Waste

Strict legislation controls the disposal of chemical waste and clearly defines the Duty of Care of all waste producers regarding the identification, segregation, packaging and transport of waste. Any person or business involved in producing, storing, moving, recovering or disposing of hazardous waste must fill in the parts of the consignment note that link to their responsibilities. For further guidance, see the Duty of Care page, or read the official guidance on hazardous waste management(gov.uk guidance, opens in new window). 

Chemical Waste

Guidance on the disposal of chemical waste is contained in the University Policy on the Disposal of Chemical Waste. For any information concerning the disposal of chemical waste, please contact the Chemical Safety Team.

• View the University Policy on the Disposal of Chemical Waste (currently undergoing revision)

Guidance for Discharges to Drains and Trade Effluent Consents is available from the University Sustainability Office, or email the Sustainability Team.

Hazardous Chemical Waste and Hazardous WEEE Disposal

All hazardous chemical waste and hazardous WEEE (which is all batteries, fluorescent tubes, fridges and freezers) destined for disposal must be safely packaged (i.e., in a suitable, sound container which is clearly labelled and where appropriate, a written statement/certificate of decontamination attached to each piece of equipment). These draft labels can be adapted as appropriate by deletion or addition of GHS symbols and by completing the relevant information. Containers must be securely fastened and leak proof. The notable exception would be any asbestos-containing equipment which should be disposed of via a licenced contractor through the Asbestos Team in Estates Division.

To arrange for a collection by the University's contractor, please refer to this guidance document. You will need to fill-out a pre-acceptance form and email the completed form to UK.UoC@tradebe.com. Once your request has been processed, the University's contractor will email you to arrange a time and date for collection.

Guidance on the disposal of hazardous chemical waste including threshold concentrations is contained in the University Policy on the Disposal of Chemical Waste. Following a number of potentially serious incidents involving hazardous chemical waste this safety bulletin was issued. For any information concerning the disposal of chemical waste, please contact the Chemical Safety Team.

Keeping records

It is important to create a traceable record of dates, addresses and times when waste leaves one site and arrives at another. We need accurate details of what is in the waste and the specific risk it presents. We also need the names and contact information of the people involved at each stage of the waste’s journey.

It is a legal requirement for University departments and institutes to keep copies of waste transfer notes (produced for all waste) and consignment notes (produced for hazardous waste only) for 3 years.

You must keep copies of both the consignment notes and returns sent to you by the consignee (the recipient of the waste). This is a legal requirement and could be audited by the Sustainability Team, Safety Office, or Environment Agency at any time.