Georgie White
For investors and bussing entrepreneurs, the construction sector is an excellent area to focus on. There is a wealth of opportunities in this industry, and there will always be a demand for industrial growth and greater infrastructure. According to the Office for National Statistics, there has been a constant increase in the amount of construction firms operating in the UK and at least 314,590 are operating in the UK today.
These impressive numbers mean that the construction industry currently has the highest employment rate on records and ever-increasing earnings. But despite this, the industry does encounter some downfalls that can have a negative impact on client delivery.
With the growth of the industry comes the ever more pressing issue of hazardous waste. This problem continues to present itself on building sites, and once hazardous materials have been detected, it can change an entire development plan. This will inevitably cost both time and money to the business, which might not always be an option. As a result, construction developers are having to invest into environmental consultancy firms and know that any waste of this type needs to be detected as early as possible.
Hazardous waste: What is It and How Should You Handle It?
According to the Health and Safety Executive, hazardous waste is defined as waste that can cause harm to either human health or the environment (although it is not required to have an immediate effect). Businesses have a responsibility for handling hazardous waste, however their duty of care will depend on whether they are a producer or holder, carrier or a consignee.
The types of hazardous waste that are most common in the UK are:
- Asbestos
- Chemicals
- Batteries
- Solvents
- Pesticides
- Oils
- Various equipment that include ozone depleting substances and general hazardous waste containers — which can be quite common in construction.
Taking various forms, including solids, liquids, vapours, gases, and micro-organisms, these substances can be difficult to regulate. Under certain conditions, a substance can even exist in more than one form at the same time, which means businesses must be correctly equipped to handle them.
Globally, we produce 13 tons of hazardous waste every second. That equates to400 million tonnes of hazardous waste each year globally — that’s 13 tonnes every second. As this figure has significantly increased over time, governments around the world are applying pressure on businesses to keep waste to a minimum through the encouragement of prevent, reuse, recycle or recover waste in that specific order. This is known as The Waste Hierarchy.
When storing hazardous waste, the priorities must be on safety and security. As a standard, this waste can be categorised within four main sub-categories which will depend on the type of development you are working on:
- Construction
- Demolition
- Industry
- Agriculture
Clearly identifying waste once it has been securely stored is also of great importance. To prevent any contamination on your construction site, waterproof covers are recommended so that no waste can run off to any other area.
In addition to labeling the waste clearly, you need to keep an up-to-date record of any hazardous waste you have. Before your waste management company comes for collection, you must also fill out a consignment note which is required when:
- Collections from businesses that are registered waste carriers.
- Movements from one premises to another within the same organization.
- When another business has produced waste, movements from customer premises.
You will need a consignment note when:
- The movement of domestic hazardous waste – other than asbestos.
- Waste has been imported and exported under international waste shipment controls that require a different movement note.
The management of hazardous waste is an important issue and there are many elements to deal with. Make sure you’re prepared ahead of your next build by analyzing your site before putting plans in place or discussing with environmental consultants.
Georgie White can be reached at https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiecallumwhite/.
Sources:
- https://www.gov.uk/managing-your-waste-an-overview
- http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthrisks/hazardous-substances/key-points.htm
- https://www.gov.uk/dispose-hazardous-waste
- https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/constructionindustry/articles/constructionstatistics/number192018edition
- http://www.theworldcounts.com/counters/waste_pollution_facts/hazardous_waste_statistics