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Waste Disposal

2005-02-28
Government policy is to reduce and reuse waste. Some disposal will always be necessary, but it is the last resort. The emphasis is on managing waste in more sustainable ways - conserving raw materials but still protecting the environment and public health. Products and services are increasingly designed with reuse or recycling in mind.

The Environment Agency regulates waste management through a system of licences. We provide advice on waste management methods including waste minimisation. We also register and monitor those who are in business to carry waste. We must be told beforehand if anyone moves potentially dangerous waste (known as special waste). We register companies who produce a lot of paper waste, and we monitor them to make sure they meet targets for waste recovery and recycling. The Agency works closely with other organisations to tackle specific issues such as fly-tipping (dumping waste illegally).

Waste minimisation is about being efficient. By preventing waste and emissions at source all organisations can maximise output and increase profits. It is a process by which everyone gains; you can save money and the environment benefits too.

Industry lets billions in profit go to waste. Few companies know how much waste costs their business or how much it costs the environment through contaminated land, dirty rivers and air pollution.

Reducing waste is the key to a cleaner world and more competitive industry. This site is a gateway to a wealth of information, including:

the benefits of waste prevention
a step by step guide
useful contacts and links to the world-wide web
research information
case studies
staff awareness materials
support and advice organisations

Recent surveys have shown that many companies do not fully understand water and effluent costs or how to control them. The true cost of effluent can be more than five times the nominal cost of discharge shown by most accounting systems.

Quantifying individual process losses and effluent streams can reduce environmental impacts and save you money by improving management controls.

Sound knowledge and the ability to apply it are essential in ensuring that you maximise savings against a background of rapidly changing legislation and developments in technology.