Waste

If your waste contains information of a nature covered by the Data Protection Act,i.e. anything about a living person that is not publicly available, then you should consider how this is being disposed of. There are many so-called shredders but only those who comply to ISO 9000 and a strict code of practice on shred size, destruction method, vetting of staff etc should be used. For a full list of quality companies go to the British Security Industry Association website on www.bsia.co.uk and go to the relevant section for Information Destruction companies.

Hi Rupert,

We passed your query on to Peter Harris, Senior Environmental Consultant at Atkins Environment. Peter has kindly provided the following response, which I hope helps:

The main assurance to be sought is that the wastes are being correctly categorised and despatched to sorting or disposal sites that are licensed to handle the waste types concerned. Things to check are:

* Does the transfer note contain a correct and accurate description of the wastes, and are the new EWC (European Waste Catalogue) codes being used?

* Are there any materials in the waste that would be classed as hazardous waste under the new EWC categories?

* Does the waste contractor possess a carriers license, and do the downstream sorting or disposal sites hold waste management licences?

Duty of Care requires that waste producers take reasonable steps to ensure their wastes are being handled correctly - see the DEFRA guidance on this:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/management/doc/pdf/waste_man_duty_code.pdf

Whether the wastes are separated out at a tip is (in terms of legal compliance) not that important. This does though raise the question of why separation is occurring at a tip, rather than segregation on site (which may provide greater opportunity for recycling of materials, and incur lower collection charges).

Hope this helps,

Best regards

Peter Harris, Senior Environmental Consultant, Atkins Environment

www.atkinsglobal.com

All of our waste, except IT equipment & fluorescent tubes, are put into an on site compactor, which is removed by our waste contractor.

Apart from the Waste Transfer Note as provided by the waste contractor, is there anything else I need to do?

I am told by my waste contractor that they separate all waste out at the tip. Do I need to know if they really do this?