Hazardous Waste
Some types of waste are harmful to human health, or to the environment, or both, either immediately or over an extended period of time. This is called hazardous waste.
If you are assessing a waste to determine if it is hazardous you should refer to:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/GEHO0506BKTR-e-e.pdf
If you have hazardous waste you should:
- Segregate hazardous waste from non hazardous waste
- Ensure hazardous wastes are dealt with by a suitably qualified hazardous waste contractor.
Responsibilities and Arrangements
In all cases academic and service units are responsible for the safety of the waste that they generate. Please contact your safety officer for advice.
This procedure satisfies safety concerns, Duty of Care and encourages producer responsibility.
Please see general hazardous waste guidance here:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/topics/waste/32180.aspx
The following list of hazardous waste contractors come recommended by various university lab managers:
Reformation Disposal Services Ltd
Tel: 01704 896699
Mulberry Waste Ltd.
Tel: 01772-454129
P & R Disposal Services,
Tel:(01772) 454129
VWR
Tel: 0800 22 33 44
http://uk.vwr.com
PHS
Tel; 029 2080 9090
www.phs.co.uk
Leading Solvent
Tel: 01423 358058
www.leading-solvent.co.uk
Records
As a hazardous waste producer you need to keep records of all hazardous waste including, WEEE and chemicals, you must maintain records (waste consignment notes) in a register, of each waste involved.
You must also be able to supply specified information to us or the emergency services, when required to do so.
Chemical waste
A common form of hazardous waste that is produced on campus is chemical waste.
This covers all unwanted chemicals remaining after the completion of a set of experiments, the departure of a member of staff, or those chemicals no longer required when a Department is relocated.
Disposal must take place at the earliest opportunity: chemicals left to accumulate in hidden areas can present dangers and difficulties years later!
Hazardous Chemical Waste Consultation
Many different waste disposal contractors come onto site to collect hazardous chemical wastes. This is expensive and leads to increase traffic movements and administration problems.
There may be economic, environmental and resource efficiencies to be gained by engaging one contractor to carry out a regular collection of hazardous waste chemicals.
Therefore we are carrying out a Hazardous Chemical Waste Consultation to get opinion, data and information on hazardous waste collection .
In the same manner as the successful WEEE collection, it is proposed that one contractor would collect waste chemicals at regular intervals, from various pre specified locations. Producers would be invoiced separately and receive paper work for their own wastes.
If you are the key contact for hazardous waste in your unit please fill out the online Hazardous Waste Consultation Form.