes. But it’s about more than just money — it’s about quality of service. And the fact of it is, when it comes to service, many of the large providers are, well, rubbish.That’s why we used independent reviews site Trustpilot to rank service providers based on what their customers say about them. And the results are in. Here’s some of the best waste collection for small businesses: Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward AMA WasteManaged Simply Waste Trustpilot score 4.3/5 Trustpilot score 4.1/5 Trustpilot score 3.7/5 General waste collection* £16.80 General waste collection* £19.80 General waste collection* £15.90 Mixed recycling collection* £13.40 Mixed recycling collection* £14.28 Mixed recycling collection* £12.24 Minimum contract length 18 months Minimum contract length 24 months Minimum contract length 12 months Annual duty of care cost** £80 Annual duty of care cost** £67.20 Annual duty of care cost** £90 * Sample quote for weekly collection of 1x 1,100l wheelie bin from a north London company.** “Annual duty of care” is a legal requirement. Our method for rankingWe used review site Trustpilot to find the UK’s top waste management companies as rated by their customers. We ranked them in order of score, discounting those which don’t offer a general waste collection service or have less than 50 reviews.And from these, we narrowed down the list further to include only companies which offer a UK-wide service.But why not go with a more established waste disposal company? It’s all about quality of service… The case against the Big 5Five companies dominate the UK waste and resource management industry. Together, they account for around £5 billion pounds in annual revenue — twice as much as the next 15 largest companies combined.The Big 5 are:Veolia Waste ManagementBiffa GroupSuez Environment UKViridorFCC EnvironmentThese companies are good at what they do, and known as some of the best waste management companies — you have to be to grow to that size. The trouble is, they often struggle to provide the same level of customer care as smaller outfits.It’s a problem seen across all sectors, not just waste management. As a company grows it becomes harder to maintain a consistent quality of service. A greater number of employees leads to a greater number of mistakes, which is understandable. But that doesn’t make it any less frustrating for the customers suffering these mistakes.For large businesses with plenty of resource it might not be such a problem to spend an hour on the phone every couple of weeks trying to re-arrange a missed rubbish collection. But for small businesses, the time wasted can be a crippling distraction from other responsibilities.That’s why, for smaller businesses, we recommend looking outside of the Big 5 for a waste management company.Why not try one of our top providers listed below?Get Waste Management Quotes Tailored To Your Business – Start HereWhat type of waste management do you need? General Waste Recycling Both Other/Unsure Top-rated waste management companies 1st: AMA Waste Management — Trustpilot score: 4.3 out of 5 AMA Waste Management 4.3 Compare Costs Quick overview With a score of 4.3 out of 5 from 800+ reviews, AMA Waste Management takes the top spot. From grab lorries to tipper hire, hazardous waste collection and general waste management, AMA has you covered. But it’s the company’s green credentials that sets it apart from other service providers.AMA aims to recycle at least 80% of the waste it handles, helping to reduce the environmental impact of your business. And it gets better; rather than trashing the planet, this waste disposal company is trying to clean it up. In 2017 AMA partnered with marine conservation charity ORCA to help raise awareness of the effect of irresponsible waste disposal on whales, dolphins and porpoises.Hats off to you if you can find another waste management company that looks out for dolphins. Read more + Read less - AMA Waste ManagementGeneral waste collectionDry recyclingFood wasteSecure document shredding✔✔✗ ✗ 2nd: WasteManaged — Trustpilot score: 4.1 out of 5 WasteManaged 4.1 Get Quotes Quick overview And in third place is WasteManaged, with a highly respectable score of 4.1 out of 5. The company prides itself on a simple, jargon-free approach to business — offering waste management on a transparent, cost-per-collection basis. No hidden charges, no soaring costs or unexpected price hikes.Tired of talking to robots and clueless customer service agents? You’re in luck. Because WasteManaged does not use call centres, and their “real live human staff” are on hand to answer the telephone nine to five, Monday to Friday. Setting up an account with WasteManaged takes just minutes, and they’ll have your bin delivered in five to seven days. Read more + Read less - WasteManagedGeneral waste collectionDry recyclingFood wasteSecure document shredding✔✔✔✔ Simply Waste Solutions 3.7 Compare Costs Quick overview Simply Waste Solutions comes in with a score of 3.7 out of 5 from 300+ reviews. Founded in 2006 with just a handful of staff and a second-hand truck, Simply Waste now operates a national service — handling more than 20,000 collections a week and 100,000 tonnes of waste per year. And now they buy their trucks from new.The secret to the company’s success? It’s simple: they believe that “every bin matters”, no matter who the client. That’s right, these guys never leave a bin behind. So when Simply Waste say they’re going to collect your bins at seven in the morning on a Tuesday, you can bet your house that they’re going to collect your bins at seven in the morning on a Tuesday. Read more + Read less - 3rd: Simply Waste Solutions — Trustpilot score: 3.7 out of 5Simply Waste SolutionsGeneral waste collectionDry recyclingFood wasteSecure document shredding✔✔✔✗ Request a tailored quoteSimply click the button below and fill in our webform to receive a free, no-obligations quote from a top rated provider. It takes about a minute to do, and the questions asked are designed to tailor the quote to your business.So save yourself the hassle and let us match you with the right waste management company. Start saving time and money Have you used commercial waste disposal before? Yes No Get your free quote Written by: Rob Binns Services Expert Rob writes mainly about the payments industry, but also brings to the table industry-specific knowledge of CRM software, business loans, fulfilment, and invoice finance. When not exasperating his editor with bad puns, he can be found relaxing in a sunny (socially-distanced) corner, with a beer and a battered copy of Dostoevsky. Reviewed by: Heleana Neil Business Services Editor Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.