Envirowise urges businesses not to be over zealous as new environmental legislation comes into force in England and Wales on 16th July. The Hazardous Waste Regulation involves a reclassification of most ‘special wastes’ as ‘hazardous waste’, and businesses will have to make sure they have the right procedures in place for producing, handling, storing, treating or disposing of such wastes – or they might face litigation and fines.
The new legislation applies to waste from any business – and most businesses are likely to produce some hazardous wastes. As hazardous waste is expensive to dispose of, Envirowise encourages businesses to make sure they know which of the wastes they produce are hazardous and which are not to avoid making the regulations more expensive to their business than necessary.
Dr Martin Gibson, Envirowise programme director, says: "A lot of businesses have skips for hazardous waste but some have a tendency to also throw wastes that might be hazardous into it because they want to be on the ‘safe side’.
"Don’t fill up the hazardous waste skip with wastes that aren’t hazardous, as it is likely to cost you 3 times more to dispose of it," advises Dr Gibson.
Dr Gibson suggests business managers should ask themselves the following questions:
- Am I producing hazardous waste?
- Do I have to produce these hazardous wastes?
- Am I mixing hazardous and non-hazardous waste in the same skip?
- Am I paying to dispose of expensive hazardous waste instead of segregating waste properly?
The government-funded organisation also offers free and confidential FastTrack Hazardous Waste Reviews to companies with less than 250 employees. The reviews are conducted by Envirowise’s independent experts, and involve a practical evaluation of the business’ hazardous waste activities, identification of avoidable waste as well as potential savings.
Notes to editor
The Hazardous Waste Regulations follow the Landfill Regulations 2002 brought into force in July last year, which put a stopper for the ‘co-disposal’ of hazardous with non-hazardous waste in landfill.
Examples of hazardous wastes include:
- asbestos
- lead-acid batteries
- used engine oils and oil filters
- solvent-based paint and ink
- chemical wastes
- pesticides
- TV sets & computer monitors
- fluorescent tubes
Any business producing hazardous waste has a legal duty to register with the Environmental Agency of their premises where hazardous waste is produced. Certain types of premises are exempt from the requirement to register if less than 200kg of hazardous waste are produced at specified premises in any twelve month period. These include domestic premises, shops, offices, agricultural premises, dental, veterinary or medical practices, ships, schools, prisons and charity premises.
Regsiter with the Enviroment Agency
as a hazardous waste producer.
About Envirowise
Envirowise delivers a valuable programme of confidential advice to UK businesses. This advice enables businesses to improve profitability and reduce environmental impact.
Independent, practical and proven guidance is available through the Envirowise Advice Line, information resources and on site visits (Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales only) delivered by a national team of expert advisors. Each solution is driven by the specific needs of individual firms, to genuinely improve their business practices, profitability and competitiveness. Since 1994, Envirowise has helped UK industry save £1 billion.
The Envirowise programme is available to any UK business, completely free of charge. For more information visit www.envirowise.gov.uk or call 0800 585 794.
For more information, please contact:
Kirstina Reitan
AUGUST.ONE COMMUNICATIONS
Tel: 0208 846 8325
Mobile: 07980 878 270
Email: kirstina.reitan@augustone.com
Jason Gowar
AUGUST.ONE COMMUNICATIONS
Tel: 0208 846 8318
Mobile: 07974 161 114
Email: Jason.gowar@augustone.com
Samantha Stevens
AUGUST.ONE COMMUNICATIONS
Tel: 0208 846 8339
Mobile: 07974 161 1 43
Email: Samantha.stevens@augustone.com