Waste Regulations
In this topic:
- Why reducing waste is important
- How to reduce waste (including waste reduction tips)
- Waste regulations you must comply with
Over recent years new legislation has been introduced to oblige businesses to manage waste effectively. An Environment Agency site called www.netregs.co.uk covers these regulations in detail and provides advice and guidance.
Broadly these are the regulations all businesses must comply with. There are other regulations that apply to businesses involved in specific activities - check on the NetRegs site for those that may apply to you.
Duty of care
All businesses have a duty of care to treat their waste conscientiously. You must:
- store, handle, recycle or dispose of your waste safely and legally.
- only allow licensed operators to collect or deal with your waste.
- record all transfers of waste between you and any other business, organisation or individual using a waste transfer note (WTN).
- keep all WTNs, signed by both businesses, for at least two years.
- record any transfer of hazardous/special waste between your business and another business, using a consignment note.
- keep all consignment notes, signed by both businesses, for at least three years.
Storing waste effectively means keeping it covered, keeping it secure, packaging and containing it effectively so it doesn't blow or leak away, and only passing it to licensed operators to dispose of it.
Recycling or disposing of waste safely and legally means correctly sorting, storing and treating any waste so that it can be successfully recycled or sent to landfill.
Landfill treatment
Any waste being sent to landfill must be 'treated' appropriately. Treatment means anything which reduces the amount of waste going to landfill, makes it less hazardous, makes it easier to handle or makes it easier to recover useful elements. Sorting your waste and sending some of it to recycling is treatment. You - or your refuse collector - must sort your waste into its different 'streams' eg paper, cardboard, bottles, tins, food waste, garden waste, rubble and so on.
There are some substances you cannot send to landfill:
- any liquids
- tyres
- healthcare wastes
- waste that is dangerous: corrosive, explosive, flammable or oxidising
- animal by-products (parts not intended for human consumption)
- new or unidentified chemicals
- electrical items
WEEEs (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations)
These regulations aim to reduce the amount of electronic equipment ending up in landfill by placing responsibility on producers and distributors for their products when they eventually become waste. The Environment Agency enforce these regulations.
You must only deposit electrical items at specific locations (such as civic amenities with appropriate facilities for electronic goods). Under the law distributors and producers of electronic goods must facilitate the return of waste electronics, either by taking them back instore, letting you know where local collection points are or some other measure, unless you entered a different agreement (ie to dispose of the goods yourself) when you purchased the equipment.
You can return waste electrical goods free of charge to the producer or distributor if:
- you purchased the goods after 13th August 2005
- you are replacing the with an equivalent product
- you have rented or leased the goods
You will have to pay for the disposal if:
- you purchased the goods before August 13th 2005 and are not replacing them with equivalent products
- you cannot trace the producer or the compliance scheme
- you entered into an agreement with the producer to dispose of the goods yourself.
RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances)
Hazardous substances which endanger human health or the environment cannot be sent to landfill but must be disposed of safely. If you produce such waste you will need to register as a hazardous waste producer and follow the appropriate regulations for your type of waste.
Packaging Waste (Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003)
Under these regulations, if you produce or supply goods that are packaged in any way you are required by law to:
- use the minimal appropriate packaging.
- use packaging that can be recovered, reused, composted or that when burned will produce more energy than is used by the incineration process.
- ensure that the packaging isn't hazardous, even after a long time at landfill.
- ensure that the packaging doesn't contain heavy metals.
Remember that there are more regulations which apply to specific business types, please see www.netregs.gov.uk for more.
Also in this topic:
Quick Links
- Go to the Green Tourism Business Scheme website
- Use Business Link's environmental compliance tool
- Find business advice on the Envirowise website
- Find environmental regulations for tourism businesses on the NetRegs website
- Find out more about local food at the Local Food Works website
- Visit Northumbria Larder for regional food ideas
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