When it comes to waste disposal, it is vital you get it right. If waste is handled, or disposed of, in an unsafe manner then it can have huge ramifications on public health, the environment and your business.
In fact, if you don’t correctly dispose of the waste products generated by your business, you could face financial penalties and even closure.
With this in mind, it’s important to have a thorough understanding of the different types of waste and how you should deal with them.
In this article, we’ll outline the various types of waste you may come across and how you should go about disposing of it.
Hazardous Waste
In short, hazardous waste refers to any waste that is flammable, toxic or corrosive. Examples of hazardous waste includes:
- Asbestos
- Oil
- Chemicals
- Pesticides
- Batteries
- Paints
Hazardous waste can only be disposed of at specialist sites that know how to properly deal with them. Professional waste disposal companies, such as Envirotec Services, will pick this waste up from your premises and transport it to the necessary location.
Clinical Waste
Another type of waste that can cause damage to your health and the environment is clinical waste. Sometimes referred to as medical waste, clinical waste is usually found in a medical setting and can include anything from human tissue to drugs and medicines, as well as items such as needles, swabs and dressings.
Most things that are classified as clinical waste need to be disposed of in a marked yellow bag and properly fastened. These bags will then be incinerated at a later date.
However, when it comes to sharp objects like needles or syringes, these need to be placed in specific sharp bins. This way you can minimise the risk of harm and spread of infections.
Just like with hazardous waste, your clinical waste bags and bins can then be collected and distributed to the appropriate disposal plant.
General Waste
It’s likely that your business also produces its fair share of general waste. Unlike hazardous and clinical waste, general waste is not particularly harmful but it still needs to be discarded properly.
General waste cannot be recycled and heads straight for landfill, so it’s important that you properly segregate your rubbish and remove any materials that you can recycle elsewhere.
You can think of general waste in the same way as your domestic waste bin at home, and it often makes up a significant amount of a business’ overall waste. With this in mind, it’s important to manage it responsibly and you can hire waste disposal companies who’ll make regular visits to your premises to remove the waste.
What Other Types Of Waste Are There?
Clinical, hazardous and general waste are the three most common types of waste that your business is likely to produce. But, there is a whole host of other types to be wary of.
There’s electrical waste, or E-waste, which refers to waste products that come from electronic devices such as computers, DVD players, TVs and more. These types of devices can contain harmful metals like mercury, lead and cadmium and need to be taken to a dedicated facility if you can’t find another home for them.
There’s also green waste that is usually products that have come from garden or landscaping work. You can get dedicated bins for this type of waste but recycling it with a compost bin or suchlike is always a better alternative.
At Envirotec Services, we’re experts when it comes to the hygiene of your business. Our dedicated team are able to handle all of your property’s waste products, removing them from your premises and taking them to the appropriate disposal facility. For more information, get in touch with us today.