Campsites Caravan Sites and Holiday Park Waste Management

There are many reasons why it is important to have an efficient and effective caravan park, holiday park and campsite waste management system. The two primary reasons an effective waste management system is important, however, is to protect your guests and your land.

Rubbish and waste, if stored and handled incorrectly, can cause both air and water pollution, making your land unsightly, unhygienic and unpleasant. Rotting waste can release harmful gases which are not only foul-smelling but are potentially hazardous. A functional waste management system is essential to ensure your guests feel safe and hygienic while staying on your land, and you preserve the quality and condition of your land and business.

Below are the most common types of waste that are produced on campsites, caravan sites and holiday parks and how they are disposed of:

• Food waste: Food waste is collected in a general waste bin and then transported to compost or biogas factories.
• Toilet waste: Toilet waste is stored in a septic tank and is then released via a disposal drain or the sewer.
• Glass: Glass waste should be kept in a separate glass bin and is then transported to a recycling facility.
• Dog waste: Dog waste is often mixed with general waste and taken to landfill.
• Greywater waste: Greywater waste can be recycled but is most often flushed into a sewer.
• General waste: General waste is often disposed of at a landfill.

Waste from a caravan site, campsite or holiday park comes from both the guests at the holiday park and the management team who run the site. For example, any shops, cafes or facilities on-site will contribute to the site’s waste. Often, the primary sources of waste come from guests to the site, such as motorhome owners who may empty their toilet waste, empty their bins, cook on the site and deposit food waste and recyclable rubbish from their motorhome.

>Each variation of waste will be disposed of in a unique way. For example, recycling and general campsite waste collection will usually need to be arranged with a waste removal service and the waste will be taken and sorted at a recycling/waste centre. Water waste, including both toilet and greywater waste, must be disposed of via a septic tank and then transported via a disposal drain.

The following waste code, must be followed at all times to ensure your campsite, caravansite or holiday park is safe and following the correct legal requirements for waste management. Not all of the aforementioned codes may apply to your business, but it is your responsibility to determine which codes apply.

The government’s definition of a campsite means that all waste produced from a campsite is considered commercial waste, and it is subject to laws that relate to commercial waste. However, the legislation states that waste produced from domestic premises at a campsite, such as from a permanent resident, should be treated as household waste.

Campsites often require a range of waste containers, as guests at a campsite are often unsupervised and surveillance services, such as noticing when the bins are full, cannot be maintained at all times. For this reason, large waste containers such as 1100 ltr bins, 240ltr glass bins and large septic tanks are often suitable for campsites as they can hold a large amount of waste. An 1100 ltr bin can hold 510kg of waste, for example, and a 240 ltr glass bin can hold around 10 kg of glass for recycling.

If you require waste containers, Business Waste can provide them for free! This can save businesses significant upfront costs as they will only have to pay for collection services. We provide seasonal waste collection services as we understand your waste requirements won’t stay the same throughout the year. We work to your schedule and can adjust your collection services as frequently as needed. For example, we can significantly reduce our services during the winter months but increase our collection services during summer or a heatwave.

A waste transfer note, often abbreviated to WTN, is a document that recognises the transfer of waste from one person to another. A WTN is needed so a clear trace of the waste can be identified – every load of waste received or passed onto another business or individual requires a WTN.

For a busy campsite manager or owner, organising WTNs can be a time-consuming and often-forgotten task. Luckily, Business Waste can provide, organise and arrange WTNs for free, as part of our waste removal service.

Below we outline some top tips for keeping a holiday park litter-free…

• Have multiple bin areas

The more bin areas you have, the less likely people are to drop rubbish due to not being in close proximity to a bin.

• Empty bins regularly

Ensure you arrange regular bin collection services as rubbish from overflowing bins can move in the wind and make a holiday park look untidy.

• Use posters

Placing posters and signs around your holiday park which kindly ask guests to keep the area tidy and lets them know where the nearest bin area is will help to remind people of the importance of not littering.