Waste Reduction Policy

We continually look to improve our utilisation of resources, progressively reduce impact on the environment, contain costs, and strive to ensure compliance with all applicable waste management legislation. This Policy sets out specific responsibilities for management and provides a framework for formalising work procedures.

Objectives

Goodwater is committed to continuous improvement of waste management practices and a reduction in the proportion of waste sent to landfill. Everyone should take every opportunity to minimise avoidable waste and ensure that materials no longer required are managed according to the following hierarchy of options:

• Reduce at Source – using and discarding less material, segregating wastes, and asking suppliers to take back packaging and re-usable containers.
• Re-use and Repair – passing on to others re-usable chemicals and equipment no longer required and repairing in preference to replacing equipment where appropriate.
• Recycle – separating materials for recycling – such as mixed waste, paper, cardboard, cans, printer consumables and waste electrical and electronic equipment.
• Responsibly Dispose – complying with the Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991.

Our target is to recycle a minimum of 30% of general waste. Continual improvement shall be guided by consideration of value for money and environmental benefits of options for each waste type. Account shall be taken of targets set by legislation to encourage diversion of waste from landfill.

Organisation and Management

Responsibilities and organisational arrangements for this Policy follow those defined in our Health & Safety Policy. Managers may delegate authority but remain responsible – as with Health and Safety matters.

The Engineering Manager is responsible for:

• Co-ordinating overall framework of advice and guidance to this Organisation on waste management.
• Co-ordinating negotiated waste management contracts.
• Ensuring that employees are aware that they are responsible for disposal or removal of waste they create on sites on which they work.

Each department manager is responsible for:

• Overseeing management of waste in their area of responsibility.
• Ensuring that local waste management procedures are followed in accordance with this Policy.
• Ensuring integration of waste management and Health and Safety arrangements, where appropriate.

Staff Development and Awareness Raising

The Managing Director is responsible for:

• Publishing this Policy and associated guidance and updating them to take account of new legislation, regulatory compliance, and user feedback.
• Identifying and promoting appropriate waste management training opportunities for staff.

Each department manager is responsible for:

• Ensuring that all staff are aware of importance of compliance with this Policy/guidance and of the legal and financial consequences of not complying with them.
• Identifying training needs, arranging appropriate training, and ensuring that a record is kept of all training.
• Ensuring integration of waste management training and awareness raising programmes with those in place for Health and Safety.

External Contractors

The Office Safety Supervisor and Engineering Manager are responsible for:

• Ensuring this Policy and Code of Practice on General Waste is issued to all consultants and contractors working on our behalf.
• Ensuring that contractors are advised that they are responsible for disposal of waste they create on our premises or sites on which they work on our behalf unless specific alternative arrangements have been made.

Record Keeping and Audit

The Managing Director is responsible for:

• Auditing contractors that provide waste management services to us.
• Establishing and maintaining procedures for auditing waste management systems and for collecting feedback on this Policy and associated Codes of Practice.
• Compiling and holding annual Waste Transfer Notes for centrally managed waste collections.
• Compiling waste statistics to enable progress on the implementation of this Policy to be monitored.

Each department manager is responsible for:

• Ensuring all Waste Transfer Notes and waste descriptions are completed accurately for disposals.
• Establishing and maintaining a record keeping system which enables waste to be properly tracked.

Ensuring that practices and procedures are audited at least annually and that any changes that may be required as a result of these reviews are implemented.

Policy Implementation

This Policy will be implemented via:

• Provision of Codes of Practice on General, Hazardous and Clinical Wastes to all relevant staff when they are issued or updated.
• Provision of advice and guidance to relevant staff.
• Promotion of activities that implement this Policy and promote good waste management practice.
• Working towards waste management targets set by Goodwater.

This Policy will be reviewed annually.