There’s a strong misconception about hazardous waste in Great Britain, people natural assume waste has to be glowing green and giving off pungent aromas to be classed as a hazardous material. That’s simply not the case though, hazardous waste can be something as simple as an old car battery or a plastic bottle that used to contained synthetic oil. People need to be made aware of the materials they use on a daily basis so this article looks at how people can recycle waste and why it should be treated with a great deal of care.
How do you classify hazardous waste?
The simple way to classify hazardous waste is to think of any substance or material that could be harmful to the environment. The term ‘hazardous’ covers a multitude of materials, right now your garage could be stocked with paint tins, solvent cleaners, engine oil and brake fluids which could all be classified as hazardous. Flourescent lighting is a hazardous material so are aerosols and adhesives, the list is comprehensive and there are more potentially harmful materials lying around the average household than you think.
What’s the best way to recycle these materials?
Household recycling centres have special areas for hazardous waste so that’s one avenue to explore. Take a trip to the local tip and you’ll find containers to place old car oil, sections for electronics equipment and places to dump old batteries instead. That’s a good option if you have a small amount of hazardous waste to deal with and it ensures the material is recycled in an appropriate way. Or you could use the services of a professional hazardous waste company like our team at PCWS and let them take the waste away for you. This is a safer option and it provides you with a full waste audit trail, so you know the waste is collected safely by ADR approved vehicles and drivers, it’s transported in safety and it’s recycled or disposed of using the correct procedures.
