What exactly counts as hazardous waste and what are the business requirements in the UK?
What exactly counts as hazardous waste?
Under environmental legislation, waste is deemed ‘hazardous’ if it contains substances or possesses properties that could potentially harm human health or the environment. Hazardous waste does not always imply an immediate risk to human health, although some waste can be immediately dangerous.
According to The UK Government hazardous waste falls into 1 of 8 different classifications:
- Asbestos
- Chemicals, such as brake fluid or print toner
- Batteries
- Solvents
- Pesticides
- Oils (except edible ones), such as car oil
- Equipment containing ozone depleting substances, like fridges
- Hazardous waste container
How much hazardous waste is generated annually?
Each year, more than 400 million tonnes of hazardous waste are produced worldwide, accounting for 2% of the total waste generated. This equates to about 13 tonnes of hazardous waste being generated every second, or nearly 60 kilograms per person on the planet.
In the UK alone, approximately 3 million tonnes of hazardous waste are produced each year, according to government figures. Of this, almost half (1.9 million tonnes) originates from commercial and industrial activities. Additionally, construction, demolition, and electronic waste contribute 0.7 million tonnes to the UK’s total hazardous waste.
Disposing of hazardous business waste in the UK
Waste generated from a commercial business is classed as business waste and therefore has to be treated as such, this includes business waste generated from a domestic property. According to the UK Government business waste can come from the following:
- Construction
- Demolition
- Industry
- Agriculture
Due to the nature of hazardous waste, commercial businesses have to take further steps to ensure legal compliance, this is also know as a ‘duty of care’ the full description of the duty of care is available here.
Legal responsibility
Any business that either produces, holds, stores or has waste removed from it’s premises has to take the following four steps:
- Classify waste to check if it falls into a hazardous category
- Hazardous waste is separated and stored safely
- Uses only authorised businesses like Acumen to collect recycle or dispose of this waste
- Completes all relevant documentation
Risks to your business
Criminal and Civil Action
According to the Environment Agency, improper adherence with legislation can result in a range of actions being taken. This includes both hazardous waste and hazardous waste that has been mixed with other categories. These actions can result in criminal responses and/or civil sanctions.
Standard criminal responses that can be undertaken include the following:
- A formal warning
- Formal caution
- Prosecution
Between 2017 and 2020, the Environment Agency stopped illegal activity across 2,700 sites in the UK. This resulted in 191 prosecutions, 39 of which resulted in prison sentences.
Financial Sanctions
In 2016, new laws came into place to ensure that hazardous waste is categorised and treated properly. The responsibility for the storage, categorisation and treatment falls on the waste producer, waste carrier and the end receiver (consignee) of this waste material. Failure to comply with this legislation can result in a fine of up to £5000 in the most extreme cases.
Reputational damage
Although hard to quantify the exact reputational damage a business can suffer because of legal non-compliance. Such legal/civil action not only signals regulatory non-compliance but also erodes trust and confidence in the company’s commitment to environmental responsibility.
Negative media coverage and a potential social media backlash can increase this damage, leading to brand image damage and a potential loss of customers. What is more, the business might face increased scrutiny from both regulators and stakeholders.
Contact hazardous waste experts Acumen
To ensure you deal with all waste categories including hazardous correctly, please consult Acumen waste management experts today.
