Elsan Waste Disposal

Legal & Environmental Compliance

Whether you are operating a motorhome site or managing a large holiday park, maintaining compliant sanitation facilities is essential. The waste from portable chemical toilets like Elsan toilets contains concentrated effluent that must be collected, transported, and disposed of correctly to prevent contamination, odours, and health risks. If handled improperly, this waste can cause environmental pollution and result in breaches of UK waste regulations. Such breaches may expose site operators to prosecution, financial penalties, and reputational damage, as well as harm to local ecosystems and public health.

Universal Tankers provides professional portable chemical toilet waste disposal services that help park owners, site managers, and operators maintain clean, compliant, and efficient facilities. Our fully licensed team works in accordance with all relevant environmental and regulatory requirements, managing each stage of the process responsibly.

Using specialist vacuum tankers, we can remove large volumes of chemical waste quickly and safely, even from remote or high-traffic sites. Our vehicles are equipped to access difficult terrain and handle the unique challenges of holiday parks, event grounds, and motorhome facilities, ensuring a reliable and disruption-free service.

With a nationwide depot network and a next-day service guarantee, Universal Tankers supports sites of every size in meeting their legal obligations while maintaining high hygiene standards for guests and staff.

To arrange a collection or request a quote, contact our expert team today on 0800 180 4474 in England and Wales or 01236 444322 in Scotland, or fill out our contact form

Why Choose Universal Tankers for Your Elsan Waste Disposal?

Universal Tankers provides a range of dependable, fully compliant Elsan waste disposal services for caravan parks, campsites, and club sites throughout the UK. Our team supports all aspects of caravan park maintenance services, including the safe collection, transport, and disposal of chemical toilet waste, to help site operators maintain excellent hygiene and operational standards. We handle waste from cassette toilets, onboard tanks, and designated Elsan points or caravan sewage disposal points, using specialist vacuum tankers designed for efficiency, safety, and minimal disruption even in remote or high-traffic locations.

With more than 30 years of industry experience, Universal Tankers understands the specific demands of leisure facilities and provides practical solutions that align with both environmental and regulatory standards. In addition to handling Elsan waste, we also manage grey waste from sinks and showers, and provide reliable water supply services to maintain sanitation systems and welfare facilities across your site.

By choosing Universal Tankers for your Elsan waste disposal, you benefit from:

  • Professional handling: our trained operatives collect and transport chemical waste in accordance with UK environmental legislation and local authority requirements, supporting safe and compliant operations across all caravan sewage disposal points.
  • Specialist equipment: our modern vacuum tankers are engineered to manage high volumes of waste from cassette toilets and onboard tanks, supporting both small campsites and large club sites.
  • Flexible scheduling: we offer regular, seasonal, and emergency collections tailored to your visitor levels and site capacity, as part of our wider caravan park maintenance services.
  • Nationwide coverage: with 19 depots strategically located across England and Scotland, we provide a guaranteed next-day service to any location.
  • Proven expertise: with decades of experience in wastewater and grey waste management, Universal Tankers delivers dependable solutions that protect your site’s reputation, uphold sanitation standards, and maintain uninterrupted operations.

Understanding Elsan Waste Disposal

Elsan waste refers to the chemical toilet waste produced by caravans, motorhomes, and portable sanitation units. This black waste is collected in a removable cassette or waste tank and contains a mixture of human waste and strong chemical treatments used to suppress odours and break down solids. Because of its chemical content and high concentration of harmful bacteria, Elsan waste must never be discharged into standard drainage systems, mixed with grey water, or poured into a general waste disposal point. Doing so can result in contamination of fresh water sources, damage to ground tanks and infrastructure, and breaches of UK environmental law.

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989, the disposal, collection, and transport of Elsan waste are regulated to protect the environment and public health. These laws require that chemical toilet waste is only emptied at purpose-built chemical disposal points or black waste disposal points connected to authorised sewage treatment systems. Grey water from sinks and showers must be discharged into a separate waste disposal point to prevent cross-contamination and maintain site hygiene.

Universal Tankers is a fully licensed waste carrier operating in full compliance with these regulations. Our trained operatives and specialist vacuum tankers manage the safe removal and transport of Elsan waste from ground tanks and chemical disposal points across the UK. We help caravan, motorhome, and holiday park operators meet their legal obligations while maintaining clean, efficient, and environmentally responsible facilities.

The Benefits of Using a Licensed Waste Carrier

Working with a licensed waste carrier such as Universal Tankers provides clear advantages for any organisation responsible for wastewater, sewage, or chemical waste. Our licensed status confirms that every collection and disposal is handled safely, responsibly, and in full alignment with current UK standards.

  • Compliance with UK regulations: using a licensed waste carrier safeguards your business by confirming that all waste is managed and transported according to recognised national requirements. This prevents environmental harm and protects your site from the penalties linked to improper disposal.
  • Time saved on travelling to drop-off points: our mobile fleet collects waste directly from your premises, removing the need for you to transport it to an authorised facility. This approach saves time, reduces fuel costs, and allows your team to concentrate on core operations while we handle the logistics.
  • Sanitation standards: we maintain strict hygiene controls throughout every stage of collection and disposal. Our procedures are designed to prevent contamination and uphold the highest sanitation standards, supporting a clean, compliant, and professional site environment.

Choosing Universal Tankers means working with a trusted, fully licensed motorhome wastewater disposal operator. We combine compliance, efficiency, and environmental responsibility across every service we deliver.

FAQs About Elsan Waste Disposal

What is Elsan disposal?

Elsan disposal refers to the process of safely emptying and treating waste from chemical toilets, which are commonly used in caravans, boats, motorhomes, and portable welfare units. The term originates from Elsan, a company that has produced chemical sanitation products since the 1920s, and has since become a widely recognised name for chemical toilet disposal facilities across the UK.

An Elsan disposal point is a designated location equipped to handle chemical toilet effluent, allowing waste from cassettes or holding tanks to be emptied, contained, and transported for compliant treatment. These facilities are specifically designed to prevent contamination of local watercourses, soil, and drainage systems, supporting both environmental protection and public hygiene.

How do Elsan toilets work?

Elsan toilets are designed to provide a convenient and hygienic waste solution for caravans, motorhomes, and portable facilities that operate away from mains drainage. The system works by collecting waste in a sealed toilet cassette or holding tank located beneath the unit. Inside the cassette, a specially formulated chemical solution breaks down solids, neutralises bacteria, and controls odours, turning waste into a manageable liquid for safe removal.

Fresh water from an onboard tank or external water supply is used for flushing, to maintain hygiene and prevent blockages within the unit. Once full, the cassette can be detached and emptied at a designated caravan sewage disposal point

Can Elsan waste be stored with other wastewater?

Elsan systems are designed to manage the liquid and solid waste generated by a toilet, also known as black water. This type of waste contains chemicals and bacteria that make it unsuitable for mixing with other wastewater streams. In contrast, grey water from a kitchen sink, shower, or washing area contains soap, food residue, and detergents, but not sewage. Because of their different compositions, black water and grey water must always be stored separately in purpose-built containers or tanks.

Black water from cassette toilets should be held in a sealed plastic tank fitted with a secure lid to prevent leakage and contamination. Grey water is collected in a separate water tank or vessel designed to be suitable for non-sewage waste. Mixing the two can cause chemical reactions, odours, and disposal difficulties, and may pose a health risk if the same system for storing water is later used for drinking water or clean water supply storage.

It is also important to recognise that black water and grey water are subject to different regulations under UK environmental and waste management legislation. Black water is classified as sewage and must be disposed of at approved tipping points, while grey water can only be discharged at designated grey water drains or collection areas. Both must be handled with careful attention to site access, storage capacity, and environmental protection standards to prevent pollution and maintain compliance.

Get in touch

Request a quote or make an enquiry

If you require a quote or have a general enquiry about our services, please complete the form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Alternatively call one of our experienced staff on 0800 180 4474 or 01236 434422 from Scotland.

We're happy to help! For a list of our depot locations, visit the locations page.

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19 Depots Nationwide

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Our strategically located depots across the UK ensure that no matter where you are, our high-quality wastewater services are just a call away. Our teams are equipped and ready to provide swift and efficient service.

Call us free on 0800 180 4474 or 01236 434422 from Scotland