What happens to hazardous waste?

For a long time hazardous & non-hazardous wastes have been ‘co-disposed’ into landfill (ie put in the same hole in the ground).



This mixing of waste could cause long term damage to the environment and also has the potential for different types of waste to react with each other.



The Landfill Directive, which comes into force on 16 July bans co-disposal, so hazardous and non-hazardous wastes will need to be collected and disposed of separately. This is a big change the way we manage waste in the UK. The tighter controls mean positive steps to reduce risks to human health and the environment.



So what happens to it?



The following provides a simplified version of what happens to waste:



Production

Hazardous waste is produced in many ways. It might come from demolition work (producing materials such as asbestos or contaminated soils), manufacturing processes (oils or chemicals) or the disposal of consumable goods (such as used fluorescent light tubes or computer monitors).



It all requires correct disposal. Waste producers have a legal duty of care to dispose of their waste, so they need to ensure they employ properly licensed waste carriers to collect it.





Transport

Waste carriers collect wastes from waste producers and take it to waste disposal facilities. They need to ensure they advise these clients properly so they are aware of the requirements: how they need to sort their waste (what is hazardous), what will be collected, when and how.



Waste carriers also need to know which disposal sites can accept which types of hazardous waste so they can take it to the right place. Legitimate waste carriers are registered with the Environment Agency.



Disposal

The waste carrier takes waste to an appropriate waste disposal site. The most common types are landfills, but other methods include re-cycling plants, incinerators (burning) and composting. Site operators have to manage their site according to the regulations under the landfill directive and other waste regulation so must refuse to accept wastes for which they are not licensed. The Environment Agency licenses these sites and enforces these regulations