SWAP publishes two waste management guides

The guides cover two areas that will be affected under upcoming legislation – community IT reuse projects and household hazardous waste collections

Through the IT reuse guide, SWAP hopes to help community groups gear up for the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive, due to be implemented in the UK by August 13, 2004.

When the legislation comes into full effect, all organisations handling WEEE will have to meet standards set by the government.

Although the government is yet to set these standards, the Industry Council for Electronic Equipment Recycling has a number of accreditation schemes for organisations which may resemble the government requirements.

SWAP's IT reuse guide is aimed at helping community groups meet ICER's Accreditation Scheme for WEEE refurbishers. SWAP has already helped Hull-based Refurbit meet this accreditation in November 2003 (see letsrecycle.com story).

David Middlemas, environmental consultant at SWAP, said: “The guide is easy to use and explains clearly how groups can meet ICER standards.”

Household hazardous waste

SWAP's new CD-ROM-guide to household hazardous waste (HHW) collections was produced for the National Household Hazardous Waste Forum.

Aimed at organisations planning to operate collections of HHW, the interactive guide will be launched at the NHHWF’s Summer Summit in July.

Phil Russell, head of waste management at West Sussex county council, said: “The HHW Collections Guide is a very useful and professional document that local government officers can use to more effectively manage household hazardous wastes.”

The guide covers hazardous waste licensing for premises, staff training. It its examination of collection methods the guide gives costings and case studies of good practice for options including door-to-door collections, recycling centre drop-off points, amnesty days and retailer take-back initiatives for wastes including asbestos, pesticides, WEEE, and household chemicals.