News
09-10-2007
What are you sending to landfill?
New guidance has been issued on the requirement for non-hazardous waste treatment prior to landfilling, as required by the Landfill Directive. Designed to tackle the amount of waste heading straight to landfill, the rules which come into effect on the 30th October encourage businesses to implement recycling schemes to help meet the national 2010 Landfill target.
The new requirements apply to all non-hazardous waste and completely ban liquids from landfill while placing a legal obligation on businesses to pre-treat all other waste.
In order to meet the requirements of waste pre-treatment, businesses must ensure:
- Waste goes through a physical, thermal, chemical or biological process.
- The process changes the characteristics of the waste.
- This is done in such a way as to reduce its volume, reduce its hazardous nature, facilitate its handling and enhance its recovery.
There are several ways that companies can prepare for this change in environmental law, it may be as simple as implementing recycling schemes or it could be purchasing such things as balers and compactors to help facilitate handling.
The Environment Agency has published guidance designed to meet these changes. There is also advice in the Environmental code of practice about waste management and implementing recycling schemes.
» Read how UKSA managed to reduce and recycle their waste
