Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR - formerly DTI)
BERR promotes resource efficiency and sustainable waste management
BERR can offer:
Support to businesses, or via intermediaries (e.g. professional bodies), to encourage resource and energy efficiency (including low carbon) technologies and practices. Support may be through grants, funding, loans, advice and information or brokerage. This offer supports a range of activities which may include:
Information, advice and audits to identify opportunities for improved energy and resource efficiency (including brokerage, ie directing business to appropriate private sector providers);
Networks to spread knowledge and best practice about the benefits that can be obtained through energy and resource efficiency;
Take up of environmental standards (e.g. BS 8555, ISO 14001) and improved energy management;
Investment in technologies and practices that encourage energy and resource efficiency. Technologies include; recycling, waste reduction, energy and water efficient processes, energy efficient buildings and renewable energy schemes.
BERR have a useful factsheet on What do the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations mean for business users?
Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra provides information to businesses which can help them reduce, reuse and recycle their waste and more general information on how waste is dealt with in the UK.
The Environment Agency
The following pages give advice, guidance and information on business waste:
Fact Sheets
Fact sheet for general business on landfill rules
More information about the new rules that mean you can no longer send untreated waste to landfill practical advice with examples of what small businesses like florists and greengrocers should do.Fact sheet for Inert Waste on landfill rules
Gives practical advice for anyone who produces, manages of landfills inert waste On Inert Waste – advice on waste reduction, recovery and treatment options of this waste (which includes glass, bricks and concrete) for the construction industry and waste management companies.Fact sheet for contaminated soil on landfill rules
More information about new rules that mean you must treat contaminated soil if you plan to send it landfill On Contaminated soil – for those who deal with waste soils such as the construction industry, waste management companies and land remediation companies, civil engineers.Fact sheet on the new rules for producers of electrical and electronic equipment
Information on the new WEEE regulations which came into force in January 2007.
Guidance
Diverting liquid from landfill
If you are a waste producer now is a good time for you to review how you manage your waste and decide whether you need to keep using landfill at all
Further Information
From 30 October 2007, two new requirements that already apply to hazardous waste will also apply to non-hazardous waste:
Non-hazardous landfills will only be able to accept treated wastes.
Non-hazardous landfills will not be able to accept liquid wastes.
Other Useful Links:
National Industrial Symbiosis Programme - NISP is an innovative business opportunity programme that delivers bottom line benefits for our members whilst generating positive outcomes for the environment and society.
Recycle Directory - Community Waste Network East’s directory of community waste groups and their partners as well as other key contacts throughout the region
Resource Saver - The Regional Resource Saver East Project aims to achieve quantifiable waste reduction from landfill for businesses by diverting it for reuse, recycling or composting by the community waste sector
The Wastebook - The WASTEBOOK is a directory containing advice on recycling a very wide range of materials indeed. It can show you how to recover, reuse, repair, or recycle what you thought was waste and turn it into something useful. Or it can introduce you to someone else who can do this for you. It gives information about good waste management practice, and ways to reduce waste and energy and save money.
The Waste Directory - This website lists waste contractors that have sites that can take some or all of your waste. The sites listed in the Directory are all correctly licensed or exempt and are therefore authorised to take waste. Simply enter your postcode or town to search the database.
Wastechange.com - Wastechange operates a network of free online regional and national waste exchanges trading all grades of recyclable materials and secondary commodities.
Wastematters.org.uk - Businesses are being encouraged to share their hints, tips and best practice in dealing with waste on a new and improved website. The website covers issues such as preventing and dealing with fly-tipping, on-line forums, advice on reducing waste and expert advice from regulators like the Environment Agency on waste legislation.
