March 26, 2024
We are a registered waste carrier and fully licensed by the Environment Agency
Every day there seems to be a flurry of new legislation pertaining to running a business, in particular outlining the right and wrong ways to dispose of commercial waste. Just as you think you have understood and implemented new measures, there always seems to be a new edict, making it difficult to stay abreast of the latest rules and regulations.
This is also true for professional waste management services like G&S Clearance. In order to provide a comprehensive regulated commercial waste disposal in Brighton, we must ensure all permits and permissions are correct and up to date, in order for us to legally handle, transport, store and dispose of all types of rubbish. This could apply to the removal of old sofas that could be contaminated with Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) or lithium batteries, which also require specific handling and disposal.
Adrian Westwood, Founder and Managing Director of G&S Clearance, regularly keeps an eye open for any updates, changes or the introduction of new laws and regulations concerning waste management across all fields. This means we not only have our finger on the pulse, but we can keep you informed of any changes, so that you follow up on any regulations that could directly affect your company, without the need to wade pages of unrelated legislation.
“G&S Clearance provides waste management and site clearance services to a wide range of corporate clients, including large public organisations and companies. Working on large sites and undertaking rip-outs involves handling a wide range of waste, from potentially hazardous materials to bulky items. Our clients need to understand their obligations and need the assurance that the company contracted to manage the waste if fully conversant with health and safety, and all legislation and laws concerning the removal transportation, disposal and where possible recycling of all items. Failure to comply with any of the legislation can result in fines and in the worst-case scenario a prison sentence.”
The first step to complying with all new waste management regulations pertaining to businesses, is to establish who is responsible for managing the waste in your business. It is fair to say that the buck stops with the owner or the CEO, however, every employee has a role to play in the reduction, collection and safe disposal of rubbish, whether this is WEEE waste, food, paper or plastic.
As with all corporate processes there should be a clear process and hierarchy of responsibilities, including ensuring all employees are aware of the importance of sustainable waste management practices. It is crucial that employees are aware first and foremost of the compliance and legal requirements. They should also be aware of company’s sustainability targets and aims for reducing its carbon footprint and the damage that could be done to the brand if these measures are not followed.
Here are some examples of the most recent UK waste management regulations that could affect businesses, and will be relevant to our clients who require commercial waste collections in Brighton, Hove and the South East coast.
A policy paper updated in October2023, outlines the UK Government’s intention to introduce digital tracking throughout the UK. The scheme is scheduled to be introduced by April 2025. The strategy was first mentioned in ‘Chapter 4: Tackling Waste Crime’ in the Resource sand Waste Strategy policy paper (2018). The initiative will allow the relevant authorities to check how much waste is created, where it is created and how it has been disposed of. Important questions will be answered, regarding the method of disposal, whether it was illegal or via a legal waste disposal and recycling channel.
The legislation is designed to cover multiple areas of concern that need addressing:
· Provide an overview of what happens to waste in the UK
· Provide data for more effective regulations
· Help businesses to comply with the legislation
· Increase recycling to save resources
· Prevent criminal mishandling of waste
Towards the end of 2023, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), announced a new Simpler Recycling initiative(previously discussed in our blog, “Simpler Recycling” launched to boost UK waste management and recycling industry”. The initiative included a mandate for extending separate food collections throughout the UK, as less than 50 percent of councils currently collect food waste separately. This was an important change, as approximately fifty per cent of English councils operated separate food waste collections. Scotland has operated a similar policy since 2014, however Wales will be a little slower, as implementation won’t take place until 6th April 2024.
If you need to arrange for packaging waste management in Brighton, get in touch with G&S Clearance by emailing info@gsclearance.com. Alternatively, if you would like to know more about our full range of waste management services in Brighton and Hove, visit the website ww.gsclearance.co.uk/.
