The University has a legal responsibility to ensure that any waste that is removed from University premises is stored, transported and disposed of without harming the environment. This is called our ‘Duty of Care’ and requires the University to ensure that:
- Waste is stored and transported appropriately and securely so it does not escape (whether through accidental means or theft);
- Waste is only transported and handled by people or businesses that are authorised to do so;
- Appropriate documentation is completed and retained for all waste removed from the University estate.
- Anyone disposing of waste should ensure that any works comply with the following requirements. Please contact the Environment and Energy Section or Health and Safety Office for further advice.
Duty of Care requires that organisations take all reasonable measures to:
- Prevent the unauthorised or harmful disposal of waste by another person (such as flytipping or disposal of hazardous chemicals down drains);
- Ensure that when waste is transferred, it is transferred only to an authorised person and is accompanied by a written description known as waste transfer note (see below for more on this, or visit the gov.uk site for more guidance).
Note that any waste produced by the University is designated as 'trade waste' and should not therefore by taken to a 'household' waste & recycling centre (e.g. Milton), these are only permitted to accept domestic waste.
Registered Waste Carrier’s License
Any contractor engaged to remove waste from University premises must be registered with the Environment Agency as a Registered Waste Carrier. The Environment Agency Public Register should be checked to obtain the licence number and expiry date. ('Waste carriers and dealers').
The University is registered as a Waste Carrier (Registration Number CBDU84932), which allows University waste to be legally transported by University vehicles to a licensed disposal or holding facility.
Non-hazardous waste
Waste transfer notes (WTNs) or a full description of the waste are required when there is movement of controlled non-hazardous waste. These need to be kept on file and accessible for 2 years.
How do I classify my waste? (Guidance from gov.uk will open in new window)
Hazardous waste
Waste transfer notes (WTNs) and a consignment note are required when there is movement of controlled non-hazardous waste. These need to be kept on file and accessible for 3 years.
What do I do if my waste is hazardous? (Guidance from gov.uk will open in new window)
Note that for Hazardous Waste, a 'Hazardous Waste Site Code' is required to be allocated to each site disposing of such wastes. See the Safety Office website for guidance on what site code to use.
Waste transfer notes
Each waste transfer note/ waste information should contain:
- Description of the waste including European Waste Catalogue (EWC) or List of Wastes (LoW) code (see below);
- Contractor information (including the address of the final destination of the waste);
- Consignee information;
- Date and signature of both parties.
Filling out a WTN - what to remember:
1. The waste transfer note/ waste information must contain enough information about the waste to enable anyone coming into contact with it to handle it safely, and either dispose of it or allow it to be recovered within the law. Failure to provide sufficient information could result in prosecution. You should never rely on waste carriers or waste management contractors to describe your waste for you on waste transfer notes. As the producer, you are in the best position to describe your waste accurately. It is not acceptable to use non-specific terms, e.g. 'general waste' or 'inert waste'.
2. Both you and the waste carrier must sign the waste transfer note before the waste leaves your site. If you transport waste yourself, you and the operator of the waste management site who you hand your waste over to must sign the waste transfer note.
3. The University is registered as a Waste Carrier (Registration Number CBDU84932), which allows University waste to be legally transported to a holding or licensed disposal facility.
4. The quantity and types of each different waste being transferred should be described on the waste transfer note, both in words and by using the appropriate codes from the European Waste Catalogue/ List of Wastes (see ‘Consolidated version of the EWC').
5. Some waste transfer notes may also require details of the University's SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) Code, which is: 85422 - 'Postgraduate level higher education'.
6. It is a legal requirement to keep copies of all waste transfer notes/ waste transfer information for at least two years. Hazardous waste documentation must be retained for 3 years.
More information and support
For further information on Duty of Care, see the Environment Agency website.
Please contact us with any questions about Duty of Care or safe and legal disposal of waste.