Uncollected waste warning

Uncollected trade waste is the responsibility of businesses and, particularly during the current turbulent weather conditions, procedures need to be in place to deal with it.

That's the message from John Haswell, client services manager at environmental health consultants, Perry Scott Nash Associates, who says it is vital that managers understand their duties.

“During the last 12 months,” says Mr Haswell, “The UK has experienced some severe weather. This has sometimes halted services such as refuse collections, and left some companies with a lot of waste to deal with.

“The law is very clear that businesses have a duty to ensure all waste is stored in a safe and secure manner until it can be collected, and this also applies to recycling.

“In this instance 'safe and secure' means that the rubbish can't escape and that no one will hurt themselves by slipping on it or being cut by sharp objects. There must be no danger of environmental contamination and the rubbish mustn't block any fire exits.

“Food waste must be particularly carefully stored so as not to attract mice and rats. Furthermore, businesses need to ensure that the waste is removed from site only by an authorised waste removal contractor.

“Bad weather changes none of these responsibilities”, adds Mr Haswell.

“It's up to companies to use waste areas effectively. Pack refuse sensibly to maximise the use of space and, if bins are full, double bag food waste as a minimum.”

“Ensure that waste is tidied up regularly and that there are enough bin bags to cover every eventuality. Have a plan for all excess waste and tell the contractor there will be extra bags to be picked up when collections do restart.

“Although local authorities are generally quite sympathetic at times like these and appreciate the problems that waste can cause, businesses can still be prosecuted for failing to carry out their duties properly. For the sake of a company's reputation and to avoid fines, it's critical it does everything it can to look after its rubbish properly.”