UK SIC 2007 · 38320
Recovery of sorted materials
Recovery of sorted materials is UK SIC code 38320, part of division 38 (Waste collection, treatment and disposal activities; materials recovery) in the SIC 2007 classification. As of the July 2026 Companies House register, 2,587 active UK companies list 38320 among their SIC codes, and 1,880 list it as their first code. That makes it the second most used code in its division.
As of the July 2026 Companies House register, 2,587 active UK companies list 38320 among their SIC codes (1,880 as their first code).
Companies House data refreshed daily. Page reviewed July 2026.
Division 38: Waste collection, treatment and disposal activities; materials recovery
This division covers the companies that move and process the UK's rubbish. Waste collection under 38110 is the largest group, spanning skip hire firms, trade waste collectors and specialist clearance businesses. Treatment and disposal of non-hazardous waste sits under 38210, covering transfer stations and processing sites, while 38320, recovery of sorted materials, holds recyclers of metals, plastics and paper. Hazardous waste has parallel codes with fewer registrants. Skip and grab hire operations make up a large slice of the smaller companies here.
Nearly every business in this division runs trucks, so fleet-related sellers prospect it constantly: vehicle finance, tracking and telematics, tipper and hook loader dealers, fuel cards and operator licence consultants. Recyclers attract commodity traders and equipment suppliers for balers and shredders. Compliance is the other angle, since carriers need Environment Agency registration and sites need permits, creating steady demand for environmental consultants. A new incorporation usually means a new skip firm or a driver going out alone, both needing finance and insurance before the first collection, while growth signals point to fleet expansion.
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Where SIC 38320 clusters in the UK
About SIC 38320
How many UK companies use SIC code 38320?
2,587 active UK companies include 38320 (Recovery of sorted materials) among their up-to-four registered SIC codes, of which 1,880 list it first. Figures are from the July 2026 Companies House register snapshot, counting active companies only.
Does registering a waste SIC code mean the company holds a waste carrier licence?
No. The SIC code and waste carrier registration are entirely separate systems. Anyone can incorporate with 38110 without holding a licence, and plenty do before applying. Carriers register with the Environment Agency in England, or the equivalent bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, regardless of what the Companies House record says. Prospectors should verify licences directly rather than infer them from SIC codes.
Should a skip hire company pick a waste code or a plant hire code?
Skip hire that includes collection and disposal of the contents is waste collection, so 38110 is the conventional code. Pure container rental without handling the waste leans toward a rental code in division 77. Many firms list both to cover the mix. Companies House imposes no test either way: codes are declared by the company and amended freely through the confirmation statement.
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