Understanding your obligations when producing Hazardous Waste
It doesn’t matter what sector you work in, from Educational or Government Bodies through to Multinational Businesses, there is a common thread of demands placed on waste producers to ensure their waste is presented not only compliantly with respect to Hazardous Waste regulations, but also with the Carriage of Dangerous Goods legislation (CDG).
Storing hazardous waste can be dangerous
It is Cawleys' experience that customers get themselves into all sorts of problems by storing waste for extended periods and in poor conditions. This can lead to multiple problems for the producer as stored waste can cause issues leading to urgent requests for removal resulting in additional expense. The lack of a clear management plan and regular removal can lead to the following issues:
Issues with passing ISO 14001 / 180001Audits.
Poor Corporate Social Responsibility Reports (CSR)
Waste loosing it’s identity due to labels falling off.
Plastic drums becoming brittle due to extended exposure to sunlight.
Metal drums rusting and becoming holed.
Liquid Goods being placed in unsuitable containers.
Unsealed containers being placed outside and filling up with rainwater.
Some chemicals can catch spontaneously catch fire if stored at the wrong temperature
All the above add cost and complexity and can act as barriers to a prompt removal.
Duty of Care
Duty of Care with respect to waste management places generic demands on waste producers to ensure their waste is removed on a regular basis. Cawleys interpret this that you should have your hazardous waste removed at least on an annual basis.
Additional Compliance
Hazardous waste is commonly also considered to be dangerous goods, and this places additional demands on producers meaning they should generally ensure that they are sending waste out in suitable United Nations (UN) approved packaging allowing them to comply with CDG when the waste is taken on the public highway. Around this requirement there is an additional need to ensure the correct drum material (plastic / metal etc) is selected but also that it is suitable for the materials you are putting in it (e.g. clinical waste should be placed in bins that cannot be opened once sealed).
Transportation
CDG specifies that any organisation that produces or uses hazardous substances is also responsible for it’s transportation on the public highway. The regulations are there to protect health and the environment and to ensure transportation rules are adhered to.
Any sort of transportation of goods carries the risk of road traffic accidents. Ensuring the correct packaging is used is therefore imperative to our customers’ requirements. This is why we ensure our staff have the necessary qualifications and our vehicles are suitably equipped to ensure your waste is correctly transported under the necessary regulations.
Employing the services of a hazardous waste specialist such as Cawleys can eliminate these concerns.
Not only will Cawleys take care of the correct paper work and audit trails, we can also ensure the right substances are transported in the correct containers and indeed supply you with suitable containers for on site storage. Setting up a regular service of this type will not only remove the risk of any consequences to health or the environment, it will also remove the possibility of fines or prosecution and problems being caused on site by chemicals leaking. For more information on the transportation of hazardous materials and a FREE haz waste audit, get in touch today.