New waste regulations will change how you deal with your waste. You will have to consider the hierarchy of waste options - to prevent, reuse and recycle before you dispose of waste. This will apply to ALL businesses. Environmental matters are now relevant to all service businesses as well as industrial, logistics and construction. Solicitors, Accountants, Insurance Brokers, everyone needs to take notice.
The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 will:
- require businesses to confirm that they have applied the waste management hierarchy when transferring waste, and include a declaration on their waste transfer note or consignment note
- introduce a two-tier system for waste carrier and broker registration, including a new concept of a waste dealer
- make amendments to hazardous waste controls
- exclude some categories of waste from waste controls.
The regulations implement the revised EU Waste Framework Directive 2008/98, which sets requirements for the collection, transport, recovery and disposal of waste.
What does the waste management hierarchy mean:-
The hierarchy sets out, in order of priority, the waste management options you should consider:
- prevention
- preparing for reuse
- recycling
- recovery, e.g. energy recovery
- disposal.
Whenever you pass waste on to someone else, you will have to declare on the waste transfer note, or consignment note for hazardous waste, that you have applied the waste management hierarchy.
The aim is to recycle or reuse everything, rather than send waste to a landfill.
If you are in business, this law applies to you.
If you want to discuss the next steps, don’t hesitate to contact us!
0208 624 6464