At Oates Environmental, environmental damage weighs heavily on our shoulders. Our goal is to help UK businesses dispose of their waste legally and safely. From illegal dumping and poor labelling to over-accumulation and poor containment. Today, we examine some pressing waste management mistakes and ways to avoid them. Learn more about our services at http://www.oatesenvironmental.co.uk/index.htm.
Illegal Hazardous Waste Dumping
The most obvious waste management mistake, it is never acceptable to dump waste illegally. There are innumerable environmental catastrophes that can result from illegal dumping. Water supplies poisoned, animal populations killed off, land contamination, even damage to human health is a strong possibility. It seems like the easy option, like throwing rubbish away instead of recycling, but illegal dumping causes more trouble than you might expect. Sadly, companies continue to dispose of hazardous waste in lakes and rivers leading straight to the ocean. This occurs all over the UK on a frequent basis. Disposing of hazardous wastes in this way is both a crime and a danger to the environment. Authorities can even trace it back to you, so save yourself the trouble and dispose of waste legally instead.
Poor Labelling of Hazardous Waste Containers
Labelling your hazardous waste containers isn’t simply a redundant task, but fulfils a vital function. Communication is essential and labelling your waste containers signals to others that the containers store hazardous materials. It is your legal responsibility to ensure labelling is up to date and reflects the contents. It should identify the type of waste and the amount contained within. By marking and labelling your waste containers, you can help to avoid environmental pollution and personal injury. By complying with environmental legislation, you will ensure your business practices are completely legal. The best way to do this is to select a designated employee to monitor and update markings.
Over-Accumulation of Waste On-Site
When storing waste on-site, the law only allows you to do so for up to three days without proper storage facilities. Your workplace, known as the waste generation site or satellite accumulation zone, is unlikely to be equipped for long-term storage. As such, if you wish to store waste there beyond the initial three days, you must ensure you have a large quantity or small quantity generator. LQGs allow you to store waste for up to 90 days, whereas SQGs allow for up to 180. In our experience, it’s always best to transfer waste to a permanent storage facility before deadlines, to avoid needless complications and citations.
Poor Containment Practices for Hazardous Waste
It may seem obvious, but failing to secure hazardous waste containers properly is a major concern. Even something as simple as forgetting to close container lids can result in pollution or injury. Moreover, while you may think a lid is closed, human error is always a possibility. We define a closed container as something leak-proofed and airtight. Leaking waste containers can easily lead to land contamination. Similarly, if a container isn’t secured properly, then the waste can evaporate into the surrounding atmosphere. This is extremely dangerous and isn’t always obvious until too late. Therefore, it’s essential to maintain proper safeguards to avoid this.
