A Guide to Effective Hazardous Waste Management

Having a waste management contract in place is important as a business, especially when you are dealing with hazardous waste. When hazardous waste is improperly handled, it can be harmful to human health and environmental safety.

This type of waste can be produced in many forms, whether this is gas, liquids or solids. The UK government stipulates strict guidance on how to monitor and implement an effective hazardous waste solution, and together with.

Classifying your waste

Handling hazardous waste is now the responsibility of the business as the government now claim that they have a duty to help protect the environment and humans that may come into contact with it.

Usually waste is normally identified as it being harmful to the environment or harmful to humans. There are many examples of hazardous waste, but the most common include the following:

• Asbestos
• Chemicals such as brake fluid and printer toner
• Batteries
• Solvents
• Pesticides
• Oils such as car oil
• Equipment that contains ozone depleting substances such as fridges.

Reconomy – providers of skip hire – say that if you produce any of the waste listed above as a business, you need to make sure that it is all stored in separate compartments.

Limiting your waste

Limiting the amount of waste that your business produces is important before you store it. Although not exclusive to these types, waste, and hazardous waste can be categorised within four main sub-categories:

• Construction
• Demolition
• Industry
• Agriculture

It is then your duty to store this hazardous waste in a secure location, to prevent any complications such as waste escaping. When storing waste that is hazardous, it should be labelled accordingly, so that everyone on-site can identify it as such. In terms of contamination, waterproof covers should be used so that hazardous substances do not run off onto the floor or any other areas.

When dealing with liquids, you then need to make sure you have no leakages – to prevent this put a barrier in place. When these materials are being stored onsite, employees should regularly check storage areas for damaged containers, or any other potential risks that may harm employees or the surrounding environment.

Then make sure that you have placed this hazardous waste in a secure location. This means if any incident does occur, the emergency services can deal with it effectively and safely.

Keeping track

To make sure that all of a business’ hazardous waste is accounted for once it is collected, you will need to complete what is known as a consignment note. You should make sure this note is complete before the waste is taken away.

Consignment notes are required for:

• Collections from businesses that are registered waste carriers.
• Movements from one premises to another within the same organisation.
• When another business has produced waste, movements from customer premises.

Consignment notes are not required for:

• The movement of domestic hazardous waste – other than asbestos.
• Waste has been imported and exported under international waste shipment controls that require a different movement note.

What type of hazardous waste?

When you’re filling out your consignment note, you need to make sure that it is accurate. To do this we have created a guide for each section on how to fill it out in the best way to avoid any complications when it comes to getting rid of your waste:

The waste description

This should be a description of each type of waste you are getting rid of.

The quantity

When descripting the quantity of your waste, you should provide the weight in kilo’s and any liquids in the appropriate volumes.

The chemical components

On this section, you need to identify the hazardous and non-hazardous waste you require to get rid of.

The physical form

You then need to describe what form the waste you’re disposing of it, whether it is gas, liquid or solid – or even mixed.

Your consignment note comes at a price, so be prepared to pay it when you’re complete. In England and Wales, the charge is £10 for a single collection. If this collection is a milk round (multiple collections), then this is reduced to £5 per note. Depending on applicability, the fee is set at £15 in Northern Ireland and Scotland.