Waste Management - The Importance All wastes have the potential to cause environmental damage if not correctly managed The concept of “producer responsibility” is widening the requirements of those subject to waste law Waste legislation has undergone considerable changes in recent years Waste legislation and policy is increasingly encouraging waste minimisation, greater recycling and reuse Major cost savings can be achieved through effective minimisation programmes

Waste Management - Key Legislation Environmental Protection Act (EPA), 1990 EPA 1990, Part II, Section 34 introduces a “Statutory Duty of Care” for all those producing and dealing with waste Controlled Waste Regulations help define and classify controlled waste Special Waste Regulations define special waste and provide a consignment note system for monitoring and tracking its disposal The EPA 1990 Part III gives local authorities the power to deal with waste as a statutory nuisance

Waste Management - Key Legislation Environment Act, 1995 Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations aim to implement the recovery and recycling targets set out in the EU Directive on packaging and packaging waste (94/62/EEC) There have been various amendments to these regulations but all essentially focus in on recovery and recycling targets that must be met

Waste Management - Key Legislation Finance Act, 1996 Contains the primary law on landfill tax Landfill Tax Regulations empower HM Customs and Excise to levy a tax on the disposal of waste to landfill Waste Minimisation Act 1998 Gives local authorities freedom to include waste minimisation strategies within any waste plan with knock- on implications for businesses

Waste Management - EC Initiatives Directive on Landfill Waste (EC/31/99) The UK must reduce landfill to 75% by 2010, 50% by 2013 and 35% by 2020 based on 1995 levels Decision on New Hazardous Waste List (2000/532/EC) Establishes an integrated list of dangerous wastes and Member States must ensure that waste is recorded and identified and that different categories of waste are not mixed

Government perspective - the view of the Scottish Executive Waste considered part of the sustainable development agenda Part of Scottish Executive “WET” targets (Waste, Energy and Transport) Focus on the 3Rs ie Reduce, Re-use and Recycle Now have “RET” targets (R= Resource Management)

Waste Management - SEPA’s focus The National Waste Strategy: Scotland 1999 Provides a framework within which Scotland could reduce its waste and deal with what is produced in a more sustainable way SEPA is coordinating the production of Area Waste Plans These will encourage waste minimisation and seek the most appropriate mix of waste management technologies

Effective waste management - the barriers Effective leadership within the company Culture of the workforce Limited environmental and waste training Lack of awareness of the legislation Not making the link with effective cost control

What can we do? Formulate a waste management strategy or plan Actively encourage waste management/minimisation projects Actively encourage all personnel to submit ideas/proposals for improved waste management Ensure the we follow the code: Reduce, Reuse, Recover, Dispose safely Communicate the plan to all interested parties Audit and review progress

The key elements of a strategy Step 1 : Waste Audit - the “Where are we now?” position Step 2: Management commitment Step 3 : Setting objectives and targets Step 4 : Ensuring sustainability Step 5 : Set up teams Step 6 : Establish team ownership Step 7 : Launch initiative Step 8 : Sustain motivation and continuity

Step 3: Objectives and Targets Need to be challenging but realistic and refer to issues such as: What is the best we have done in the past? What should we be able to achieve? Who will take responsibility? Are the targets ambitious enough? Can we make a real difference to process efficiency and the bottom line?

Step 4 : Sustainability Addresses issues that will sustain the initiative Training needs Measurement and monitoring Team selection Allocation of waste costs People resource and funding Timescales Review periods Suggestion and reward schemes