Commercial Waste Disposal

Waste disposal refers, quite simply, to the way in which you dispose of your waste. If you run a business or company, you have a duty of care, to ensure your commercial waste is disposed of safely and securely. The legislations mean that you must:

Minimise the amount of waste you produce.
Sort your waste into separate categories. This includes recyclables, general waste, and specialist waste, such as clinical waste.
Consider the impact your waste has on the environment.
Prevent unauthorised disposal of waste (fly-tipping etc)
Ensure your waste is stored correctly and securely.
Provide a waste transfer note when you hand over waste to another person/company.

Usually, we don’t think about what happens to our waste once we’ve thrown it into the bin. However, it is important that we think about exactly where the waste is going, and the impact this can have on the planet.

Different methods of waste disposal include:

Recycling. This is when waste products are converted into something new that can be reused. For example, a plastic bottle can be recycled and used for packaging, building materials, and furniture. By finding new uses for your products, you are helping protect the environment. The following materials can be recycled:

Cardboard
Paper
Glass
Metal
Plastic

The above items are often referred to as dry mixed recycling and can be disposed of together or within the same bin. You can also drop other products, such as wood, to be recycled at specialist plants.

Composting. If your company produces large amounts of food waste, composting is a great eco-friendly form of waste disposal. To create compost, you allow food waste to decompose naturally. The organic matter can then be used to fertilize crops another form of food waste disposal is via anaerobic digestion.

Traditional Waste Disposal. Traditional waste disposal involves waste being collected and taken to a landfill. However, this should be considered as a last resort, due to the negative impact landfills have on our environment. Not only are we running out of space in landfill sites, but the products left there can take hundreds of years to decompose, releasing harmful gasses in the process.

Clinical Waste Disposal. Clinical Waste refers to products such as PPE, sanitary items, and medicinal vials. Due to strict laws regarding these items, they are often disposed of through incineration. Incineration often occurs at landfill sites and involves waste being incinerated as opposed to being left to decompose. However, this again releases harmful gasses into the air, contributing to global warming.

Before your waste is collected by your trusted waste disposal carrier, you must store it safely and securely. This means you should:

Ensure your waste is stored in a secure place, especially if you are handling hazardous or controlled substances, such as medications.
Use suitable containers that will stop waste from spilling out/leaking.
Clearly label your containers/bins with their contents. This minimizes the risk of waste being stored in the wrong container.
Ensure your waste is covered

Even if you are arranging for someone else to collect your company’s waste, you need to ensure that you are registered for a waste disposal licence. You should ensure that any companies you hire to dispose of your waste are licensed carriers.

A waste disposal licence is split into two tiers.

Lower Tier is for those that only carry/transport waste that is produced in the everyday running of their business. However, it does not apply to those who work within construction.

Upper Tier is for those that transport other people’s waste (such as BusinessWaste.co.uk), construction and demolition companies alongside anybody that chose to buy/sell waste.

Licenses are necessary as they help reduce issues such as fly-tipping, and ensure companies and businesses make smarter, more sustainable decisions when it comes to waste disposal.

Running a company is no easy feat therefore, you don’t want to be spending all of your time focusing on waste disposal and collection. Thankfully, we can make the process easier by taking on all of the hard work for you.

Our services include.

A dedicated, professional team to provide you with an appropriate waste collection strategy, tailored to your business needs and specifications. This will ensure your property stays waste-free.
In- house assessments to ensure you put your best foot forward.
Free bins for your waste.
Timely collection of waste.
Offering advice on how to minimise your waste output and lower your carbon footprint.
Providing guidance on government legislations.
A free waste transfer note.