LAWR

cotland has set ambi- tious waste targets. As part of its Zero Waste Plan, the Scottish Government has set its aims high to recycle 70% of Scottish waste by 2025. Scotland's zero waste approach is about changing the way resources are managed, so they're used more effectively, as many times as pos- sible, and that by doing so we minimise impact on the environment. The theory and ambition is laud- able – reduce Scotland's dependence on landfill, cut carbon emissions and conserve natural resources. There's no doubt zero waste actions will help Scotland's business com- munity cut costs and meet customer demand for sustainable products and services. It's about reviewing current methods and challenging the norm through the supply chain, about doing things smarter and more effectively. It will help Scotland's economy grow through the creation of new jobs in low carbon businesses. The Scottish Government set new waste laws at the start of this year. The new legislation impacts on households, businesses, com- munity groups, local authorities and the wider public sector. It demands change to the way waste is collected and dealt with by those responsible. Businesses are now required to sort metal, plastic, glass, paper and card for separate collection. That means more collection boxes and bins. Food businesses which produce more than 50kg of food waste each week have to ensure it can be collected separately. That rule doesn't apply to rural areas as yet but it still means more collection boxes and bins for those businesses it affects. Local authorities now have to pro- vide a minimum recycling service to householders and there's a ban on metal, plastic, glass, paper, card and food col- lections going to landfill. That would appear to require more collection boxes and bins also. 100% recycled material So the assumption might be that the requirement for the manufacture of all those collection boxes and bins will mean a drain on resources. Have the regulators missed a trick? If zero waste is driven by the need for greater recycling, then why not insist businesses use containers manu- factured from recycled product. That really does drive home the benefits of the circular economy. Effectively it means that Scotland would practice what it preaches. It's more than likely that similar initiatives and legislation will be intro- duced elsewhere in the UK in the not too distant future so we should be pay- ing more attention to how we produce new bins. So when the time comes for a UK-wide approach we all need to be sure we can store and move waste with- out a huge demand on already stretched manufacturing resources. We should all aim to use the resources entrusted to us in a sustainable way. When we produce new bins and con- tainers we should aim for minimum CO2 impact. How? Well, at our firm, we've changed the whole process; from raw materials, through manufacturing, and transport…and back again. Having been involved- so far - in the recycling of more than four million wheeled bins, we can now produce containers manufactured from 100% recycled material. ESE has developed a successful part- nership with plastics recycling special- ist Avanti Environmental. Together we offer a completely closed loop for recy- cling end-of-life wheeled bins. The bins are collected, processed in the UK and the material is prepared for onward shipping to ESE manufacturing plants across Europe. The material is then used to manufacture containers for supply across Europe, including into the UK market. The key features of this partnership are that bins are collected from local authorities and private contractors as part of replacement projects, and Avanti arranges for the collection of the bins and takes them to their nearest process- ing location. I can say with confidence, that's zero waste. Dave Hughes (pictured left) is manag- ing director at ESE World. 6 Local Authority Waste & Recycling June 2014 BRIEFING Is Scotland missing a trick by not providing bins made from recycled content? S The push for 'zero waste' in Scotland is missing a trick by not 'closing the loop'. Dave Hughes, managing director of ESE World, explains why. WASTE REMOVAL The legal implications of waste removal Any project, from landscaping jobs to small-scale home extensions create large amounts of waste material which must be disposed of safely and legally. If this isn't completed satisfactorily, it is ultimately the homeowner, and therefore the reputa- tion of the contractor, which is at stake. John Leader, head of waste solutions at Travis Perkins Hire, discusses the legal implications of hiring skips and the correct procedures for removing waste. here is a growing pres- sure within the build- ing industry to exam- ine protocol around waste management, which despite being regulated are not being stringently policed. According to the Environment Agency, local authori- ties dealt with more than 711,000 inci- dents of fly-tipping in 2012/13 which cost £36.4m to resolve, initiating 2,200 prosecutions. Tighter control would not only support the efforts to stamp out fly-tipping whilst encouraging an uptake in recycling, but would generally improve the image of waste removal practices; for example, discouraging the temptation for people to put items into a skip as they pass, which ultimately takes up space which the homeowner is paying for. Skip hire does require a license in the UK but clearer communication about what this means for householders and why it is required would strengthen the underlying regulations. For instance, many are still surprised to learn that the homeowner is libel if the waste is disposed of incorrectly.The market is further complicated with 1,000 waste management facilities closing a year due to a breach of legal requirements, often due to not having the correct Environmental Permit in place. When hiring a waste removal solu- tion, it's vital that the contractor enquires about the waste carrier license and receives a completed waste transfer note. This should outline the waste to be removed and where it is being disposed of. For a business, there is a two year requirement to keep this docu- mentation. The Environment Agency now offers the option of an e-document to make it even easier to maintain the required proof. There are guidelines regarding what can go into general waste skips and how different types of material should be segregated and stored. Aerosols, chemicals, and light bulbs for example, would be considered hazardous waste and as such need segregating from gen- eral waste. Sites will charge a hazardous waste disposal charge if not declared, so it makes sense to go straight to a suppli- er who can provide the right containers in the first place, whilst providing the reassurance of being fully compliant. If the right license for hazardous waste isn't in place, the waste can end up straight back on the doorstep of the homeowner. This more challeng- ing removal, with all of the correct documentation in place, is the reason why these more specialist solutions can cost slightly more. However, security against fines, the right solution for the environment, and the protection of a contractor's reputation is worth the higher cost of selecting the correct skip and removal method. There are number of other factors which can impact on the cost of skip such as the postcode, skip location and whether a road permit is required. There are associated risks for the hire provider, especially if the waste is described of incorrectly. Reputation is vital for a merchant such as Travis Perkins, which means there is the addi- tional intention to go the extra mile to maintain its standing as a trusted supplier. The Travis Perkins Hire service and its waste management solutions has been developed to specifically offer this level of reassurance as a fully compliant supplier in addition to service benefit such as central management through a single call-centre. The challenge that the majority of contractors face is finding a solution that disposes of all sorts of waste, cheap- ly and compliantly. The huge public cost of fly-tipping and its resulting pros- ecution numbers reiterates the need for simple and affordable solutions. The Environment Agency is working hard to reinforce messages of how to comply but the industry and merchants such as Travis Perkins also need to provide support and advice, as well as providing waste management solutions. T June 2014 Local Authority Waste & Recycling 7 John Leader is head of waste solutions at Travis Perkins Hire.

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