Do you know what your waste responsibilities are as a business? Many businesses are unaware of their legal requirements when dealing with waste. Since February 2011 there has been a legal requirement for businesses to apply the waste hierarchy when dealing with waste. But what exactly is the waste hierarchy and how does it apply to your business. In this article, we’ll take a look at your requirements as a business and show you how Aussie Environmental can help you be compliant.
THE WASTE HIERARCHY
When dealing with waste management the waste hierarchy is used to rank the waste management options according to what is best for the environment. Top priority is given to preventing waste in the first place. The least preferred method is sending it to landfill. The waste hierarchy when it comes to metal is as follows:
Source reduction & Reuse
This form of waste management can be achieved by using less material in design and manufacturing. Keeping products for longer and reusing by checking, cleaning, repairing, refurbishing, whole items or spare parts instead of replacing materials.
Recycling
Where it is not possible to reuse a product then the next best option is to turn your metal waste into a new substance or product. This can be achieved through the collection of metal waste.
Energy Recovery
Energy recovery from waste includes incineration with energy recovery, gasification and pyrolysis which produce energy (fuels, heat and power) and materials from waste.
Treatment and Disposal
For all waste that can’t be used for energy recovery, the waste is treated to make sure that it does not contain harmful chemicals and the waste is sent to landfill or incinerated without energy recovery processes.
While the best option is the prevention of waste this is not always possible and so the next best option is the proper recycling of your business and commercial waste.
WHAT COUNTS AS BUSINESS OR COMMERCIAL WASTE?
All waste generated as part of commercial activity is classified as business waste. For offices this may be paper, builders can be bricks and construction materials and for plumbers’ this will be pipework and other materials. In order to dispose of business waste, you must use a registered waste carrier – this can be your local council or a private company such as Aussie Environmental.
DISPOSING OF BUSINESS OR COMMERCIAL WASTE
As a business, there are several obligations that you have when it comes to the waste that your business produces. Your responsibilities include:
- Keeping your business waste to a minimum by doing everything you reasonably can to prevent, reuse, recycle or recover waste
- Sort and store waste safely and securely
- Complete a waste transfer note for each load of waste that leaves your premises
- Check if your waste carrier is registered to dispose of waste
- Not allow the waste carrier to dispose of your waste illegally
SORTING AND STORING WASTE
It is your responsibility to store your waste safely and securely and at Aussie Environmental we can help by providing you with special waste containers for all your scrap metal waste. Our containers are designed to help by:
- Featuring clear labelling to identify the waste
- Provide secure storage for your metal waste
WASTE TRANSFER NOTE
As part of our metal waste management service, we can help provide you with everything you need to complete your waste transfer note and allow us to take the waste metal for recycling. Aussie Environmental is a fully registered waste carrier and we’re committed to helping our customers meet their recycling goals.
WHY CHOOSE AUSSIE ENVIRONMENTAL?
Aussie Environmental have built an enviable reputation by proving a personalised service to national customers comprising; advice and guidance on optimising their waste management, a timely, punctual and tidy waste collection service with waste collection reports and corporate reporting for multi-site organisations.
We can help you understand your legal obligations under the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations and provide you with a scrap metal waste management service that is tailored to the needs of your business. We work across a range of different business sectors from healthcare and industrial to commercial and the public sector and are happy to help your business comply with regulations.