Phase one of the two-part campaign, titled ‘Right Waste, Right Place’ will roll out in March 2016 and will be offering best practice guidance on managing waste to SMEs, aimed at ensuring that they meet their legal obligations.
Following this, phase two will take off in early June of this year in the form of a series of sector-specific campaigns aiming to promote best practice on waste.
Support
This week (6 January) the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) announced it will be contributing almost £50,000 to the initiative to support the second phase of the campaign. Announcement of the funding came alongside the launch of CIWM’s own 12-month anti waste crime campaign.
Sam Corp, head of regulation, ESA, said: “This [funding] matches a similar figure from the Environmental Services Association Education Trust (ESAET) and will be used along with CIWM’s funding.
“ESA is delighted that CIWM is supporting this initiative and the additional funding will help deliver a really compelling campaign.”
What is the ‘Duty of Care’?Business who produce, carry, keep, dispose of, treat, import or have control of controlled waste on must fulfil a legal obligation (Duty of Care) to take all reasonable steps to keep it safe, as set out in the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Controlled waste includes waste from households, businesses and industry. |
Right Waste, Right Place has already received £95,000 from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) via the Environment Agency (EA) for the first phase including the development of a new website, which will be up and running for the March start date.
Mr Corp said: “The launch of the new website underpins the entire campaign and will include a best practice guidance for waste producing contractors.”
Message
In conjunction with the website, the initiative aims to raise awareness to SMEs that handling waste correctly can save money and that meeting ‘Right Waste, Right Place’ requirements ensures legal compliance.
In addition, the ESA hopes to highlight to companies the significance that taking responsibility for their waste will have on tackling waste crime, which costs local authorities over £50 million every year and the UK as a whole nearly £200 million each year (see letsrecycle.com story).
“ESA is delighted that CIWM is supporting this initiative and the additional funding will help deliver a really compelling campaign.”
Sam Corp, head of regulation
ESA
Mat Crocker, deputy director of illegals and waste, EA, said: “This campaign will compliment work carried out by the Environment Agency to tackle waste crime, improve waste compliance and increase knowledge of the correct management and handling of waste.”
Waste crime
CIWM similarly announced yesterday the launch its own ‘Fighting Waste Crime’ campaign, planned to span the whole of 2016.
Under the campaign a range of activities will take place including open meetings exploring topics such as fly-tipping and enforcement to free waste crime webinars for CIWM members.
A dedicated section on the new CIWM website will provide access to archived articles and other information sources on waste crime and related issues.
Commenting on the initiative CIWM chief executive, Steve Lee, said: “CIWM believes that a more robust Duty of Care regime is essential for our sector.
“Improved awareness of the requirements will deliver significant and widespread benefits right across our sector, including reducing the opportunities for waste crime by ensuring that businesses understand their obligations and have the right knowledge to avoid illegal operators.”
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