HazBox

The Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) regulations 2005 were amended on 6th April 2009 and 18th November 2009 respectively.  

Any business producing over 500kg of hazardous waste in one year must register as a producer of hazardous waste.  Businesses producing less than 500kg of hazardous waste are exempt from registering but must still comply in the segregation, storage and disposal of hazardous wastes.

Hazardous Wastes

Some of the more common hazardous wastes include:

Adhesives, aerosols, paint tins, oil cans, oily rags and gloves, oil filters, batteries (Nickel, Mercury, Lithium, NiCd and NiMh), batteries lead/acid, fluorescent tubes, light bulbs, toner cartridges, WEEE electrical equipment, IT and computer goods.

Who is affected?

All businesses including factories, industrial facilities, offices, public sector undertakings, hotels, building sites etc must comply with the hazardous waste regulations.

Compliance

All businesses large and small must now be aware of their legal obligations relating to hazardous wastes, its segregation, collection and disposal.  It is the responsibility of the producer of waste to determine whether or not it is hazardous.  Regulation 70 of the Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005 relates to penalties by the Environment Agency for environmental offences.

Regulation for Hazardous Waste is more rigidly enforced with fines and penalties for non-compliant businesses

Compliance is not just about avoiding environmental incidents, fines or prosecution.  It is also about corporate and social responsibility, environmental performance and efficiency.

Selection Of Authorised Collection

 Waste classified as hazardous, must be collected and disposed of by an authorised contractor licensed by the Environment Agency.

Chemicals and similar wastes that cannot be identified should be considered hazardous and cannot be moved until analysed.Hazbox provides a complete testing and analysis service for all your unidentifiable hazardous wastes.Once analysed we will advise the most appropriate route for your waste and ensure all documentation and compliance requirements are in place prior to collection.We employ full time “in house” chemists to assist with all sampling and analysis requirements.  Our  advisors will assist you in establishing whether waste is hazardous or not.  Unidentified hazardous waste will be analysed and the correct EWC (European Waste Catalogue) code applied.  The EWC provides a full list of codes depending on the type of waste.Our technical advisor will also assist in identifying the correct EWC codes for all your waste streams.

All businesses that use electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) must comply with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations.If you give WEEE to someone, you must ensure that they are a registered waste carrier or other approved person.  You must ensure that it is accompanied by a waste transfer note or hazardous waste consignment note (as appropriate) and taken to a suitable facility to be treated and recycled.You must obtain and keep documented proof that your WEEE was given to a waste management company and was treated and disposed of in an environmentally sound way.Hazbox: Taking care that Safety, Security, Accountability and the Environment are our priorities.

New regulations came into force in January 2010 and businesses that use, produce or dispose of 

batteries are included in the legislation. The primary intention is to divert batteries from landfill, preventing

such metals as cadmium and mercury affecting the environment.

According to the European commission, mercury, lead & cadmium are the main substances entering the waste stream, batteries made with these metals are classified as hazardous waste. Waste portable, industrial and vehicle batteries in the UK, must now be separately collected, treated, recycled and banned from landfill. “End of life“ batteries must not be mixed with other waste streams.

Batteries affected by the legislation include zinc carbon, zinc chloride, alkaline manganese, mercury oxide, lithium, NiCa, NIMH, Li-Ion, Dry Cell & Wet cell (usually Lead/acid vehicle or industrial) Hazbox can supply a battery box, specific to your requirements in relation to space and quantities of batteries to dispose of.