A ban on cash payments for scrap metal at recyclers’ yards in England and Wales comes into force on 3rd December which means that payments for scrap metal must be made electronically or by cheque as payment by cash is now a criminal offence and can result in fines, with higher fines set out for more serious breaches of the law. The Act also increases police powers to enter scrap metal yards in order to check whether the ban on cash payments is being complied with. If recyclers are found to be in breach of the ban they, the employee responsible for making the payment and any management staff who have failed to take reasonable steps to prevent payment being made will all be guilty of an offence. Some commentators have expressed concern that a cash ban exemption has been made for itinerant collectors who, while needing to be registered with the local authority are also exempt from certain record keeping requirements. It is not known if, or by what degree, the ban will have on the amount of leakage of waste electrical and electronic equipment from the regulated ‘WEEE system’ – only time will tell.