On July 16, hazardous waste can no longer be sent for disposal to landfills that are not dedicated hazardous waste-only sites. The Agency said costs for waste producers of disposing of their waste is set to more than triple, with total UK costs rising from about 150 million to 500 million each year.
The Agency is starting a campaign today to encourage waste producers to reduce the amount of hazardous waste they generate, and to make sure the disposal company they use is properly licensed.
The number of merchant landfills authorised to accept hazardous waste in England and Wales is expected to be cut from over 200 to about 10 after the July 16 deadline. And, after that date hazardous waste will require treatment before it is landfilled.
The Agency is warning that the impact of the new rules will affect not only the operators of landfill sites but also producers and carriers of hazardous wastes. It believes firms could be stung by illegal waste dumpers, and is urging producers to check their carriers' licences carefully.
Roy Watkinson, hazardous waste policy manager at the Environment Agency, said:
“While some consequences of the legislation are unavoidable, such as increased costs, action is required by affected businesses to avoid more serious consequences, such as an increase in illegal waste management. The Environment Agency is working in partnership with government to deliver some of these actions and work is already underway, but action is required at all levels, with business and industry playing a key role.”
To prepare as much as possible for the changes, the Environment Agency is encouraging businesses to follow this five-point plan:
- Check whether your waste is hazardous using Environment Agency guidelines at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/wm2.
- Know where your hazardous waste is going. Businesses face prosecution if their hazardous waste is handled by an unlicensed carrier either knowingly or unknowingly. Call the Environment Agency on 08708 506 506 to check authorisation.
- Reduce the amount of hazardous waste you produce. Hazardous waste minimisation (including substituting hazardous materials for non-hazardous materials) provides an opportunity to reduce costs and improve efficiencies. Call the government's waste minimisation agency Envirowise on 0800 585794 or see the envirowise website www.envirowise.gov.uk
- Budget for rising costs for the treatment and disposal of hazardous waste. With more stringent treatment of hazardous waste and fewer places to dispose of it, costs for hazardous waste disposal are set to rise. Overall, the estimated cost of managing hazardous wastes will rise from 150m to 500m per year.
- Keep up to date – recent changes have resulted in more waste becoming hazardous. Some businesses may become hazardous waste producers for the first time, as hazardous waste classification encompasses a broader range of equipment and materials than ever before. For more information, see the Agency's netregs website, www.netregs.gov.uk
Businesses having difficulty in finding a home for a particular type of hazardous waste should contact the Environment Agency on 08708 506 506.
- The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee is to conduct a “major inquiry” into waste policy in the next Parliamentary session. The Committee will look at whether the UK is on target to meet Landfill Directive commitments, and the impact of hazardous waste changes. All interested parties are invited to submit written evidence by October 8, 2004.
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