Guide to Hazardous waste / What is Hazardous waste?
We would like to introduce our mini guide to hazardous waste. Waste is usually considered hazardous if it contains materials/substances that are harmful to humans or the environment. Hazardous waste, also known as Haz waste, must be handled correctly and safely as it can cause severe damage. Wastes may be classed as hazardous if they include characteristics such as; ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity and toxicity.
Some examples of Hazardous waste:
- WEEE waste – click to read more
- Batteries
- Paints
- Asbestos
- Cleaning chemicals & solvents
- Filters
- Fluorescent tubes
- Aerosols
- Pesticides
- Thinners
- Oils & suds
- Contaminated rags
click here to view more on Electrical waste
Risks/dangers of Hazardous waste:
Businesses that produce hazardous waste must ensure that it is disposed of correctly and safely. There are many risks when it comes to hazardous waste, for example; spills, fires, explosions, exposure to toxic chemicals, damage to the environment as well as severe harm to humans.
Legal responsibilities companies face:
Hazardous waste comes with its own set of legislation and disposal of this type of waste is a different process to any other waste stream. A spill incident can have distressing impacts on your business, get it wrong and you could potentially face huge fines, bad publicity and potential prosecution. Therefore, by having the correct measures in place for spill control allows you to ensure you are meeting all regulations, should you have an HSE or environmental inspection.
How to dispose of your Hazardous waste / A guide to Hazardous waste:
- Analyze your waste to make sure it is hazardous
- Store the hazardous waste safely and separately
- Make sure your carrier is licensed to collect/recycle/dispose of your waste
- Complete the consignment note
- Keep all relevant paperwork for three years
How RML can help you with your Hazardous waste on site:
Our employees are trained to handle a variety of hazardous waste streams. We can provide you with a cost-effective solution for hazardous waste disposal that complies with current regulations and environmental legislation. With RML, collection couldn’t be easier, we can provide a monthly shopping list for you to complete and then your collections can be scheduled at the start of every month.
We supply UN approved containers with labels for the safe transportation of hazardous waste streams, our flatbed vehicles and drivers are ADR registered, which means that your hazardous waste materials are collected securely by us. We believe it is vital to provide a fully comprehensive service. In addition to managing your waste streams, we can supply your site with the consumables you need to ensure you are fully equipped and prepared for any spillages that may occur, in order to keep your workplace safe and to protect the environment from pollution.
Not only will our team provide you with everything you need, we will also remove the used items for recycling and disposal. Everything you need all in one point of contact (one stop shop).
We stock a wide range of spill kits, spill control absorbents, sump pallets for drums and IBC’s, steel spill kit cages for drums, large storage facilities and all-purpose disinfection products. You can find all of these products on our RML supplies website
