Hazardous Waste Disposal
Hazardous waste is found in many areas of work, the main sector being (but not limited to) the medical and care industry, businesses such as factories, and car body shops as they use many types of paints and adhesives. All waste must be separated at the time of use, and non-hazardous waste must not be mixed as this can cause harm to the environment, animals and humans. How waste is disposed of is an important factor with laws and regulations that surround this process. Failure to comply with these laws could face prosecution.
Types of hazardous waste include:
- Hazardous containers
- Fridges
- Solvents
- Asbestos
- Chemical waste such as brake fluid or vehicle oil
- Pesticides
- Batteries
All flammable, corrosive, and toxic waste also fall under the hazardous waste category and must be disposed of correctly.
How do I dispose of hazardous waste?
The disposal of hazardous waste is important and can cause confusion if trying to do this yourself. Although local recycling centres do accept hazardous waste some rules must be followed, this type of waste has to be booked prior to your arrival and there is a limit to the amount you can take. A more convenient option is to arrange a hazardous waste company to collect and dispose of the waste for you. Many local companies can complete this as a one-off collection or a monthly, quarterly and yearly service.
All specialised companies must hold the relevant licenses and environmental permits to enable them to store, carry and safely dispose of any hazardous waste. There are a few items of waste that can be recycled. These include:
- Cleaning fluids
- Oil-based paints
- Butane tanks
- Batteries
- Fluorescent light tubing
However, these can still be collected and will be transported and recycled by the waste disposal company.
Documents will then be provided as a receipt that the work was completed correctly. These documents must be stored for 3 years following the hazardous waste disposal service.
Categorised as: hazardous waste disposal