What is waste?
What is waste?
There are legal definitions of waste from the UK Government.
"A material is waste if the holder has discarded it. The holder is the person or legal entity who has the material at the time it’s discarded." You can check if your material is waste here.
Understanding your waste is vital.
There are legal requirements when disposing of business waste. More details here including the need for a signed Waste Tranfser Note for each load of waste that leaves your premises. This includes signing the sentance that says 'By signing in Section D below I confirm that I have fulfilled my duty to apply the waste hierarchy as required by Regulation 12 of the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011'.
What is the waste hierachy?
The waste hierachy is a means to identify the least harmful options for dealing with waste - ie items no longer used or fit for purpose.
Recycling is often mistakenly thought of as the best option. But it isnt. Refusing... rethinking... redesigning... reducing... reusing... are better. Additionally, not all recycling is the same - upcycling - making a higher value product - is preferred to downcycling - making and inferior product.
Rethinking the process which creates waste can help trigger a wider review of business operations which can identify logistical and operational waste. More radical change helps businesses recognise the opportunities to move from a linear economy to a more sustainable, circular one.
EcoSolutions for a Greener Tomorrow
Waste can be interesting
Especially if it saves you money and reduces the waste being generated
Waste audits
Waste audits or 'bin dives' can determine the composition of the bin contents. This helps the business gain insight into what is being disposing of. This can lead to reducing the waste being generated, thus reducing resource use and the costs and logistics of waste disposal.
Tackling waste
Tackling waste starts with product design, whether through increasing recycled content of packaging through to considering what happens at the end of a products life. Making products from single material products, or ensuring ease of dismantling means recycling and return of resources to the economy is easier.
Prevention and minimisation starts with examine the life cycle of products. Data from a variety of sources can be used.
Consumption habits can be influenced by helping customers consider the consequences of purchasing and using different products or materials. For example, single use plastic packaging is in the forefront of many customers minds, and businesses who embrace the reuse of packaging find financial and environmental benefits.
Effective and efficient collection systems help materials re-enter the economy.
Collection systems
There are a variety of collection systems for different products
- Standard container collection - e.g. household and commercial collections
- Post back - such as Nespresso coffee pods
- Take-back - for example tyre companies, opticians for old glasses
- 'Parasitic collection systems' - add-on niche services alongside kerbside collections
- New for old swaps - e.g. white goods/appliance replacement
- Store bring back - some shops will take back packaging or used product without needing new purchasing
- Charity donations - usually for resale
- Charity doorstop collection -
- Business take-back e.g. some clothing shops take-back clothing for recycling and for discounts of new clothes
- School collection e.g. for ink cartridges, mobile phones etc to raise funds
- Reverse vending machines - starting to roll out in locations across the UK
- Household recycling centers - usually council run
- Supermarket delivery scheme bring back - able to return plastic bags to the driver