NBS topic areas

Keep up to date with industry developments

NBS solutions|

Products and services for all construction projects

NBS Create

NBS Create - our groundbreaking new specification tool. Authored by our in-house experts to make sure your time specifying is fast and efficient, saving you time and money.

Review of waste policy

by Michael Smith
NBS Information Specialist

Organisations of all sizes are under increasing pressure to cut costs and to improve environmental performance. This is driven by a number of factors including the Government's drive to reduce the environmental impact of waste disposal both at work and at home. In this year's budget the Chancellor announced that he would continue to raise the landfill tax, putting up the cost of sending waste to landfill by £8 to £56 per tonne, with annual rises to continue in future. This makes recycling more financially and environmentally sensible.

This short article looks at the introduction of the new Government review of waste policy 2011.

Waste review

Many organisations have set ambitious 'zero waste' targets where nothing is sent to landfill. However, few businesses have achieved this yet, although an increasing number are coming close.

Each business is unique and so the challenge is to understand the types of wastes being produced and how most effectively to deal with them. The Government's waste review aims to achieve this by setting out the following priorities:

Consult next year on introducing a landfill restriction on wood waste, review the case for introducing landfill bans on other materials, such as metals, textiles and all biodegradable waste. Work with industry to drive innovation in reuse and recycling in these products before the start of any bans
Accelerate recycling and reducing waste creation in the first place by providing incentives for householders, recycling-on-the-go schemes, better services for businesses, and voluntary responsibility deals focussing on the hospitality industry, paper, direct mail, textiles, and construction waste
Scrap unfair bin fines and taxes while bringing in powers to deal with repeat fly-tipping offenders and genuine nuisance neighbours
Crack down on illegal fly-tippers who persistently and recklessly pollute the environment and countryside. Introduction of appropriate powers to seize vehicles, and look at penalties that might include offenders clearing up items they have dumped
Consult on increased recycling targets to 2017 for plastic, steel, aluminium and glass. Targets will be consulted on and agreed in time for the 2012 Budget.

Driving innovation in the £11 billion waste and recycling sector is expected to push growth by three to four percent over the next few years.

While waste going to landfill has nearly halved since 2000, with household recycling rates now at 40% and business rates at more than 50%, more needs to be done. For this reason the Government will publish a follow-up zero-waste action plan on waste prevention in December 2013, to check progress and address further developments under any new EU regulation.

Anaerobic digestion

The Government's Anaerobic Digestion (AD) strategy and action plan has also been published, which will enable a thriving industry to grow in over the next few years, delivering new green jobs as well as new green energy.

Key actions in the Government's AD strategy and action plan include:

Guidance on the cost and benefits of AD to developers and local authorities
Evidence on the value of digestates
Developing skills and training for AD operators
Highlighting 'best practice' projects that deliver community benefits.

However, neither the AD strategy nor the Waste Review intends to dictate to local authorities the best method of organic waste collections. It will be left to councils to decide if they wish to run a separate collection scheme for organic waste.

AD offers a local, environmentally sound option for waste management which helps in diverting waste from landfill, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and producing renewable energy which could be used to power homes and vehicles.

Recycling at work

While many of us are used to sorting materials like paper and cans at home, recycling at work is less of a habit. This can be a challenge for facilities managers; with typically large numbers of staff, it can be difficult and costly to provide facilities to enable proper segregation of paper, card, plastic, glass and aluminium. What's more, once these facilities are made available it can be a time-consuming task to educate all staff members to segregate their waste properly. The Action plan, that accompanies the Waste Review, targets these areas of business by setting up 'Responsibility deals with business'. These voluntary deals offer the opportunity for certain individual areas of businesses to recycle their waste and offers guidance on the most efficient methods of doing so.

Hazardous and confidential waste

Facilities managers are challenged by legal and moral obligations to dispose of hazardous and confidential waste responsibly.

Ensuring and proving that confidential documents are shredded effectively and hazardous material is treated correctly can be time-consuming and expensive.

Again, the voluntary deals through the Waste Review offers guidance the most efficient methods of dealing with hazardous waste.