Hazardous Waste Policy

Waste is considered 'hazardous' when it contains substances or has properties that might make it harmful to humans or the environment

Hazardous Waste includes infectious biological/clinical waste, chemicals, solvents, print toner, pesticides, fluorescent light tubes, refrigeration equipment containing ozone depleting substances, non-edible oils, batteries, asbestos, paints and hazardous waste containers.

• The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016
• The Environmental Protection Act 1990
• The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011
• The Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005
• List of Wastes (England) Regulations 2005
• The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations (WEEE) Regulations 2013

The University will manage, so far as is reasonably practicable, all hazardous waste activities falling under its control in a manner such as to minimise the harm to human health, property or the environment.

The University will aim to achieve this by producing and communicating procedures to enable 
employees to comply with their ‘duty of care’ for the management of hazardous wastes. Procedures for managing hazardous waste will be monitored to ensure compliance. The University will apply the waste management hierarchy with the aim of minimising the generation of hazardous waste.

President/Vice-Chancellor

• Has the overall day to day responsibility for health and safety matters at the University. The VC delegates responsibility for undertaking aspects of these duties through line management 
  and identified roles.
• The following people are identified as having responsibilities (in addition to any other 
  responsibilities under other health and safety policy) for the management of hazardous waste 
  in those areas, and for those relevant persons, that fall under their control:

Executive Board Members

• Will familiarise themselves with this policy and be aware of the key risks which hazardous 
  wastes may pose. 

Deans/Chief Operating Officer

• Will ensure that sufficient resources are made available to enable compliance with this policy.
• Will ensure that any required permits are up to date and suitable for the intended work. 
  Heads of School/Directors of Professional Services
• Will ensure School/service arrangements for the management of hazardous wastes are put in 
  place, communicated and monitored.
• Will ensure competent persons are identified to implement the arrangements for the 
  management of hazardous waste.
• Where practicable, aim to minimise the procurement of hazardous materials to prevent 
  redundant materials needing to be disposed of as hazardous waste.
• Will ensure sufficient allocation of appropriate storage facilities for hazardous wastes until 
  such time as it can be collected.
• Will ensure that arrangements are in place to identify and dispose of unwanted chemicals and 
  hazardous waste when staff leave the School/service, to prevent the accumulation of “legacy” 
  chemicals/waste. 

Executive Director of Estates & Facilities

• Will ensure the segregation of hazardous waste under their management, such as WEEE and 
  asbestos-containing waste, and storing them safely and securely before arranging for their 
  disposal in accordance with relevant legislation.
• Will ensure that staff who operate the hazardous waste collection service are adequately 
  trained to carry out their duties.
• Will ensure that appropriate Environment Agency permits are in place for using, treating, storing 
  or disposing of hazardous waste.
• Will use authorised businesses to collect, recycle or dispose of hazardous waste and check 
  that waste carriers are registered and waste sites have environmental permits.
• Will maintain records, at the premises, of hazardous waste consignment notes, consignee 
  returns and any other related documents (such as carrier schedules or rejected loads) for at 
  least 3 years.
• Will undertake periodic ‘duty of care’ audits of licensed waste contractors.

Director of Health, Safety and Risk

• Will ensure that procedures are established to ensure the ‘best available techniques’ for the 
  correct identification, segregation, labelling and storage of hazardous wastes on University 
  premises under its control.
• Will ensure the production and communication of procedures and guidance regarding the 
  management of hazardous waste on University premises.

Line Manager / PIs

• Ensuring the management and disposal/recovery of hazardous waste is included in the risk 
  assessments and local procedures for the tasks undertaken by their employees.
• Ensuring that relevant workers are informed of the significant findings of such risk 
  assessments and that local procedures are followed for the management of hazardous wastes.

Employees/Students

• Follow the University procedures to manage hazardous wastes. This includes the correct 
  identification, segregation, disposal and storage of hazardous wastes in dedicated, labelled 
  containers with prompt removal.
• Follow any specialist arrangements for managing hazardous waste as defined in other policies 
  (e.g., chemical, biological and radiation).

Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/894/contents/made
 

List of wastes
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/895/schedule/1/made
 

European waste codes (EWC)
Waste_classification_technical_guidance_WM3.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)