With effect from 16^th March 2011, new waste regulations have been introduced which will change how companies deal with their waste. They will have to consider the following hierarchy of waste options:

• prevention
• preparing for reuse
• recycling
• recovery
• disposal

This will apply to all businesses, and environmental matters are now relevant to all service businesses as well as industrial, logistics and construction companies.

The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 will:

• require businesses to confirm that they have applied the waste management hierarchy when transferring waste, and include a declaration on their waste transfer note or consignment note
• introduce a two-tier system for waste carrier and broker registration, including a new concept of a waste dealer
• make amendments to hazardous waste controls
• exclude some categories of waste from waste controls

Whenever a company passes waste on to another company, it will have to declare on the waste transfer note, or consignment note for hazardous waste, that it has applied the waste management hierarchy (as shown above).

The aim is to recycle or reuse everything rather than send waste to a landfill. If you are in business, this law applies to you.