According to statistics from GOV.UK, on average a staggering 4.3 million tonnes of hazardous waste was produced each year from 2010 to 2014. Unfortunately, this kind of waste cannot be disposed of in the same ways as you would other kinds of waste, for example, at your local tip or at a local recycling centre. Rather, it needs to be removed in a safe and secure manner that will not harm humans and the environment potentially affected by it.
Because there are a number of dangers that are posed when it comes to hazardous waste; both in disposing of and indeed simply contacting or touching it, specialist hazardous waste removal professionals are recommended. Disposing of such waste oneself can cause harm, injury and in more severe cases, the potential of life-changing injuries or even death. This is of particular significance in cases of vacant properties.
Types of Hazardous Waste
It is worthwhile to understand what falls under the category of ‘hazardous’ when it comes to waste and potentially dangerous substances requiring specialist removal. These may include any of the following:
- Oils
- Pesticides
- Electrical equipment (like fridges and freezers)
- Solvents
- Batteries
- Chemicals (such as acids or alkalis)
- Asbestos
- Needles
- Sharps
- Human waste
Exposure to Hazardous Substances
Certain waste substances produce toxic chemicals that can be harmful to humans if exposed to them. Depending on the chemical as well as the level of exposure, this could be anything from minor ailments such as a headache or skin rash, to much more serious health issues such as organ damage, allergic-type reactions, skin burns, or in the very worst-case scenario, death.
Across the world, it has been reported by the UN that around 47,000 people die each year due to acute poisoning as a result of having contact with hazardous chemicals. It is also possible for harmful chemicals to lead to the development of life threatening diseases such as cancer.
Environmental Problems
Some types of hazardous waste can cause significant environmental problems if not properly disposed of. For example, a chemical accident could lead to harmful substances being spilled into the surrounding areas or releases into the air or water supply, causing widespread contamination. This can also have a considerable impact on surrounding wildlife too.
The Risk of Fires
If hazardous waste is not correctly stored and disposed of, there is a potential risk of reactivity between particular combinations of chemicals. This could end up leading to an explosion or fire which could release dangerous gases into the air and water, causing et further pollution and damage.
How to Dispose of Hazardous Waste
As a business, you have a legal obligation in some cases to ensure that any hazardous waste is dealt with responsibility in order to minimise risk to both the public and the environment. It is important as a company that you do the following:
- Ensure that you have verified whether or not your waste is hazardous or falls into the non-hazardous category, so that waste disposal can be done in the correct manner as there are different procedures for both
- That if you have hazardous waste it is stored safely on a site that is registered to deal with this kind of waste securely
- Hire a company, like Secure Site UK that can collect and dispose the waste on your behalf. It is of paramount importance that the company in question has an environmental permit meaning that they have the right to remove hazardous waste
Legislation introduced in the UK has seen much stricter enforcement of rulings to ensure hazardous waste is disposed of securely. The landfill Directive makes it illegal for landfill operators to mix hazardous waste in landfills as a way of reducing the environmental impact. The Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005 for England and Wales which provides detailed guidance as to how businesses and organisations can become compliant with rules regarding how waste is properly disposed of.
All these types of hazardous waste, can be professionally removed by Secure Site UK. We have over 30 years’ experience and our experienced teams are licenced by the Environment Agency to safely remove toxic waste.
Hazardous Waste Removal Services
Secure Site can safely remove and decontaminate hazardous chemical waste, whether this be industrial or laboratory-derived chemicals, pesticides or otherwise. Our fully-equipped teams can also ensure that after waste has been safely disposed of, security measures can be put in place to eliminate the risk of a potential accident involving hazardous waste, which could have harmful consequences for you and your business.
Disposal and Disinfection
Specialist disposal teams can also help with needle waste disposal. Secure Site for example, can ensure that affected areas are disinfected after the safe removal of drug use equipment, meaning that risks are eliminated. Furthermore, we can provide a complete paper-trail as Environmental Agency licenced carriers, meaning that you will have full documentation of any hazardous waste removal that our company carries out.
Human Waste Removal
An unoccupied property can sometimes lead to trespassers who stay for a short period of time, leaving landlords to deal with the issue of the hazardous waste left behind. Secure Site can ensure the disposal in such a situation is dealt with quickly and safely, as well as helping with preventive measures so that needing a human waste removal team will be greatly reduced in the future.
