Waste disposal and duty of care

The general definition of wasfe is that it is material that nobody wants. Waste not only covers material that is disposed on a landfill, by chemical treatment, or by incineration, but also disposal to a sewer or to the air. This section deals with the former. 

What is waste to one company could be a raw material to another. Companies who need to apply for Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) Authorisation will need to demonstrate what action has been taken to minimise waste on their sites. They need to manage their waste without endangering human health or the environment and should follow the Waste Hierarchy  

In the UK, waste is classified into two types - special waste and controlled 

Special waste or hazardous waste is waste which meets the hazard criteria defined in the Special Waste Regulations 1996. The material can be described as dangerous, hazardous, or toxic waste. Because of the hazards of special waste the Regulations require that movement of such waste is tracked from source to final disposal by means of a consignment note system. Examples of Special Waste are asbestos, waste from a laboratory or waste from a hospital. 

Controlled waste is household. Industrial and Commercial Waste that is produced on factory, trade or business premises, or as a result of sport, recreation or entertainment activities. Controlled waste can be collected by the local authorities for disposal to landfill sites. 

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