Author: jglover@sharpsmart.co.uk

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How Long Should You Keep a Hazardous Waste Consignment Note?

If you’re moving hazardous waste from one premises to another, you’ll most likely need a hazardous waste consignment note.

Whether you’re a business owner or environmental manager, it’s essential to understand the importance of consignment notes and how they work.

This blog post explains everything you need to know about hazardous waste consignment notes. We cover why they’re crucial, when you need them and how long you should keep them to follow the law and handle hazardous waste safely.

What is a Hazardous Waste Consignment Note?

A hazardous waste consignment note is a legal document used to track the movement of hazardous waste from one location to another. This document is essential for ensuring that hazardous waste is handled safely, responsibly, and in compliance with environmental regulations. It details the type of waste being moved, its quantity, origin, and destination, as well as the parties involved in its transfer.

How Long Should You Keep a Hazardous Waste Consignment Note?

In England and Wales, it is a legal requirement to keep copies of all hazardous waste consignment notes for at least three years. This rule ensures there’s a legal record of the waste transfer, which must be available for auditing by the Environment Agency.

When is a Hazardous Waste Consignment Note Needed?

Whenever hazardous waste is transported, it must be accompanied by a correctly completed hazardous waste consignment note. This is essential for several scenarios, including when waste is taken from the producer’s site to a disposal site, or even when moving between premises within the same company, either by the producer themselves or a third party.

The consignment note ensures that all transports of hazardous waste are thoroughly documented from start to finish. It ensures that all parties involved, including the hazardous waste producer and facilities authorised to accept hazardous waste, are fully informed of their responsibilities and the specific details of the waste being handled. This systematic tracking helps keep the entire process safe and compliant with UK regulations.

When is a Hazardous Waste Consignment Note Not Needed?

You don’t need a hazardous waste consignment note in a couple of situations. First, you don’t need a consignment note if you’re moving domestic hazardous waste from a home to the first place it gets collected – and it’s not asbestos waste. This kind of waste is usually less risky and in smaller amounts than what businesses handle, so the process is more straightforward.

Also, you do not need a consignment note when hazardous waste crosses international borders and is handled under international waste shipment controls. 

These exceptions help make things a bit easier for less risky or internationally regulated waste movements.

How to Fill in a Hazardous Waste Consignment Note

Here’s a detailed breakdown of how to fill out a hazardous waste consignment note correctly, including what each part of the consignment note entails and who is responsible for completing it.

Part A: Notification Details

  • Who completes it? The waste producer or holder is responsible for filling out this part before the waste is collected.
  • What to include? This section captures essential information such as the waste’s origin and destination. It consists of the consignment note code, which must be uniquely generated for each movement. This code reflects the premises where the waste is being moved from and tracks the waste consignment throughout its journey.

Part B: Description of the Waste

  • Who completes it? The waste producer or holder completes this before the waste is collected.
  • What to include? This part should detail the source of the waste, the processes that produced it, its composition, and its properties. It is vital to include the European Waste Catalogue (EWC) code, which categorises the waste type, and a full written description to ensure all parties understand the nature of the hazardous waste produced.

Part C: Carrier’s Certificate

  • Who completes it? The registered waste carrier examines the details provided in Parts A and B and completes this section before transporting the waste.
  • What to include? The carrier (company) name, address, telephone/email details, carrier registration number and vehicle registration number. This part ensures that the waste carrier acknowledges the nature of the hazardous wastes they are transporting and confirms that the waste consignment has been described accurately.

Part D: Consignor’s Certificate

  • Who completes it? The consignor fills this out, and they must be present when the waste is collected.
  • What to include? This section serves as a double-check, confirming that the information provided earlier is accurate and complete. It includes the consignor’s confirmation and signature, acting as a formal declaration of the waste details.

Part E: Consignee’s Certificate

  • Who completes it? The consignee or the person receiving the waste at the destination.
  • What to include? When the waste arrives, the consignee must carefully compare and confirm that all sections of the consignment note match the actual characteristics of the received waste. They must either confirm the acceptance of the waste or reject it based on its compliance with the descriptions and safety regulations provided. This part is crucial for ensuring that the waste received is as described and that the facility is authorised to accept such hazardous waste under a permit.

By carefully filling out each part of the hazardous waste consignment note, everyone involved—from the person who makes the waste to the one who receives it—ensures that hazardous materials are managed safely and according to the law.

What is the Difference Between a Consignment Note and a Waste Transfer Note?

The main difference between a hazardous waste consignment note and a waste transfer note (WTN) is what they are used for and the details they include. 

A waste transfer note is for non-hazardous waste, and it covers basic information like who’s giving away the waste and who’s receiving it, as well as what type and how much waste there is. This document ensures that non-hazardous waste is handled correctly but doesn’t go into much detail.

On the other hand, a hazardous waste consignment note is used for waste that could be hazardous to people or the environment. This includes batteries, asbestos, solvents, paints, brake fluids, pesticides, and oils. These need to be dealt with very carefully.

The consignment note has detailed information necessary for safely handling, managing, and disposing of hazardous waste, ensuring everything complies with legal standards. It’s a thorough document that covers the specifics of waste and the rules for safely moving and disposing of hazardous materials. 

While both notes are used to track waste management responsibly, a consignment note deals with the added risks of hazardous materials.

Hazardous Waste Consignment Notes are Essential

Filling out and maintaining hazardous waste consignment notes is crucial for meeting environmental regulations and ensuring the safe, legal transport of hazardous materials, including during the same business movements. Whether you are a waste producer, carrier, or consignee, understanding how to complete these documents to manage hazardous waste responsibly is essential.

If you need more information on hazardous waste and disposal, check out our services at Hazport. From identifying to disposing of hazardous waste, our team is here to help your business manage hazardous waste.

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Hazardous Waste

How to Handle Hazardous Waste in an Emergency

Hazardous waste emergencies can happen suddenly and unexpectedly. One minute, you’re carrying out work operations as normal, and the next, you’re dealing with a critical situation.

This guide offers a step-by-step approach to handle these situations effectively. We focus on preparation, response, and post-incident actions, helping you achieve emergency preparedness.

We cover everything from recognising an emergency to containment, stabilisation and cleanup. This post provides vital insights and actionable steps to help you protect your team if an emergency waste situation arises.

What is a Hazardous Waste Emergency?

A hazardous waste emergency involves the unexpected release of hazardous substances, such as an oil spill or a chemical leak. These emergencies demand swift action to mitigate health hazards and environmental damage.

Preparing for a Hazardous Waste Emergency

It’s essential to outline a plan for hazardous waste emergencies so that you’re prepared when they happen. Sudden hazardous waste emergencies can pose a risk to health and the environment due to their toxic effects and potential exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Your company may already have an emergency action plan, if so, make sure that you familiarise yourself with it and understand any named roles such as Incident Controller or Fire Marshal.

You need a well-crafted site emergency response plan that adheres to the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) standards.

Here are a few examples of what your emergency plan should include:

  • How will you contain different types of hazardous substance releases?
  • How will you safeguard the people and environment surrounding the emergency?
  • The roles and responsibilities of each individual during the emergency, including local authorities.
  • The training requirements needed to achieve this response plan for sudden releases of hazardous substances.
  • The communication channels you will use during the emergency, specifically how you will contact emergency services.

Writing this plan is only the first step. You also need to provide regular drills and comprehensive team training to ensure you can carry out your emergency recovery operations.

Your emergency response should be almost instinctual. The team must transition from routine work operations to an emergency response with minimal delay. This can be the difference between an effective and poor emergency plan.

5 Steps to Handle a Hazardous Waste Emergency

There are five parts to a simple and straightforward emergency plan, including:

1. Area Evacuation

The safety of everyone in the surrounding area in case of a hazardous waste emergency is paramount. The evacuation plan is initiated by sounding the emergency alert. This leads people to their designated safe places or assembly points, away from the hazardous waste. Your occupational safety plan must also include individuals with disabilities and detailed routes that avoid the affected area.

First aid stations along evacuation routes can provide immediate care in cases of difficulty breathing or irritation due to exposure. For additional information and resources, employees should be encouraged to consult secure websites or official government organisation webpages, like the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which provides guidelines on evacuation procedures in contaminated areas.

Finally, you must communicate if there are any missing people during the evacuation to local emergency services. A good way to track this is by taking note of ID badges at each assembly point. That way, you can see who has checked in and who hasn’t.

2. Fire Fighting

When a fire breaks out, only trained individuals should respond swiftly, using designated firefighting equipment stored in accessible storage areas. Your appointed fire wardens must have location plans for fire hoses, extinguishers and water sources.

You must coordinate with the local fire department to ensure additional professional help is on the way, reinforcing the efforts of on-site personnel. Employer requirements may dictate specific firefighting protocols to minimise health risks to workers and emergency responders, especially when dealing with chemical hazards. Official websites can offer additional resources on effective firefighting strategies in industrial settings.

3. Remove the Substance to a Safe Place

Next, you must contain the release of hazardous substances to prevent the spread. There are several ways to do this, including dry sand, sawdust, proprietary booms, and absorbent pads.

The HSE offers specific guidance for different types of hazardous waste materials. For example, they do not recommend dry brushing for fine, dusty materials. This could spread the hazardous material further rather than clearing it up. Instead, they recommend using a vacuum cleaner.

Ensuring that hazardous materials are moved to designated storage areas helps control the situation and prepares for the next steps of decontamination and neutralisation.

4. Preventing Further Pollution

Once you’ve contained the spill, your focus needs to shift towards stopping any further contamination to the environment.

  • Isolate the area: it’s crucial to prevent unauthorised access to the affected area.
  • Contain the spill: use physical barriers like booms, dams, or absorbent pads to stop the spread into drains, waterways, or other vulnerable areas.
  • Shut off sources: if possible, turn off valves, pumps, or other equipment that could contribute to the spill.
  • Protect drainage systems: Cover drains and gutters to prevent hazardous substances from entering the water system.
  • Monitor air quality: if there’s a risk of airborne contamination, monitor air quality and consider implementing ventilation measures.

By taking these steps, you can significantly reduce the environmental impact of the hazardous waste incident and facilitate the cleanup process.

5. Stabilisation and Cleanup

Spill containment and cleanup is usually safer than trying to neutralise waste in situ. With neutralisation, you’re adding more chemicals into the spill, leading to an increased risk of non-containment. You also run the risk of secondary reactions and the evolution of heat/gas.

If you do use neutralising agents, like acids and alkalis, they should be chosen based on the waste’s specific properties and contamination risks.

Emergency spill kits can be used for cleanup, and must be maintained so they are always fit for purpose, cleanup workers should wear personal protective equipment when conducting cleanup operations.

In your emergency plan, you should detail an appropriate treatment strategy for each group of chemicals. Once you have treated the material in a safe manner, the area must be washed with water.

Employees should refer to the HSE requirements for guidance on appropriate stabilisation techniques. In cases where the chemical hazards pose a risk of skin irritation or respiratory issues, immediate access to first aid and medical advice is crucial to protect worker safety.

Which Hazardous Waste Emergency Regulations Should I Follow?

With so much information online, it can be difficult to decipher which standards you should follow. If you’re in the UK, stick to HSE and not the United States’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Standards and HAZWOPER training requirements.

Post-Emergency Hazardous Waste Management

The aftermath of an emergency is crucial for identifying lessons learned and improving response strategies. What went well and what didn’t? Your systematic review of the incident should focus on key areas like communication flow, resource utilisation, and the effectiveness of the emergency response plan.

Be Prepared for an Emergency Situation

In emergencies involving hazardous waste, the priority is always the safety of individuals and the protection of the environment. An effective response, worker preparedness, and thorough post-incident analysis are the pillars of managing these critical situations. Don’t underestimate the importance of coordination, compliance assistance, and ensuring all actions are conducted safely to mitigate the risk of exposure.

Do You Need Help Preparing for or Dealing with a Hazardous Waste Emergency?

At Hazport, we remove the guesswork from hazardous waste with compliant and cost-effective solutions to help you dispose of your waste correctly.

Whether it’s an emergency or you just need help removing your waste, we’re the hazardous waste specialist you can rely on. We even offer a mobile chemist service to identify, classify and pack chemical waste for your business.

Get in touch for more information.

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Hazardous Waste

What Are the Environmental Impacts of Hazardous Waste?

When not disposed of properly, hazardous waste can profoundly impact the environment and our health. Hazardous materials, like fireworks, paints, and pesticides, can impact our water sources, soil, the air we breathe, and the wildlife around us. These hazardous materials can lead to serious health implications, including genetic mutations, birth defects, and cancer.

Proper hazardous waste disposal is critical. In this article, we explore the environmental and health impacts of hazardous waste and how your business can help to prevent them.

The Environmental Impact of Hazardous Waste

Hazardous waste poses significant threats to our environment, affecting water, soil, air, wildlife, and ultimately human health. Understanding these impacts is crucial for developing effective waste management strategies to protect our planet and well-being.

Water Pollution

Hazardous waste can contaminate rivers, lakes, and groundwater with many toxic substances. This pollution originates from various sources, including runoff from industrial sites, leaching from landfills, and discharges from treatment plants.

When toxic substances enter aquatic environments, they disrupt the delicate ecological balance. Fish and other marine organisms absorb these pollutants, which can decrease biodiversity, disrupt food chains, and affect water quality for human consumption. Total waste management solutions and water treatment systems are critical for preventing these contaminants from compromising our water resources.

Soil, Sediment, and Dust

Soil contamination is another significant consequence of hazardous waste mismanagement. Heavy metals, chemical waste spills, and agricultural runoff deposit harmful substances in the soil. These substances can remain in the soil for years, eventually altering the soil’s composition and fertility. This degradation impacts plant growth and crop yields, decreasing biodiversity and disrupting soil health.

Furthermore, contaminated dust and sediment can spread these pollutants through wind and water erosion, extending the impacts beyond the immediate contamination site. Effective soil management and remediation strategies are crucial to address these issues and restore land quality.

Air Pollution

Hazardous waste contributes to air pollution through the release of volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, and other pollutants during waste processing and disposal. Incineration, one of the waste disposal methods, can release toxic gases and particulates if not correctly managed. These pollutants pose significant health risks in exposed populations, such as respiratory ailments, cardiovascular diseases, and other health issues.

Fires

Fires at hazardous waste facilities or disposal sites are particularly concerning. They can release a complex mix of pollutants into the environment, generating dense clouds of toxic smoke and ash that spread over large areas.

The health implications for nearby communities can be severe, ranging from acute exposure effects to long-term health consequences. Preventative measures, rigorous safety standards, and emergency response plans are essential to mitigate the risk of fires and their environmental impact.

 

Wildlife Mutations

Exposure to hazardous waste can induce genetic wildlife mutations, leading to detrimental changes in reproductive success, physical development, and overall survival. These mutations affect individual organisms but can also have broader ecological implications, disrupting local ecosystems and biodiversity.

Long-Term Impacts

Certain types of hazardous waste, particularly radioactive and clinical waste, have long-term impacts on the environment and human health. The prolonged presence of these materials in the environment poses ongoing risks to ecosystems and human health as they continue to contaminate soil, water, and air. Safe, secure, and environmentally sound disposal of these materials can prevent future environmental and health challenges.

The Effects of Hazardous Waste on Human Health

The impact of hazardous waste on human health is profound and multifaceted. When human populations come into direct contact with hazardous waste—be it through the air, water, or soil—the potential health repercussions are significant. These can range from acute symptoms like nausea and headaches to chronic conditions, including reproductive impairment, kidney failure, and other physiological malfunctions.

Physical deformations and signs of mutation may arise from long-term exposure to hazardous chemicals found in certain types of hazardous waste, such as asbestos and mercury. In the UK, chemical waste disposal, especially radioactive waste, demands stringent guidelines to minimise the amount of hazardous waste and its effects on the human body.

Hazardous Waste Disposal and the Environment

Hazardous waste poses a multifaceted threat to the environment and human health. Comprehensive and effective waste management strategies are essential to manage these threats and safeguard our planet for future generations.

How to Prevent the Environmental Impacts of Hazardous Waste

Ultimately, these environmental and human impacts can be prevented with proper hazardous waste disposal and management. Hazport provides a cost-effective and compliant solution that covers hazardous waste collection, transportation and disposal. Our quick and reliable service helps businesses pack, label, collect and dispose of their hazardous waste properly.

We also provide guidance on storing, handling, and disposing of your hazardous waste on-site. With Hazport, you can rest assured that your hazardous waste has been handled correctly, reducing its environmental risk.

Contact us if you’d like help with your hazardous waste.

 

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Hazardous Waste

Our Rebrand Story: A Fresh Identity with Timeless Values

It’s been a long time since we were the new kids on the block, and to celebrate almost 20 years of managing hazardous waste, we felt like it was time for a new outfit (we spilt paint waste on our old one…)

In this blog, we’ll provide a refresher on our core values which show the solid foundation Hazport was built on is still in place – we’re still the same hazardous waste specialists you’ve known for almost two decades.

We’ll also be covering the story of our rebrand and spotlighting some of its design logic to help you see it’s about so much more than a pretty new colour palette.

So get yourself comfortable, and we’ll get into the story…

Our Rebrand Story

Some things get better with age…

It’s been almost 20 years since one man invested the last of his dwindling funds in a dream.

That’s almost 20 years of learning and development, finding new ways to innovate in an industry we were once “too small” to be taken seriously in.

Years spent honing our craft to serve you better.

And in that time…

We’ve adapted.

Compliance and waste traceability are an increasingly important focal point in a fluid industry with changing regulations and a growing concern for environmental impact.

We’ve grown.

From one man in a van with overalls over his suit, to a full range of licensed vehicles across the UK, a mobile chemist squad, and a dedicated customer support team.

We’ve evolved.

Refining our expertise for almost two decades, we’ve continued to grow and change.

Our design has evolved with a modernised visual refresh. Our service has improved with more wheels on the road. Our technology has enhanced our processes.

We have changed.

But our values haven’t.

We’re committed to maintaining the highest levels of quality with:

  • Fast response times
  • Personalised services
  • Expert guidance and support

Now with even more resources at our disposal, we’re excited to enter this next phase of our mission to make hazardous waste management simple, reliable, and compliant.

And putting you first with services that remove the guesswork.

Which leads us nicely into a refresher on our core values here at Hazport…

Our Core Values Are Still the Same

The Hazport team are committed to providing the highest level of quality customer service, and that will never change.

Something else that hasn’t changed is our five core values:

Compliance

We’re equipped, professionally qualified, and licensed to deal with the wide spectrum of hazardous wastes that are generated each day – using our full Euro 6 modern vehicle fleet of clean, compliant trucks to transport hazardous waste and dangerous goods throughout the country.

Reliability

With a full range of vehicles travelling throughout the UK, you can be sure of a quick, compliant, and cost-effective hazardous waste service – conducting all waste pick-up services in a timely manner ensures reliability and customer support across all services.

Expertise

You’ll have access to our team of experts who can provide guidance on waste requirements, identification, classification, packaging, and labelling. We can also advise on the handling, storage, and disposal of your waste on-site.

Accessibility

Customer service is at the heart of everything we do and we pride ourselves on delivering proactive, reliable solutions that are customised to meet your specific needs – we’re local and always here and ready to support our customers in a time-responsive manner.

Transparency

We understand your needs around the traceability of waste material once it’s left your site – all waste returns and completed paperwork are safely stored on our digital database and accessible to you through our customer portal.

As with anything we do here at Hazport, we let our five core values guide our decision-making process throughout our rebrand – let’s look at that process in more detail…

The Design Logic Behind Our Rebrand

Our new design overhaul began with us paying homage to our brand origins. The new Hazport logo retains the shape-blocked design that’s been our insignia for many years, but it’s been modernised with an edgier typeface and more playful colour tones.

Speaking of colour tones, our palette had some well-needed tweaks too!

We felt our previous colour palette wasn’t truly connecting to our identity, which led us to adjust the classic primary blue and create ‘Hazport Blue’ – giving it depth and making it more pleasing to the eye.

We paid the same attention to detail when creating our secondary colours to complement the Hazport Blue, and introduced some smooth gradients.

Our new curve-shaped design element is inspired by the routes our flashy fleet of trucks take day in and day out and will be used to carry our brand’s brightness and fluidity – it’s a connection between content and image.

Everything within the realms of design has been fine-tuned to reflect our brand and the pride we take in providing the highest quality of service, from our logo and colour palettes to our font choices.

Oh, wait… We haven’t mentioned those yet!

Our fonts have also been rebranded. For our new licensed fonts, we’ve leaned into rounder fonts that are friendly, clean, and easily readable, to complement and enhance both our logo and the fluidity of our route curvature.

Even our choices of photography aren’t accidental. Every single image is hand-picked to complement our brand, reflect our values, and highlight the human side of hazardous waste.

So that’s our surface, but what about our service?

Our Hazardous Waste Services Are Still as Good as Ever

How could we get this far into a blog without mentioning our hazardous waste disposal service?

We’ll try not to make a habit of it…

If you’re wondering if there are any changes to how we collect, transport, and dispose of your hazardous waste – there’s not!

As a reminder, we’re still able to guide and support your business with:

  • Hazardous Waste Disposal
  • Packaged Non-Hazrdous Waste Disposal
  • Chemical Waste Disposal
  • Lab Packing & Laboratory Waste Disposal
  • Automotive Waste Disposal
  • Mobile Chemist Service
  • Bulk Liquid Waste Disposal
  • Site Clearance & Land Remediation

Our cost-effective and compliant solutions include waste identification, classification, collection, transportation, and disposal. See our brochure for more information.

Get in touch if you need help with your hazardous waste with no more guessing, waiting, or wondering.

Speak to a Hazardous Waste Specialist
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Hazardous Waste

How Is Hazardous Waste Treated?

Hazardous waste treatment is an essential safeguard for human health and the environment, serving as a crucial phase in the waste disposal process.

This guide explores the different treatment methods used, including chemical, physical, biological and thermal. We dissect these methodologies and offer a clear perspective on how they transform hazardous materials into safer substances, ensuring their impact is minimised before final disposal.

What is Hazardous Waste?

Hazardous waste encompasses a wide array of materials that require meticulous handling and disposal to prevent detrimental environmental and health impacts.

Hazardous waste includes ozone-depleting substances, waste oils, asbestos, chemicals, laboratory chemicals, pesticides, lead acid batteries and much more. We explore the different types of hazardous waste in more detail here.

If you’re not sure how to identify, package and label your hazardous waste, Hazport’s Mobile Chemist Service is here to help. Our experts offer guidance on handling hazardous waste so it can be treated and disposed of correctly.

Why is Treating Hazardous Waste Important?

Most types of hazardous waste can be treated through multiple methodologies. The primary objective of treating hazardous waste is to diminish its hazardous properties, making it safer for proper disposal and reducing its potential risks. Such wastes can contain many harmful constituents, including toxic, corrosive, flammable, or reactive elements.

Treatment is essential to neutralise these components, thereby protecting crucial environmental resources like water bodies, soil, and air quality.

Let’s dive into the different hazardous waste treatment processes and what they entail.

Chemical Treatment

Chemical treatment is a cornerstone in hazardous waste management. It involves altering the waste’s chemical structure to nullify its hazardous traits. This method is especially crucial for treating streams of chemical waste with heavy metals, solvents, and various toxic substances.

Key Chemical Treatment Techniques:

  • Neutralisation adds acids or bases to waste to neutralise its pH and transform hazardous liquids into benign water and salts.
  • Oxidation-reduction involves using chemical reactions to alter the contaminants’ oxidation states, effectively reducing their toxicity.
  • Precipitation converts soluble metallic components into insoluble solid particles, facilitating their removal from liquid waste.

These chemical processes are vital for managing hazardous waste streams, ensuring that harmful chemical waste is transformed into less dangerous forms.

Physical Treatment

Physical treatment methods focus on changing the waste’s physical characteristics without modifying its chemical essence. These techniques are pivotal in rendering the waste more manageable, safer for subsequent treatments, or ready for disposal.

Key Physical Treatment Techniques:

  • Sedimentation and flotation utilise the differences in density or solubility to separate hazardous components based on their physical properties.
  • Filtration employs various mediums to remove particulate contaminants from liquids, which is crucial for managing hazardous liquid waste.
  • Encapsulation wraps hazardous waste within a stable material, preventing the leaching of contaminants.

Through these physical methodologies, hazardous waste is effectively segregated or immobilised, significantly reducing its risk profile.

Thermal Treatment

Thermal treatment methods leverage extreme temperatures to degrade or alter the components of hazardous waste. These processes are particularly effective for organic waste materials, significantly reducing their volume and potential hazard.

Key Thermal Treatment Techniques:

  • Incineration combusts waste at high temperatures, transforming hazardous organic and inorganic materials into ash, less harmful gases, and heat.
  • Pyrolysis decomposes organic materials without oxygen, producing char, oil, and gas, offering an alternative approach to managing organic hazardous wastes.

Thermal treatments play a crucial role in diminishing the hazardous nature of waste, especially for organic and combustible materials.

Biological Treatment

Biological treatment methods utilise microorganisms to decompose and detoxify hazardous substances, converting them into less harmful or non-toxic compounds. This approach is particularly suited for organic pollutants.

Key Biological Treatment Techniques:

  • Bioremediation employs bacteria or fungi to metabolise and break down hazardous substances. It is often used to treat contaminated soil or water.
  • Phytoremediation utilises plants to absorb, accumulate, or degrade pollutants. This method is frequently applied to address organic pollutants and heavy metal contamination.

These biological strategies harness natural processes to treat hazardous waste. They align with eco-friendly practices and contribute to sustainable hazardous waste disposal and management.

The Essential Role of Hazardous Waste Treatment

Treating hazardous waste is an indispensable element of comprehensive waste management strategies. Through a blend of chemical, physical, thermal, and biological methods, hazardous waste undergoes transformation, neutralisation, or degradation.

These treatment processes safeguard human health and the environment and contribute to the broader goals of sustainability and pollution prevention. We mitigate its potential risks by ensuring that hazardous waste is properly managed, treated, and disposed of.

Do You Have Hazardous Waste That Needs Treatment?

The correct disposal of hazardous waste are paramount for environmental health and safety. It requires knowledge of hazardous waste regulations, the risks involved, and the proper procedures for handling different types of waste.

Hazport offers cost-effective and compliant hazardous waste solutions that help you dispose of your waste correctly. From chemical to automotive waste, we help businesses with hazardous waste management, disposal and recycling in compliance with environmental legislation. We even offer a mobile chemist service to identify, classify and pack chemical waste for your business.

Get in touch for more information.

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Hazardous Waste

The Consequences of Mismanaging Hazardous Waste

Hazardous waste management is an essential practice that plays a crucial role in safeguarding employee well-being, protecting the environment, and ensuring operational efficiency and financial stability.

The consequences of mismanaging hazardous waste are severe and multifaceted, including health risks, organisational disruptions, legal repercussions, environmental degradation, and substantial financial burdens.

Understanding these consequences is vital. Businesses must recognise the importance of implementing and maintaining effective hazardous waste management strategies to mitigate risks and secure a sustainable future.

What Are the Consequences of Mismanaging Hazardous Waste?

#1 Risks to Employees: Illness, Injury, and Fatality

One of the most immediate and concerning consequences of mismanaging hazardous waste is the risk it poses to employees. Exposure to hazardous wastes can lead to serious health risks, as these materials often contain toxic chemicals and volatile organic compounds that can affect human health.

Employees working in proximity to improperly handled hazardous waste materials are at risk of developing chronic health conditions, experiencing acute poisoning, or even facing life-threatening situations.

Ultimately, the ways in which businesses handle hazardous waste could have enormous consequences for the wider team. For example, exposure to volatile organic compounds can result in immediate symptoms like headaches and dizziness, escalating to more severe liver or kidney damage over time. Employees exposed to asbestos can also develop mesothelioma, a type of cancer. This direct causality highlights the urgent need for protective measures and education on handling hazardous materials.

#2 Organisational Inefficiencies

The mismanagement of hazardous wastes permeates various layers of an organisation, from day-to-day operations to long-term strategic planning.

Firstly, hazardous waste mismanagement can cause immediate disruptions in the workplace. Incidents such as spills or fires related to improper handling or storage of hazardous materials can halt production lines, leading to major downtime. The need for extensive cleanup and the potential for equipment damage can exacerbate these disruptions, directly impacting the company’s productivity and operational efficiency.

The repercussions of hazardous waste mismanagement also extend beyond immediate operational concerns. Companies may find themselves forced to reallocate critical resources away from key areas such as research and development, expansion efforts, or customer service improvements to address issues arising from mismanagement. This diversion of resources affects not only the company’s growth but also its ability to innovate and respond to market demands.

Alongside resource allocation challenges, hazardous waste mismanagement can lead to inefficiencies in waste management processes. Disruptions in waste streams and waste generation workflows can complicate the logistics and planning associated with waste handling, leading to further inefficiencies and potential operational bottlenecks.

#3 Failed Inspections

Failed inspections are a powerful repercussion of hazardous waste mismanagement and non-compliance with UK environmental regulations. When an organisation fails to comply with the strict rules set by UK ecological and health authorities, it endangers the safety of its employees and the surrounding environment.

In the UK, inspections are vital to ensure that hazardous waste is managed, stored, and disposed of following the standards established by the relevant local authorities. If your business fails such an inspection, you must address the deficiencies identified. This might involve a substantial financial cost to correct the issues, implement new procedures, or upgrade equipment and facilities.

Persistent failures can also lead to heightened scrutiny from regulatory bodies, potential legal action, and reputational damage. A reputation for poor environmental and safety management can undermine customer trust, investor confidence, and the company’s overall market standing.

Failed inspections signal underlying problems in an organisation’s waste handling and disposal practices. They underscore the necessity for thorough strategies, ongoing training, and a culture of adherence to ensure that hazardous waste is managed efficiently and compliantly.

#4 Environmental Hazards

The environmental impacts of mismanaging hazardous waste are significant and widespread, affecting soil, water, and air quality. Improper disposal of hazardous waste can lead to soil contamination, harming microorganisms and disrupting soil ecosystems, which are crucial for nutrient cycling and plant growth.

Water pollution is another grave concern, as hazardous substances can damage aquatic life and enter the food chain, posing risks to human health and disrupting local economies reliant on water resources. Air pollution from hazardous waste releases toxic substances which can be inhaled by those in the surrounding area. The interconnectivity of these impacts underscores the urgent need for rigorous hazardous waste management to safeguard our planet and future.

#5 Unnecessary Expenses

The financial implications of hazardous waste mismanagement are substantial. Organisations face increased insurance premiums, hefty fines for breaking compliance with government laws, and the costs associated with cleaning up environmental contamination. The long-term expenses related to health care for affected employees, legal fees, and reputational damage can be exorbitant. Investing in proper hazardous waste management practices is a legal and ethical necessity and a financially prudent strategy.

The financial toll of mismanaging hazardous waste is multifaceted. For example, cleaning up a single hazardous waste spill can cost an organisation millions, not including fines or legal fees. Insurance premiums could also increase due to the perceived risks, putting more strain on your financial resources. Breaking down these costs provides a concrete understanding of the financial imperative to manage hazardous waste effectively.

Proactive Measures for Hazardous Waste Management

Hazport can help you identify, manage and dispose of your hazardous waste with our cost-effective waste solutions. From chemical waste to lab packing, we help companies across the UK manage their hazardous waste to align with UK regulations.

Managing hazardous waste is important for safeguarding human health, protecting the environment, and building your company’s reputation. Companies must adhere to a compliance calendar, understand the risks associated with hazardous waste disposal, and commit to appropriate waste management practices. By doing so, they can mitigate the potential risks, avoid the costly consequences of non-compliance, and contribute positively to environmental protection and public safety.

Get in touch for more information.

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Hazardous Waste

How to Dispose of Hazardous Waste Safely

Navigating hazardous waste disposal is crucial for anyone serious about health and the environment. Proper handling, storage, and disposal are not just rules to follow—they’re our best defence against environmental harm and health hazards.

This guide provides a detailed roadmap for identifying hazardous waste, understanding the necessary steps for safe disposal, and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations. We explore the essential practices for responsible waste management, contributing to a safer and cleaner world.

Is Your Waste Hazardous?

Before you jump into disposing of your hazardous waste, you need to make sure it is, in fact, hazardous. Hazardous waste includes materials that are harmful to human health or the environment. This can range from batteries and electronics to chemical waste, pesticides, oils, and more.

To identify hazardous waste, you can look at the waste classification code, container labels or manufacturing safety data sheets to learn more about the waste in question. We dive into the ins and outs of identifying hazardous waste in this article.

You can also hire an expert to conduct a chemical and physical analysis of your hazardous waste. They can advise you on the best way to approach the hazardous waste regulations for your specific type of waste. For example, Hazport’s mobile chemist service identifies, classifies and packs chemical waste.

#1 Identify and Categorise Your Hazardous Waste

Once you have identified that you have hazardous waste, the next step is to categorise it accurately. This process involves assigning a waste classification code to ensure the waste is handled and disposed of correctly.

There are four main types of hazardous waste: universal, mixed, chemical, and listed. These categories cover a wide range of materials, like liquid waste, chemical waste, ozone-depleting substances, lead acid batteries, asbestos chemicals, and fluorescent tubes, among others.

#2 Collect and Store Hazardous Waste Securely

Collecting and storing hazardous waste safely prevents accidental harm to humans and the environment. Hazardous waste containers are designed to store waste securely and must be labelled correctly to identify the contents. It’s crucial not to mix hazardous waste with ordinary waste or other hazardous materials, as this can lead to dangerous chemical reactions.

Certain types of waste, such as paint tins, cleaning products, and other materials, require specific storage conditions. For example, paint tins must be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources, with tightly sealed lids to prevent leaks and minimise fire risk.

#3 Hire Waste Management Experts

Waste management experts like Hazport make sure your hazardous waste is disposed of correctly. Our professional hazardous waste collection and disposal services are equipped to handle various waste types, offering solutions that include recycling, treatment, and disposal at licensed waste sites.

Our expertise extends to providing cost-effective, compliant management options, including waste analysis and packaging. This ensures businesses adhere to hazardous waste regulations and significantly reduce their environmental footprint.

We are experts on all things hazardous waste management and can advise on environmentally friendly disposal options. With a professional disposal service, you don’t have to worry about hazardous waste regulations and the environmental impact. We take care of it all so you can focus on other aspects of your business.

#4 File and Keep Your Records of Disposal and Collection

Under the UK’s hazardous waste regulations, you must maintain accurate records of hazardous waste disposal and collection. These records should include details about the waste classification code, the quantity of waste, the disposal method, and the company that collected or disposed of the waste. Keeping these records helps monitor and manage hazardous waste safely. It is also important for regulatory compliance and audits by the Environment Agency or other regulatory bodies.

Can I Recycle Hazardous Waste?

Recycling hazardous waste is a critical component of sustainable waste management, offering a pathway to repurpose materials that would otherwise harm the environment. Key examples include electrical waste, fluorescent tubes, gas canisters, batteries, used oils, and specific types of paint, all of which can be recycled through specialised processes. Substances like certain garden chemicals and asbestos require careful disposal due to their inherent risks.

However, not all recycling centres accept hazardous waste. The initiative to recycle hazardous materials conserves resources and emphasises the importance of following strict regulations and procedures to ensure environmental safety. Through responsible management and recycling practices, hazardous waste can be transformed from a potential environmental threat into valuable resources.

We explore the topic of recycling hazardous waste further in this blog post.

What Happens if I Dispose of Hazardous Waste Improperly?

Improper disposal of hazardous waste can have severe consequences for the environment and human health. It can lead to pollution of water sources, soil contamination, and harm to wildlife.

Additionally, businesses found to be non-compliant with hazardous waste regulations can face significant fines, legal penalties, and damage to their reputation. It is crucial to follow the correct procedures for hazardous waste disposal to avoid these risks and contribute to a safer, cleaner environment.

Proper Hazardous Waste Disposal Is Important

Proper disposal of hazardous waste is not just a legal obligation but a moral one, ensuring the safety of our environment and the health of future generations. Businesses can navigate the complexities of hazardous waste disposal by identifying and categorising hazardous waste, collecting and storing it securely, hiring waste management experts, and keeping accurate records. Remember, improper disposal can cause serious harm, so adherence to guidelines and regulations is paramount.

Need Help Safely Disposing of Your Hazardous Waste?

Hazport offers cost-effective and compliant hazardous waste solutions that help you dispose of your waste correctly.

From chemical to automotive waste, we help businesses with hazardous waste management and disposal in compliance with environmental legislation.

We even offer a mobile chemist service to identify, classify and pack chemical waste for your business.

Get in touch for more information.

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Hazardous Waste Uncategorized

Can Hazardous Waste Materials Be Recycled?

Recognising whether hazardous waste materials can be recycled is a critical step in safeguarding human health and our environment. In this comprehensive guide, we navigate the intricacies surrounding hazardous waste, its regulatory framework, and the potential for recycling.

From everyday items to specific hazardous chemicals, this blog encompasses a broad spectrum of topics related to hazardous waste disposal and recycling. It underscores the importance of adhering to environmental regulations and emphasises responsible waste management practices.

Which Types of Hazardous Waste Can Be Recycled?

Many different types of hazardous waste can be recycled, here are a few examples…

Electrical Waste

Electrical waste, which includes items like fridges, washing machines, TVs and other equipment containing ozone-depleting substances, poses unique challenges in recycling. These items are considered hazardous waste and can be recycled.

Under hazardous waste regulations, recycling WEEE (electrical and electronic equipment) waste requires careful handling. The process entails separating hazardous components and safely recycling the rest. Businesses handling such waste must follow the waste classification code and store waste in designated hazardous waste containers to mitigate risks.

Fluorescent Tubes

Fluorescent tubes are classified as hazardous waste due to their mercury content. These tubes are first collected and transported to a recycling facility, where they are stored in secure containers to prevent breakage.

This hazardous waste recycling process involves breaking the tubes in a controlled, enclosed environment to contain the mercury vapour. The mercury is then distilled and can be reused in new products. Other components of the tubes, like aluminium end caps and glass, are also recycled, turning potential environmental hazards into valuable resources.

Many recycling centres accept these tubes, but they must adhere to strict guidelines to prevent mercury, a substance harmful to human health, from contaminating the environment. This is a prime example of how hazardous waste, when recycled correctly, can be managed without posing an immediate risk to health or the environment.

Gas Canisters

Gas canisters, ranging from fuels to flammable and corrosive substances, are considered hazardous materials. The canisters are first depressurised safely, and any residual gas is collected for reuse or proper disposal. The canisters are then cleaned to remove any hazardous residues.

Once cleaned, the metal parts of the canisters are recycled similarly to other metals, often melted down and reformed into new metal products. Non-compliance in handling these materials can lead to severe consequences, including fines or imprisonment. Proper disposal and recycling practices are essential for these high-risk materials.

Batteries

Batteries, from household to vehicle types, are common hazardous waste. They contain harmful chemicals that pose a significant risk to soil and water if not disposed of properly. Recycling centres that store hazardous waste, like batteries, must follow environmental regulations to prevent harmful impacts.

For example, lead-acid batteries are broken down, and the lead is smelted to be reused in new batteries. On the other hand, lithium-ion batteries undergo a more complex chemical process to extract valuable materials like lithium and cobalt safely. This process minimises environmental impact and allows for the recovery of materials that can be reused in new batteries or other products.

Used Oils

Used oils, such as motor and cooking oils, are hazardous chemical waste that can severely contaminate water and soil. The used oil must be cleaned and removed of impurities before it can be recycled. This conserves resources and allows the oil to be reused over time.

Paint

Paint can be a complex form of waste, as certain types are recyclable while others are not. Oil-based paints, in particular, need specialised handling due to their flammability and chemical composition of heavy metals. Water-based paints, on the other hand, often contain mercury, which is extremely hazardous. Recycling centres dealing with paint must follow specific guidelines to ensure safe and effective recycling or disposal.

Which Types of Hazardous Waste Can’t Be Recycled?

Some hazardous wastes, like certain garden chemicals and asbestos chemicals, cannot be recycled due to their harmful nature. Asbestos can increase the risk of serious diseases like lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis. Disposing of these materials must comply with environmental legislation, and local authorities often guide proper disposal methods, including the use of consignment notes and adherence to correct procedures.

Do You Need Help Recycling Hazardous Waste?

The recycling and disposal of hazardous waste are paramount for environmental health and safety. It requires knowledge of hazardous waste regulations, the risks involved, and the proper procedures for handling different types of waste.

Hazport offers cost-effective and compliant hazardous waste solutions that help you dispose of your waste correctly. From chemical to automotive waste, we help businesses with hazardous waste management, disposal and recycling in compliance with environmental legislation. We even offer a mobile chemist service to identify, classify and pack chemical waste for your business.

Categories
Hazardous Waste

Are You Producing Hazardous Waste? Here’s What You Need to Know!

Every company produces waste, but hazardous waste is a different challenge altogether. You need to know which waste is hazardous and how to dispose of it safely and legally.

In this blog, we delve into the crucial aspects of hazardous waste management, from understanding what constitutes hazardous waste to the stringent regulations governing its disposal in the UK.

Whether you’re a small business owner or part of a larger corporation, understanding hazardous waste management is key to protecting the environment, your employees, and your business.

What Is Hazardous Waste?

Hazardous waste represents a major environmental challenge. Considering its various characteristics and categories, it is vital to recognise what qualifies as hazardous waste.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines hazardous waste as any material whose composition or properties might harm human health or the environment. These materials do not have to pose an immediate risk to be classified as hazardous waste.

Hazardous waste can include everyday items like batteries, cleaning agents, paint tins, and more specialised and harmful items like medical waste and asbestos chemicals.

What Are the Different Types of Hazardous Waste?

In the UK, hazardous waste undergoes classification into distinct categories based on its properties and origin. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

Chemical Waste

This waste type comprises substances with flammability, corrosiveness, toxicity, reactivity, or other significant risks.

Examples of chemical waste include:

  • Acids and alkalis, which can cause severe burns and damage to skin and eyes.
  • Solvents, which are potentially flammable and harmful upon inhalation, and can damage the nervous system.
  • Paints and varnishes which often contain harmful chemicals like lead and mercury.
  • Pesticides and herbicides which are toxic to humans and wildlife.

Requires special handling and disposal due to its hazardous nature.

Biological Waste

This hazardous waste type comprises materials posing infection or disease risks.

Examples of biological waste include:

  • Medical waste such as syringes, needles, and bandages.
  • Laboratory waste including cultures and tissues.
  • Animal waste from research or agriculture.

Must be treated and disposed of in a way that minimizes the risk of infection.

Radioactive Waste

This waste type comprises materials emitting ionising radiation, which is harmful to human health and the environment.

Examples of radioactive waste include:

  • Spent nuclear fuel from power plants.
  • Radioactive materials used in medical diagnosis, treatment, and industrial processes.

Specialised storage and disposal facilities are essential due to radioactivity’s long-lasting effects.

Other Hazardous Wastes

This waste type comprises diverse materials not fitting chemical, biological, or radioactive classifications but posing threats to health or the environment.

Examples of other hazardous wastes include:

  • Asbestos, which can cause severe lung diseases.
  • Electrical waste like computers and televisions which can contain hazardous components.
  • Explosives such as fireworks and ammunition.

Specific handling and disposal procedures vary depending on the waste type.

This list isn’t exhaustive, and other hazardous waste types exist beyond these categories. If you’re unsure about the hazardous nature of your waste, it’s best to err on the side of caution.

Further information is available on the Environment Agency and local council websites, or you can get in touch with our team of hazardous waste experts for guidance.

How Is Hazardous Waste Identified?

If you’re not sure if your company is producing hazardous waste, there are several steps you can take to find out. These methods ensure any hazardous waste produced is identified and disposed of properly, keeping your team and business safe.

Here are a few methods you can try to identify hazardous waste:

  • Waste classification code: These codes, often referred to as the List of Waste (LoW) or European Waste Catalogue (EWC) codes, provide a standardised way to identify the type of waste. Each code corresponds to a specific type of waste, indicating if it is hazardous.
  • Safety data sheets: Manufacturers and suppliers provide these sheets containing detailed information about the hazards associated with a substance and recommendations for its disposal.
  • Container labels: Hazardous materials are often stored in containers bearing specific labelling. The presence of orange and black danger symbols (older system) or red and white hazard pictograms indicates the nature of the hazard.
  • Laboratory testing: For uncertain cases, sending samples to a laboratory for analysis can accurately determine if the waste is hazardous.
  • Expert consultation: A waste management specialist or contractor can provide tailored advice on handling and disposing of specific types of waste.

Hazport also offers a mobile chemist service to identify, classify and pack chemical waste for you. This helps you stay on top of your hazardous waste, so you don’t have to worry about incorrectly classifying it.

What Are the Hazardous Waste Regulations?

In the UK, the disposal and management of certain types of hazardous waste are governed by stringent regulations, with serious repercussions for non-compliance, including hefty fines or imprisonment.

The regulatory framework varies slightly across different regions of the UK:

  • England and Wales: The principal legislation is the Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005, which sets out the guidelines for handling hazardous waste.
  • Scotland: The regulatory framework is defined by The Special Waste Regulations 1996, amended in 2004 to address evolving waste management needs.
  • Northern Ireland: Like England and Wales, Northern Ireland adheres to the Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005.

These regulations collectively aim to ensure that organisations responsibly manage hazardous waste, preventing harm to the environment or public health.

You need to:

  • Classification: Carry out accurate identification of waste types to ascertain their properties and associated risks.
  • Safe storage: Store hazardous waste in a secure container to prevent accidental release or contamination.
  • Authorised transportation: Collect and transport waste materials by licensed hazardous waste carriers.
  • Proper disposal: Use disposal methods that adhere to safety standards so hazardous wastes are not in the same landfill site as non-hazardous waste.
  • Traceability: Maintain records throughout the waste management process to ensure accountability and adherence to regulations.

The obligations vary depending on an entity’s role in the waste management cycle, whether as a producer, transporter, or waste disposer.

For more detailed information about the responsibilities and guidelines for each role, it’s advisable to consult the GOV UK website. This ensures that those engaged in hazardous waste management are fully informed and compliant with the legal framework.

How Do You Dispose of Hazardous Waste Safely?

Business owners are legally obligated to manage hazardous waste with the utmost care, including adhering to hazardous waste collection guidelines, storing waste properly, and ensuring it meets waste acceptance criteria before specialist disposal.

Identify Hazardous Waste

As discussed earlier, the disposal process begins with accurately identifying and labelling hazardous waste to ensure it’s handled according to its specific risks. It’s essential to store waste securely on the premises, in compliance with safety standards, to prevent leaks or contamination and further environmental damage.

Collect Hazardous Waste

When it comes to hazardous waste collection, it’s crucial to hire licensed waste carriers equipped to handle such materials safely. This phase also involves fulfilling the waste acceptance criteria, ensuring the waste is suitable for the intended disposal method.

Dispose of Hazardous Waste

The final step is specialist disposal facilities, where waste is treated or disposed of to minimise environmental impact. For example, some forms of chemical waste can be neutralised of their hazardous elements.

Recycle Hazardous Waste

Some hazardous waste includes recyclable materials, like metal and plastic. These can be recovered during the collection process before the hazardous waste is disposed of.

Throughout this process, you must adhere to legal and environmental standards to prevent harm and maintain compliance, from storing waste to its recycling and ultimate disposal. This comprehensive approach to hazardous waste management underscores the importance of each step in safeguarding the environment and public health.

What Will Happen if You Don’t Dispose of Hazardous Waste Correctly?

Improper disposal of hazardous waste can lead to severe environmental and legal consequences. Such negligence can result in widespread pollution affecting water, land, and air, leading to health issues in humans and animals and causing significant environmental damage, including biodiversity loss.

The risks extend to potential fires, explosions, and toxic fume emissions, posing immediate physical dangers and further contamination.

Legally, businesses face stringent repercussions, including prosecution, fines, and possible imprisonment, as such actions violate environmental regulations.

Financially, the costs are substantial, covering fines, compensation claims, and the expenses of cleanup operations, not to mention increased insurance premiums.

Additionally, a company’s reputation can suffer greatly, especially if incidents are publicised, leading to loss of business and long-term reputational damage.

These outcomes highlight the importance of adhering to proper hazardous waste disposal methods to avoid such detrimental impacts.

Do You Need Help Classifying or Disposing of Your Hazardous Waste?

 

Hazport focuses on providing top-tier hazardous waste disposal solutions tailored to the unique needs of diverse clients like pharmaceutical manufacturers, laboratories, and construction companies.

Hazport ensures your needs are met with proactive solutions while maintaining traceability and accountability of waste materials through a comprehensive digital database.

Contact us for help with your hazardous waste!