Waste Problems

Massive and permanent changes are currently taking place to the ways in which waste can and should be handled. The days of disposing of general waste (such as concrete, rubble, waste wood, plasterboard, plastics etc) into skips, carting it away in grab lorries, or (especially) tipping it into a hole in a local, friendly farmers field are numbered.

Understanding why is quite simple; Enormous changes are due to take place in the UK over landfill and recycling. An example of the problem is the fact that the UK tips more biodegradable household waste into landfill than most other European countries, despite having increased recycling from 11% to 23% since 2000.


The key figures though, related to EU fines payable by the UK government, which have begun to be passed down to local councils, to the tune of £40m per year for those who fail to hit landfill reduction targets by 2010.These fines will increase drastically to £205m per in 2013, as tougher targets are introduced.

A cornerstone of the new approach to waste management is the Proximity Principle which states that "waste should be managed as close as practicable to the point at which it is generated". Put simply, this means if you can recycle on site, then you must - no arguments!

The Proximity Principle is also reinforced by waste transfer legislation which means that, strictly speaking, if you move waste concrete and brick from your own site - even if you take it back to your own base to recycle it - you should have a Waste Transfer Licence. These licences will are likely to become harder to obtain and be more strictly regulated and policed. The same applies for other recyclable materials.

Many local authorities are already using these rules as a convenient means of clamping down on the problems they have with grab loaders and skip lorries, particularly on small domestic sites. The combined issues of noise, congestion, and damage to roads, kerbs and pavements have provided an additional spur to the implementation of new on-site recycling regulations. In some cases the planning consent for domestic buildings and extensions is conditional upon approved methods of recycling the waste arising building sites, particularly brick stone and concrete.

Download Environment Agency - Pre-Treatment of Non Hazardous Waste 30 October 2007.

Download Site Waste Management Plans (SWMP’s) A Simple Guide.

Download Site Waste Management Plan Regulations 2008.