Advantages of reusing waste
What is the circular economy?
How a circular economy works to minimise use of finite resources and reduce waste and how your business can benefit.
In our current economy we take materials from the earth, make products from them, and eventually throw them away as waste.
The process is mostly one-way and it operates as though:
- there is an infinite supply of resources
- the earth has infinite capacity to deal with our waste
However this is not the case.
How a circular economy works
A circular economy is about reducing the amount of waste being produced in the first place. It is a model in which we:
- rethink and reduce our use of finite resources
- switch to renewing resources
- minimise waste
- maintain the value of products and materials for as long as possible
By designing out waste from concept to production and use, by-products and end-of-use waste can be a resource, and a valuable secondary raw material.
Becoming a circular economy requires all levels of society - government, businesses, innovators, investors, entrepreneurs and consumers - to play their part in the process and work together to minimise disruption.
How to become a circular business
A circular business maximises benefits from all its resources, while reducing negative environmental impacts from their use.
Innovation is central to achieving greater outputs through more efficient use of resources. By doing things differently businesses can create value which is essential for driving productivity and competitiveness.
Circular use of materials in your business may need new process improvements, data and analytics, emerging technology, skills and more agile thinking to increase productivity.
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Advantages of reusing waste
The benefits of reusing waste in your business or enabling another organisation to reuse it as a resource.
You may be able to reuse materials and equipment in your own business or another organisation may be able to reuse your unwanted and wasted resources.
Reusing resources can reduce the costs of buying raw materials or having to pay for disposal. You may also be able to generate income from materials and goods that are valuable to another business.
Reusing wasted resources within your business
The goods and materials you can reuse will depend on your type of business. Office-based businesses, for example, can:
- refill toner and ink-jet cartridges
- use waste paper as notepaper
- use durable cups, mugs, glasses and cutlery rather than disposable alternatives
- reuse envelopes and other packaging
- donate used equipment and furniture to charities
- use greywater recycling systems for your toilets
Manufacturing businesses, for example, may be able to reuse packaging and off-cuts, and capture waste heat generated by manufacturing processes for heating or reuse elsewhere in production.
You should speak to your staff and ask them to 'think before they throw' as someone else may want to use their waste.
Reuse by other organisations
You can offer unwanted materials to other organisations which can use them without alteration, such as:
- production by-products
- second-hand products
- end-of-line products
- obsolete equipment
Industrial symbiosis encourages resource matching between businesses - you can find out more about the advantages and disadvanges of trading waste and what resource matching is.
You could try business-to-business online waste exchanges which trade a wide range of used industrial materials and equipment. You may also be able to sell goods and materials on online auction sites.
Donating goods and materials can improve the image of your business and demonstrate your corporate social responsibility.
Whichever way you choose to deal with your wasted resources, you are responsible for making sure you comply with your duty of care for business waste.
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What is resource matching?
How matching resources between businesses can improve profitability in the local economy and benefit the environment.
Resource matching is the transferring of unwanted materials from one business or organisation to be reused, recycled, reprocessed and repackaged by another.
Agreeing to receive wasted resources can be on the basis of:
- being paid for waste
- paying nothing for its removal
- paying less than the cost for its disposal
Invest NI has a free Industrial Symbiosis Service that provides guidance and introductions on how to achieve resource matching specific to your business needs. The Industrial Symbiosis Service can introduce you to a broad range of solutions and partners including businesses, social enterprises, charities, and other third sector organisations.
Examples of successful resource matching
Wasted materials which can be successfully matched come from a variety of sources and processes. Here are some recent examples of different types of resource matching which have been successfully supported by Invest NI's Industrial Symbiosis Service:
Redundant raw materials
- Problem: unopened bags of sodium chloride that no longer met production guidelines now surplus to requirements.
- Solution: another industry sector can use that material for boiler water treatment.
- Benefits: avoided disposal costs as a chemical waste, accessed a cheaper source of new product for boiler water treatment processes.
Improving operating costs and productivity
- Problem: pulverising blades costing a manufacturer significant downtime and sharpening costs.
- Solutions: introduced to a local company that applied their design and special purpose machine skills and production capacity to produce a machine to sharpen blades on site.
- Benefits: reduced shipping and transportation costs, reduced production downtime, improved blade quality, improved product specification.
Waste packaging
- Problem: over 100 hessian sacks a week destined for landfill accumulating at a coffee roasting company.
- Solutions: used for set and stage decoration at music festivals and multi-use venues; environmentally friendly alternative for floating paths in vulnerable peaty ground in mountainous areas, beekeeping functions.
- Benefits: improved land management and conservation work, cost savings on new materials for set and stage decoration, avoided landfill disposal.
Cross-sectoral resource matching
- Problem: sole trader with niche production requirements needed to source sustainable and ethical materials to handcraft yoga bags.
- Solution: PVC truck tarpaulins destined for landfill met the product specifications including colour, texture and durability.
- Benefits: removed waste management costs, reuse of materials for new product development.
If you have a wasted resource, or a niche material need that could be fulfilled by other businesses' waste, contact the Invest NI Resource Matching service.
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How to match resources with other businesses
Find partner businesses to exchange wasted resources with and save money on waste disposal through resource matching.
Finding reuse and recycling solutions helps businesses reduce waste management producers, while helping potential users reduce raw material costs.
It also fosters the development of partnerships between businesses, and offers networking and collaborative opportunities to small firms.
A business improvement technique called resource matching or industrial symbiosis provides businesses with the opportunity to match an excess of any resource such as waste, transport, storage, skills, capacity, energy, with other businesses that could use that resource.
Invest Northern Ireland's Resource Matching service works directly with businesses of all sizes and from all sectors. Experienced industrial symbiosis practitioners provide advice, support and guidance to businesses on resource efficiency, legislation and waste management.
Resource Matching Workshops are a key element of the service and facilitate businesses in resource efficiency and industrial symbiosis.
The Resource Matching Service also partners with trade organisations and research organisations to bring innovative and specific solutions to businesses.
Resource matching activities can include:
- advisory visits to review business production from raw material input to final product and wasted resources generated
- quick win workshops
- cross-sectoral networking
- identification of potential matches between business participants
- follow-up visits with businesses to progress synergies
- referrals to other Invest NI support
Relevant businesses can receive details of available resources and activities through emails, phone calls, visits and referrals to Invest NI.
The Resource Matching service can introduce you to a broad range of solutions including social enterprises, charities, and other third sector organisations.
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Advantages and disadvantages of trading waste
Some of the benefits and drawbacks of using your waste as a potential commodity for other businesses to trade and use.
Before you get involved in a waste exchange programme you should be aware of certain key issues:
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the type of waste you produce or the type of waste you can use
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the waste exchange method and associated costs
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legal and contractual responsibilities such as terms of payment, obligations, material specifications, legal compliance and duty of care
Finding waste streams with exchange potential is becoming easier with the development of web-based exchanges. These enable you to identify potential exchange partners.
To exchange waste legally and safely you must ensure that the business to which you sell your waste is licensed to receive it. You are responsible for the waste until the exchange partner receives it, and are therefore accountable throughout the handling and transport stages.
Finding reliable exchange partners and waste carrier services is a vital part of the waste exchange process.
It is important to have an official contract between yourself and the waste exchange partner, both for those supplying waste or those collecting waste from you.
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Can I sell waste resources from my business?
How to price your waste competitively to trade successfully with exchange partners and make money for your business.
Some wasted resources can retain enough value to allow your business to put a price on them. There are a number of factors which can determine if it's worth your while.
Pricing your wasted resources depends on its nature, quantity and quality, and the demand within the market. Setting a competitive price can help you can trade successfully with a number of partners.
You need to account for the administrative and logistical activities involved in trading your waste. These may include:
- filling in paperwork
- collecting and delivering materials
- transporting and storing materials
- reprocessing materials if necessary
In some cases, where the resource can be reused without additional processing, it may be more beneficial to donate the materials rather than set a price.
It is important to keep up to date with the current value of the waste materials with which you are dealing. This will help you to offer competitive prices, and to understand the commercial value of the waste you are buying and/or selling - find the latest market value of waste materials to both collectors and buyers of recyclable materials (registration required).
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Business benefits of good environmental and sustainable practices
In this guide:
- Improve your environmental performance
- Reduce costs by improving your environmental performance
- Business benefits of good environmental and sustainable practices
- Reduce environmental risk insurance costs
- Improve employee relations with good environmental practices
- Gain marketing benefits through improving environmental performance
- Finding an environmental consultant and what they offer
- Conservation and biodiversity issues for businesses
Reduce costs by improving your environmental performance
How to save your business money by cutting energy use, reducing waste and making full use of environmental tax breaks.
Good environmental practices can improve business performance and reduce your business costs by cutting your use of raw materials, energy, water and packaging.
Improve environmental performance by using energy more efficiently
Saving energy is the easiest way for you to save money. In doing so, you can reduce the carbon footprint of your business.
Changing employee behaviour, using more efficient equipment and designing more efficient processes are all ways you can lower your bills. You may be able to take advantage of certain tax breaks too.
See our guide on how to save money by using energy more efficiently.
Improve environmental performance by using reducing your waste
Waste is the result of using materials inefficiently. Waste costs are twofold:
- you pay first for materials that you don't use
- you pay a second time to get rid of them
By using raw materials more efficiently, recycling, reducing packaging and making production processes more efficient, you can save money and help protect the environment.
See our guide on how to reduce your business waste to save money.
Improve environmental performance by using investing to save
Paying for regular inspection and maintenance of equipment may save you money in the longer term - for example by improving energy efficiency, reducing your use of raw materials or avoiding breakdowns.
There are also significant benefits to investing in technology that reduces your energy and water use. A lot of equipment costs far more to run than to buy. You could save money by spending more in the first place to buy more energy-efficient machinery and equipment.
Improve employee performance through environmental improvements
Becoming a more sustainable business can have a real impact on your staff. You may see an increase in productivity, as people often enjoy working for ethically driven companies. It could also reduce staff turnover and save on recruitment costs.
See how to improve employee relations with good environmental practices.
Get a free sustainability report
All Northern Ireland businesses with an annual energy and resource spend of more than £30k can get a free assessment of their environmental performance across areas such as raw materials, energy, carbon, packaging, biodiversity and waste - find out more about Invest NI Sustainability Reports.
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Business benefits of good environmental and sustainable practices
How going the extra mile to demonstrate your commitment to protecting the environment can boost your business.
Ensuring your business complies with environmental legislation and adopts environmental and sustainable best practice can benefit your business. Going further than your business competitors in embedding environmental responsibilty can set your business apart.
Advantages of good environmental practice
Some of the business benefits of good environmental and sustainable practices include:
- Reducing your energy use can save you money - see how to save money by using energy more efficiently.
- Reducing your use of raw materials can cut your costs, minimise your waste and lower your waste disposal bills - see how to reduce your business waste to save money.
- Reducing your water use can cut your water bills and also lower your waste water disposal costs - see how to use water efficiently - the basics.
- Recycling equipment and materials could make you money and save on disposal costs - you may be able to sell old equipment or parts to subsidise the cost of buying new ones - see how to recycle your business waste.
- Taking steps to prevent environmental damage will reduce your risk of incurring costs and of having to carry out potentially expensive remedial work in the event of an environmental incident.
Your business could also enjoy other benefits. Many government organisations and large companies will only work with businesses who take their environmental responsibilities seriously. You may also find it easier to attract investment from banks and other sources of finance.
Sustainable development can create opportunities for your business. As well as making financial savings, you can enhance your reputation and brand value by fostering customer loyalty and motivating staff. You can also use sustainable development as an opportunity to encourage innovation, increase investment and open new markets.
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Reduce environmental risk insurance costs
How your business can lower insurance premiums through effectively tackling environmental issues and minimising risks.
Being able to show that your business has sound environmental policies and procedures is essential if you want to get competitive insurance premiums.
What are environmental risks?
Some businesses have associated environmental risks - such as gradual environmental pollution, clean-up costs or product liability. These costs can be huge, eg if land has to be decontaminated.
From a business point of view, you may need insurance against such risks. See our guides on liability insurance and how to choose an insurance adviser and present your risk.
Insurers will want to assess the measures you have put in place to minimise the risks of an incident occurring. This may involve an audit of your premises to assess your approach to health, safety and the environment. A poor audit will result in increased premiums or may even prevent you from getting insurance cover.
On the other hand, if you can show that you take risk management seriously, you may be able to reduce your insurance premiums. One way to do this is to use a systematic approach to managing your environmental impacts. See our guide on environmental management systems (EMS) - the basics.
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Improve employee relations with good environmental practices
Increase your attractiveness as an employer with good environmental policies - reduce staff turnover and boost morale.
If you want to improve your environmental practices, it is essential to get the support of your employees - these are the people who will implement any changes.
Also, some good environmental practices - such as cutting carbon emissions from travel to and during work - may significantly impact your employees' lives. So you will need their understanding and approval for such fundamental changes to be a success.
How to win employee support for good environmental practice
It's important to involve employees in environmental discussions. They may have a better understanding of the risks and problems than you do, and will be well placed to offer solutions. They'll also see that you value their opinions and are taking steps to protect their interests.
Staff may also appreciate the fact that they work for an environmentally responsible business. This could reduce staff turnover and cut recruitment costs. It may even help you to attract high-calibre staff.
Find out more about staff engagement and embedding a strong direction for your business in our guide on how to create and communicate business values with integrity.
Taking steps to improve the environmental performance of your business can help you to attract and retain employees, impress investors and may attract new customers. Find out more in our guide on how to market your environmental credentials.
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Gain marketing benefits through improving environmental performance
Strong action on environmental issues can demonstrate your commitment to creating a socially-responsible business.
Your approach to the environment is an important factor in developing a good reputation for your business. Some businesses have built their success largely on a reputation for doing the right thing.
Benefits of a good environmental reputation
The advantages of a good environmental reputation include:
- helping you attract and keep customers
- making it easier to recruit new employees and improves employee motivation
- improving your relationship with suppliers
- improving your standing with your local community
- improving your relationship with your shareholders, if you have them
- increasing the chance that banks or investors will provide financial support
See the page in this guide on how to improve employee relations with good environmental practices.
Communicate your environmental performance
Your business will benefit from making customers, employees, the local community, suppliers and other stakeholders aware of your environmental commitment. Publicising measures taken to become 'greener' are becoming an essential part of marketing your business. Customers in particular might be interested in:
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how you minimise and reduce waste
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what you have done to make your business energy - and water - efficient
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the environmental credentials of your raw materials and supply chain
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what you have done to minimise the environmental impact of your products or services
Read our guide on how to market your environmental credentials.
Environmental reporting is another way to communicate this information to business stakeholders. It may even be mandatory for your business to include this information in your annual report. To find out whether you should report on your environmental impact, see our guide on how to produce environmental reports for your business.
Open up new markets
By improving your environmental performance, you may also be able to access a wide range of government-sector contracts. Many tender competitions will include minimum standards for environmental compliance at the pre-qualification stage. Find out more in our guide on how to prepare your business to tender for contracts.
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Finding an environmental consultant and what they offer
Tips for selecting an environmental adviser and what types of services an environmental consultant offers to businesses.
An environmental consultant can provide expert help and advice to your business. Environmental consultants are often used for specialist and more complex projects.
Environmental consultant services
Examples of services offered by an environmental consultant can include:
- identifying the environmental laws you need to follow - and ensuring you do so
- reviewing your business' impact on the environment and suggesting ways to improve this
- assessing your business' carbon emissions and helping you minimise them
- helping you apply for any relevant permits or licences
- carrying out a waste or energy review of your business
- giving advice on specific issues, such as pollution, resource efficiency or waste management
- helping you write environmental strategies, policies and procedures
- liaising with regulatory bodies, attending meetings and giving presentations on your behalf
- producing reports and statistics on your environmental performance and opportunities for reducing costs
- training your staff and identifying how changes to the way they work can save money and improve environmental performance
How to find an environmental consultant
If you're looking for a suitable environmental consultant it's best to get recommendations from businesses with similar needs to your own.
Alternatively, there are a number of resources you can use to help you find the right consultant:
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The ENDS Directory can be used to locate specific and specialised environmental experts across the UK. Search for environmental consultants on the ENDS Directory website.
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Edie.net provides details of suppliers providing environmental products and services. Search for environmental consultancy services on the Edie.net website.
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The Energy Institute (EI) is the leading professional body for the energy industries. Find an energy consultant on the EI website.
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United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited testing organisations can assist with analysis of environmental samples such as those suspected of containing asbestos, assessment of contaminated land, testing of waste water and effluent, or environmental noise assessments. Use the UKAS accredited testing laboratory directory search facility.
- The Association of Noise Consultants (ANC) is a representative body for the noise consultancy industry. Find a noise consultant near you.
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Conservation and biodiversity issues for businesses
Your responsibilities for conserving biodiversity around your business premises and operational activities.
Biodiversity refers to all species of plants and animals, including any genetic variations within those species, and the complex ecosystems they live in.
The world is losing biodiversity at an ever-increasing rate as a result of human activity. All types of business operating near protected areas should be aware of their responsibilities for conservation and protecting biodiversity. This doesn't just apply to land-based industries such as forestry or farming, but to all offices, factories and other business activities based on or near these areas.
Advantages of conserving biodiversity
The business benefits of conserving biodiversity include:
- a competitive advantage - businesses that can demonstrate that they are committed to environmental protection will attract and retain customers, suppliers and employees who share those values
- compliance with environmental legislation
- environmental reporting - your business will be able to report on its environmental performance and management
Protected areas include:
- Local nature reserves - places with wildlife or geological features that are of special interest locally.
- Areas of outstanding natural beauty - areas of particular natural beauty in need of conservation.
- National parks - tracts of the countryside that have been given protection for the conservation and enhancement of their special qualities.
- National nature reserves - important areas of wildlife habitat.
- Sites of special scientific interest - good examples of natural heritage of wildlife habitats, geological features and landforms.
- Special areas of conservation - strictly protected sites for habitat types and species that are considered to be most in need of conservation at a European level.
- Special protection areas - strictly protected sites classified for rare and vulnerable birds.
- Wetlands.
- UNESCO biospheres - areas of terrestrial and coastal/marine ecosystems which are internationally recognised under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere programme.
To find out whether you operate on or near a protected area, you can call the NIEA Biodiversity Helpline on Tel 028 9056 9605.
There are also a number of species that are protected. You can find a list of priority species and habitats at the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) website. For information about importing endangered species, see our guide on enforcing CITES controls.
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Disposing of invasive plants and contaminated soil off site
In this guide:
- Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed and other invasive plants
- Your legal responsibilities for invasive plants and noxious weeds
- Identifying invasive plants
- How invasive plants spread
- Handling and working with invasive plants
- Spraying invasive plants with herbicide
- Digging up invasive plants
- Cutting and burning invasive plants
- Burying invasive plant material on site
- Disposing of invasive plants and contaminated soil off site
Your legal responsibilities for invasive plants and noxious weeds
What your business needs to do if you have invasive plants or noxious weeds on your business property.
Invasive non-native plants are species that have been brought into the United Kingdom that have the ability to spread causing damage to the environment, the economy, our health and the way we live. Noxious weeds are native species, which have been deemed to cause a problem to farming productivity.
You must not plant or otherwise cause to grow in the wild any plant listed on schedule 9 of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.
Invasive plants
If you have invasive plants on land that you own or occupy, you must comply with specific legal responsibilities, including:
- spraying herbicides - see spraying invasive plants with herbicide
- burning invasive plants - see cutting and burning invasive plants
- burial of soil containing invasive plant material - see burying invasive plant material on site
- off-site waste disposal - see disposing of invasive plants and contaminated soil off-site
You do not need to notify anyone about the invasive plants on your land.
Invasive plants are listed in schedule 9 of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, as amended by section 27 schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Natural Environment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011.
Noxious weeds
Noxious weeds are those that are considered able to cause harm to agriculture. The seven species of 'noxious weed' are:
- common wild oat
- winter wild oat
- spear thistle
- creeping thistle
- broad leafed dock
- curled leafed dock
- common ragwort
If you have any noxious weeds on your land, you are responsible for controlling them. You must prevent them from spreading onto adjoining land.
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Identifying invasive plants
How to identify the most common invasive plants around your premises or land in order to find the right solution.
It is important that you can identify invasive plants on your premises. This will allow you to manage and deal with them in the most appropriate way.
Identifying invasive plants on a site early lets developers assess and cost options for destroying, disposing of and managing them.
Managing land infested by invasive plants in a timely and appropriate way can avoid:
- excessive cost
- potential prosecution and compensation claims
- physical damage to buildings and hard surfaces
- harm to the environment
Identifying Japanese knotweed
Japanese knotweed begins to grow in early spring and can grow in any type of soil, no matter how poor. It can grow as much as 20 centimetres per day, and can reach a height of 1.5 metres by May and three metres by June. It does not produce viable seeds in the United Kingdom, but instead spreads through rhizome (underground root-like stem) fragments and cut stems. Japanese knotweed:
- produces fleshy red tinged shoots when it first breaks through the ground
- has large, heart or spade-shaped green leaves
- has leaves arranged in a zig-zag pattern along the stem
- has a hollow stem, like bamboo
- can form dense clumps that can be several metres deep
- produces clusters of cream flowers towards the end of July
- dies back between September and November, leaving brown stems
Identifying giant hogweed
You should take great care when identifying giant hogweed. Contact with the plant, particularly the sap, can lead to severe blistering and scarring.
Giant hogweed closely resembles native cow parsley or hogweed. It can take four years to reach its full height of three to five metres and flower. Giant hogweed:
- has a reddish purple stem with fine spines that make it appear furry - like a stinging nettle
- has hollow stems
- has spotted leaf stalks
- has leaves up to 1.5 metres wide
- flowers in June and July
- has flower heads that are usually 50 centimetres wide - each flower head is capable of producing 50,000 seeds every year
- has seeds that can stay in the soil for several years before they develop
Identifying Himalayan balsam
Himalayan balsam is often found on river banks, growing up to two metres in height. Each plant lasts for one year and dies at the end of the growing season. Himalayan balsam:
- has reddish coloured stems
- has dark green, lance-shaped leaves with jagged edges
- flowers from June to October
- has large, brightly coloured flowers that are usually in variable shades from purple to pale pink
- can produce around 2,500 seeds per plant each year
- has explosive seed pods that can throw seeds over 6 metres away from the plant
Identifying other invasive plants
Other species of invasive plants in the UK include:
- floating pennywort
- parrot's feather
- creeping water primrose
- New Zealand pigmyweed (also known as Australian swamp stonecrop)
- curly waterweed
- nuttall's waterweed
- Canadian pondweed
- water fern (also known as fairy fern)
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How invasive plants spread
Guidance to understand specific ways in which different invasive plants can spread and multiply, and how to stop them.
To remove invasive plants from your premises or to stop them from spreading, it helps to understand how new plants grow and spread. This will help you decide what action to take.
If you employ a contractor to do the work for you, you should understand what they intend to do and why. This could help you decide what you actually need and could save you money.
How Japanese knotweed spreads
Japanese knotweed does not spread from seeds in Northern Ireland. It is spread when small pieces of the plant or rhizomes (underground root-like stems) are broken off. One piece of rhizome or plant the size of a fingernail can produce a new plant.
Pieces of plant or rhizome can be transported to a new location by:
- water - if the parent plant is close to a river or stream
- moving soil which contains them
- fly-tipping cut or pulled stems
Individual plants can cover several square metres of land, joined up below ground by an extensive rhizome network. Herbicide treatment can be a very effective way of controlling Japanese knotweed, but a lack of regrowth does not mean the underground rhizome is dead. If the soil is disturbed, knotweed often regrows.
How giant hogweed spreads
Giant hogweed produces large, umbrella-like flowers, each of which can produce up to 50,000 seeds. These seeds fall typically within four metres of the parent plant. Seeds can be transported by:
- vehicles - particularly along roads and railways
- water - if the parent plant is close to a river or stream
- footwear
- moving soil which contains them
The seeds can remain dormant in the soil for 15 years. Even if you treat the plants with herbicides and they die, several thousand seeds are waiting in the ground below for the opportunity to take their place. Any control programme needs to continue for several years, including checks for new growth. When managing giant hogweed it is important to maintain a healthy grass sward, either by using selective herbicides or by sowing grass mixes. A dense grass sward helps to prevent giant hogweed seeds from germinating.
Giant hogweed contains sap that is released when the plant is cut or by brushing against the plant. Contact with the sap causes skin to become sensitive to sunlight, resulting in painful blisters which appear up to two days after contact and may reoccur for several years.
How Himalayan balsam spreads
Himalayan balsam plants can produce around 2,500 seeds each year. The seedpods open in such a way that the seeds are thrown up to seven metres away from the parent plant, helping the species to quickly spread. Seeds can also be transported by:
- water - if the parent plant is close to a river or stream
- tracked vehicles
- footwear
- moving soil which contains them
Even if you remove these plants, or treat them with herbicides and they die, several hundred seeds can be waiting in the ground below for the opportunity to take their place. The seeds can survive for several years, so any control programme needs to continue for a couple of years, including checks for new growth.
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Handling and working with invasive plants
How to safely handle and work with invasive plants in your business, and measures to protect other people.
If you do not manage invasive plants correctly, they will spread over time and they could cause damage to structures, such as building foundations.
If you have invasive plants on your site you should put up signs, where appropriate, to warn employees and the public about the invasive species that are present.
Put up posters in offices and communal areas to explain to employees what the problems are and what they need to do. Include pictures of the invasive plants you have on your site. This is particularly important for giant hogweed, as contact with sap from the plant can lead to skin burns.
Handling Japanese knotweed
Make sure your staff can identify Japanese knotweed rhizomes (underground root-like stems). This can reduce waste costs and improve how you manage Japanese knotweed on-site.
You should minimise the amount of soil containing Japanese knotweed material that you excavate. Soil containing Japanese knotweed material that has been treated can be reused for landscaping the site, but should not be taken off-site, unless to landfill.
You have a choice of herbicides that are effective against Japanese knotweed, depending on your situation - see spraying invasive plants with herbicides.
On development sites you should fence Japanese knotweed where possible, using clear signs so that only appropriately briefed personnel enter the enclosure to deal with the infestation and resulting waste. This includes areas with waste plant material or soil contaminated with Japanese knotweed. The fence should be at least seven metres away from the plants. Put up restricted access signs around these fenced areas. You must not use tracked vehicles within the affected area, and make sure any vehicles leaving the area are pressure washed.
You must never strim areas containing Japanese knotweed. If you are going to clear areas where Japanese knotweed is present, make sure you remove all cut stems - see disposing of invasive plants and contaminated soil off-site.
Do not try to compost Japanese knotweed material - it will produce new plants. You must not put cut plant material directly onto the ground. If you must stockpile cut material, make sure it does not come into contact with soil - for example, by placing it on top of a barrier membrane - see cutting and burning invasive plants.
Keep soil containing Japanese knotweed material separate from clean soil. This will reduce the volume of soil that you need to treat and dispose of.
Handling giant hogweed
When giant hogweed sap comes into contact with skin, it reacts with sunlight and causes chemical skin burns. Giant hogweed sap becomes more toxic as the year progresses and the plant is exposed to more sunlight.
The stem and underside of the leaves have hairs like a stinging nettle. Brushing against giant hogweed can be enough to get sap on your skin.
If you have giant hogweed on your premises, you must ensure that the public and your employees are protected from the hazards of its toxic sap.
You should control giant hogweed before it seeds. You must not use a strimmer on giant hogweed. The sap from the plant may get onto your skin or into your eyes.
If you are going to get close to or handle giant hogweed, you should wear full protective clothing with gloves, a hood and a full-face visor. You should wash down your protective clothing before you take it off.
If you get sap on your skin, cover it to keep it out of the sun. Go indoors immediately and wash the sap off your skin with soap and lots of water.
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Spraying invasive plants with herbicide
How to use herbicide safely, effectively and legally to treat invasive plants on your land or around business premises.
Treating invasive plants with herbicide can be a very effective method of treatment. You will have to respray. It usually takes at least three years to treat Japanese knotweed until it is dormant. Giant hogweed seeds can continue germinating for 15 years after the last seed fall.
If the plant is in or near to water you must have agreement from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to use the herbicide. The herbicide must be approved for use in or near water.
The herbicide's effectiveness depends on the type used. An advisor certified by BASIS (the registration, standards and certification scheme for pesticides and fertilisers) will be able to advise you on the most suitable type of herbicide for your situation and when best to apply it.
Find information on pesticide and fertiliser registration, standards and certification.
Giant hogweed and Himalayan balsam both drop large quantities of seeds. A control programme will need to continue for several years, with checks carried out throughout the growing season. If you are trying to eradicate these plants from a riverbank it is important to ensure that any plants upstream are also treated to avoid seeds being washed onto the site.
Japanese knotweed has a large underground network of rhizomes (underground root-like stems). To eradicate the plant you must kill the rhizomes. Picking the right herbicide is essential, as it must travel through the plant and into the rhizome system below. Several herbicides can treat Japanese knotweed successfully - you will need to pick the right herbicide for your situation. Glyphosate is effective because it penetrates through the whole plant.
Using herbicides
The person doing the spraying must hold a certificate of technical competence for herbicide use or work under the direct supervision of a certificate holder. If you plan to spray in or near water, the person carrying out or supervising the spraying must have the appropriate aquatic part of the qualification. The sprayer must also comply with the pesticide product label and meet all of its conditions. Before you spray in or near water you must check that the product is approved for use near water. There are formulations of glyphosate and 2.4-D amine that can be used in or near water and are effective against many invasive plants.
You can get a certificate of technical competence by attending a short course at an agricultural college or similar institution.
For herbicide to be effective, make sure you use it at the correct time of year:
- Japanese knotweed is best sprayed in late summer from flowering onwards.
- Giant hogweed should be sprayed in April or May, before the plants flower.
- Himalayan balsam should be sprayed in spring before flowering, but strimming or hand pulling should be your preferred option for control of this plant.
You must follow the guidance in the statutory code of practice for plant protection products. If you follow its advice you should stay within the law.
Download guidance on the safe use of pesticides for non-agricultural purposes (PDF, 137K).
If the invasive plants are near a watercourse, you should not use herbicides as the first option. If you are planning to use herbicide in or near to a watercourse, you must consult the NIEA.
You must also carry out a Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) assessment for any activities that involve herbicides.
Dispose of waste herbicides correctly
You must make sure that all your waste is stored, transported and disposed of safely. Waste herbicides are likely to be classed as hazardous waste. You must keep this separate from other waste.
Herbicide containers must either be rinsed or handled as herbicides. Check product labels to see if your waste containers should be rinsed. Water used for rinsing empty containers is classed as dilute pesticides or biocides. You may need a groundwater authorisation, registered waste exemption or trade effluent consent to dispose of this - see pesticides and biocides.
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Digging up invasive plants
How to effectively and legally remove different types of invasive plants by digging them up and good practice tips.
Clearing the leaves and stems of Japanese knotweed or giant hogweed that are above ground and then removing soil contaminated with roots, rhizomes (underground root-like stems) and seeds can provide faster results than just spraying with herbicide.
Try to minimise the amount of waste you generate that contains invasive plants, or their seeds and rhizomes. Any waste you do produce should be treated on site where possible.
Any waste that is taken off site must be taken by a licensed waste carrier and must go to a suitably authorised landfill site.
Plant material can be buried deep on the site where it is produced, as long as it does not interfere with the water table - see burying invasive plant material on site.
You should not remove soil from river banks, as this can cause water pollution. If you are planning to carry out work near a river you should contact the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).
If your site floods, the seeds will be spread further across the site, so you will need to manage a larger area.
Digging up giant hogweed
To clear ground contaminated with giant hogweed, you may need to remove soil up to four metres away from the plants and to a depth of 0.5 metres. You will need to check for regrowth regularly. You should spray regrowth with the herbicide glyphosate before the plants flower.
Digging up Japanese knotweed
The rhizome system beneath a stand of Japanese knotweed can be over four metres deep and could extend for at least seven metres around the stand. If you are going to dig out the rhizome system you will need to remove all of the plant material. You should use the rhizome identification guide in the knotweed code of practice, or ask a specialist, to help you identify the plant material.
You will need to check any cleared areas regularly for regrowth. You can spray any regrowth with herbicide.
Digging up Himalayan balsam
To clear ground contaminated with Himalayan balsam, you may need to remove soil up to six metres from the parent plant and to a depth of 0.5 metres. You should not remove soil while the seed pods are present. You will need to check for regrowth regularly. You should pull by hand or strim regrowth before the plants flower.
However, as seeds remain viable in the soil for several years, annual cutting, mowing or grazing or annual herbicide treatment during the spring growing season can be an effective control for this plant. You must also carry out follow up checks for late germinating seeds.
What you must do when digging up invasive plants
Never stockpile contaminated soil or plant material within ten metres of a watercourse, and it should not be stockpiled within seven metres of your site boundary.
Collect any water you use for cleaning vehicles that are used in contaminated areas. If it is contaminated with seeds or plant material, you must not discharge it to a watercourse. You could treat the water by passing it through a settlement tank to remove any soil before passing it through a very fine mesh sieve to remove seeds or plant material. Settlement alone may not be adequate because seeds and plant material float.
You may be able to deposit material sieved from water used for vehicle washing in a controlled area on your land and monitor it for regrowth. You should speak to the NIEA to determine your best option.
See preventing water pollution and discharging trade effluent.
Good practice tips when digging up invasive plants
- You should clearly mark out any areas of your land that contain invasive plants. Fence them off until you intend to clear them. Put the fence at least seven metres away from the plants to contain any contaminated soil or roots.
- When you clear contaminated areas, take care to ensure contaminated soil, seeds and plant material are not spread to unaffected areas.
- Limit the use of tracked machinery where possible. Seeds and plant material can get caught in the tracks and moved around the area.
- If you are developing your land, consider creating a haul road using a strong geotextile overlain with hardcore as a base for vehicles to travel on.
- Cover all lorries, dumpers or haulage vehicles carrying contaminated soil or plant material.
- Thoroughly clean tracked machinery when it leaves contaminated areas of the site. Do this within a designated area that is as close as possible to the contaminated area on which the machinery has been working. Always carry out a visual inspection of wheel arches and tracks before the vehicle leaves the site.
- Look out for regrowth by roads and areas where vehicles have been parked or cleaned. Spray any regrowth with herbicide if required.
- If you are working between November and March in an area where invasive plants are known to be present, look for dead canes from the previous year to identify infected areas. Even if there is no growth evident above ground, seeds from giant hogweed and Himalayan balsam, and Japanese knotweed rhizome will still be present. Try to inspect a development site for evidence of invasive species before it is cleared.
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Cutting and burning invasive plants
How to safely and legally cut down and burn invasive plants to control and remove them in your business.
Cutting down or digging up invasive plants and burning the waste plant material can be a useful, low-tech means of control. It can reduce the volume of waste that you need to dispose of off site.
Cutting invasive plants
Cutting Japanese knotweed will, over time, weaken the plant, but it will not kill the rhizomes (underground root-like stems). It can be used as part of other control practices. You must handle and dispose of cut plant material carefully. Burning alone may not be sufficient to kill the plant material. You should place burnt material on top of a membrane and monitor it for regrowth. You must not use a strimmer on Japanese knotweed.
Cutting giant hogweed before the plants flower will help to prevent further seeds being deposited on the ground. This is an effective way of removing these species but it can take many years. You must not use a strimmer on giant hogweed. You must avoid contact with giant hogweed, particularly its sap, as it can cause chemical skin burns. You should wear full protective clothing when working near it or handling it.
Pulling up Himalayan balsam before the plants flower is the most effective method of control. Do not cut the plants before they flower as this can result in a more bushy plant that produces more flowers. The best time to cut is late May. Cut the plant below the first nodule.
Burning invasive plants
If you burn waste in the open, you may require a waste management licence or exemption.
You may qualify for a paragraph 30 exemption to burn certain waste plant tissue and untreated wood if you:
- burn the waste at the place where it was produced
- burn no more than 10 tonnes in a 24-hour period
If you have an exemption, you must comply with the exemption conditions and register this exemption with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).
You must also ensure that your activity does not:
- endanger human health or cause pollution to water, air or soil
- constitute a risk to plants or animals
- cause a nuisance, eg in terms of noise or odour
- adversely affect the countryside or places of special interest
You must notify the NIEA at least a week before you intend burning plant material. You should also notify your district council environmental health officer before you begin burning plant material.
If you burn waste in an incinerator or other similar plant, you may need a pollution prevention and control permit - see burning waste.
Good practice for burning invasive plants
Burning plant material should only give rise to white smoke.
Tell the local fire brigade before you begin burning and again when you finish, so that they are not called out unnecessarily.
You can leave cut stems to dry out in the sun rather than burning them. Make sure you place cut Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam material on a membrane and not in direct contact with the ground.
Giant hogweed sap remains toxic after the plant has been cut down. Do not leave cut stems where they could harm people or livestock.
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Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed and other invasive plants
Burying invasive plant material on site
Environmental guidance on legally and safely burying invasive plant material and soil containing invasive plants.
Taking plant material and soil containing plant material away for disposal off-site uses valuable landfill capacity and increases the likelihood of the spread of invasive plants. Another option is to bury this soil and plant material on your own land because, without sunlight, plants cannot survive and seeds will not germinate.
However, this material will need to remain buried for several years to ensure that it will not grow again. Giant hogweed seeds can be viable for up to 15 years and Japanese knotweed rhizome (underground root-like stems) is believed to survive for 20 years.
What you must do
Soil and plant material containing Japanese knotweed may need to be buried five metres below ground level. You should place a barrier membrane on top of the material and fill the hole with clean soil. Alternatively, the knotweed code of practice describes how you can bury it less deeply.
Soil containing Himalayan balsam and giant hogweed seeds should be buried at least one metre below ground level.
You must not bury anything other than plant material and soil containing invasive plants that have originated on site.
You must make sure that deep burial does not interfere with the groundwater level.
Buried soil and plant material that have been treated with a herbicide that does not break down in the environment could cause groundwater pollution. If you intend to bury treated material, you should treat it with glyphosate herbicide only. Check with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).
Herbicides that do not break down in the environment are described as persistent. Those that do break down are described as biodegradable or non-persistent. The herbicide packaging or safety data sheet will state whether it is persistent or non-persistent.
Soil contaminated with some persistent herbicides will be classed as hazardous and so will need to be disposed of as hazardous waste - see dealing with hazardous waste.
You must follow the guidelines for spraying plants with herbicide and digging up plants - see spraying invasive plants with herbicide and digging up invasive plants.
Good practice for burying invasive plants
You should bury the material in an area where it is not likely to be disturbed. You should keep records of the quantity of material that you have buried and a map showing the location of the burial pit and its depth. Use signs to mark the burial pit and keep heavy-tracked machinery off the area.
You should not bury materials deeply within seven metres of an adjacent landowner's site.
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Disposing of invasive plants and contaminated soil off site
How your business can legally and safely dispose of invasive plants and contaminated soil at a waste site.
You should try to minimise the amount of waste you generate that contains invasive plants or their seeds, roots and rhizomes (underground root-like stems). Any waste you do produce should be treated on site where possible.
Any waste taken off site must be taken by a licensed waste carrier and go to a suitably authorised landfill site.
What you must do
When you transport invasive plants and soil contaminated with invasive plants, make sure that the vehicle is covered or sheeted so that seeds and plant material cannot blow away. If you allow contaminated soil or plant material to escape, you could be prosecuted and fined.
You must have waste transfer notes (WTNs) for any material leaving your site. You must list any material that contains invasive plants or their seeds on the WTN. Your waste carrier can only take the waste containing invasive weeds to sites authorised to accept it. Plant material, or soil containing plant material or seeds, is likely to be classed as non-hazardous waste - this is a different category from inert waste.
There is a duty of care for waste that affects all businesses. You must make sure that:
- your waste is stored, handled, recycled or disposed of safely and legally by licensed individuals or businesses
- you record all transfers of waste between your business and another business - using a WTN
- you keep all WTNs, signed by both businesses, for at least two years
- you record any transfer of hazardous waste between your business and another business using a consignment note
- you keep all consignment notes, signed by both businesses, for at least three years
You must take waste plant material or contaminated soil to a site that has a pollution prevention and control permit or waste management licence.
The conditions of the permit or licence must allow the disposal of invasive plants at the site. You should check with the waste site in advance to make sure they can accept material containing invasive plants.
The waste site may need notice so that an area can be prepared. For example, a landfill site will need an area away from the landfill liner for material containing invasive plants.
Tax relief for disposing of soil containing Japanese knotweed
Land remediation relief (LRR) is a corporation tax relief scheme introduced to help bring land that has been ruined by various industrial uses or long-term neglect back into productive use. You may be able to claim LRR for removing contamination arising from Japanese knotweed. You will not be able to claim LRR if disposing of material containing Japanese knotweed to landfill - find guidance on land remediation relief.
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Swales in sustainable drainage systems
In this guide:
- Sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) for business
- What are sustainable drainage systems?
- Sustainable drainage systems best practice
- Green roofs in sustainable drainage systems
- Filter strips and filter drains in sustainable drainage systems
- Permeable paving in sustainable drainage systems
- Swales in sustainable drainage systems
- Detention basins, ponds and wetlands in sustainable drainage systems
What are sustainable drainage systems?
The different types of sustainable drainage systems and how SUDS can be used to manage drainage around your business.
Sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) are a natural approach to managing drainage in and around properties and other developments.
SUDS work by slowing and holding back the water that runs off from a site, allowing natural processes to break down pollutants.
Types of sustainable drainage systems
- Source control measures deal with run-off at, or close to, the surface where rainfall lands.
- Site control measures manage the surface water run-off from larger areas, such as part of a housing estate, major roads or business parks. The run-off from larger areas can be channelled to a site control measure using swales (shallow drainage channels) or filter drains.
- Regional control measures downstream of source and site controls deal with the gathered run-off from a large area. These systems use the same principles as smaller scale SUDS, but can cope with larger volumes of water. Rainwater that passes through small SUDS can feed into larger SUDS which deal with the gathered run-off from a wide area. It is best to connect the flows between SUDS components with swales, filter drains or ditches and avoid the use of pipes.
Benefits of sustainable drainage systems
The benefits of SUDS include:
- preventing water pollution
- slowing down surface water run-off and reducing the risk of flooding
- reducing the risk of sewer flooding during heavy rain
- recharging groundwater to help prevent drought
- providing valuable habitats for wildlife in urban areas
- creating green spaces for people in urban areas
Sustainable drainage system techniques
You can use the following SUDS techniques:
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Sustainable drainage systems best practice
Legal requirements and good practice relating to planning, design and installation of sustainable drainage systems.
You can use sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) to treat lightly polluted water that runs off from your site, reducing the impact on the environment.
Sustainable drainage systems responsibilities
You must not use SUDS to treat sewage, heavily contaminated run-off or trade effluent. If you cause or allow surface water or groundwater pollution you may be committing an offence and may be prosecuted and fined or imprisoned.
You must consult with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency or Northern Ireland Water before discharging any run-off from your site to public sewers, surface waters or groundwater. If you discharge any run-off without consent or appropriate authorisation you may be prosecuted.
You may have to include plans for SUDS when you apply for planning permission for new developments. It is good practice to include the use of SUDS in all development plans.
If you discharge surface water run-off from a construction site, you must use suitable SUDS techniques.
Sustainable drainage systems good practice
Run-off from hard paving is likely to be contaminated by oil, organic material or toxic metals. Where there is a high risk of contamination by oil, you may need to install an appropriate oil separator in the drainage system (PDF, 79KB).
Where possible, you should design SUDS to increase biodiversity and provide habitats for wildlife in the area they drain.
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Green roofs in sustainable drainage systems
How you can use a green roof as a sustainable drainage system to prevent pollution and flooding from your business.
Green roofs are an example of source control. Source control measures deal with run-off at, or close to, the surface where rainfall lands. You may need to use additional sustainable drainage system (SUDS) components to control any overflow.
Advantages of green roofs
Green roofs have a layer of vegetation or patches of vegetation as part of the roof cover and can:
- reduce or eliminate run-off from roof areas
- extend the life of your roof
- add insulation to your building during the winter months
- cool your building during the summer by evaporation
- provide sound insulation
- reduce the heat island effect in cities
- provide a habitat for wildlife
You can use a variety of green roofs, including:
- intensive systems - deep soil capable of growing shrubs and even trees
- extensive systems - thin layer of vegetation, such as sedum mats
Disadvantages of green roofs
Green roofs add weight so you should consider them at the construction stage of a new build. For an existing building, an extensive system is recommended as it adds less weight, but you should always consult an engineer to make sure that the structure is safe.
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Filter strips and filter drains in sustainable drainage systems
How you can use filter strips and filter drains as a drainage system to prevent pollution and flooding in your business.
Filter strips are strips of ground where water running off a site can pass, allowing some or all of it to soak away. The rest often enters a swale - shallow drainage channel - or another sustainable drainage system (SUDS) component. This strip of ground can also be used to filter grit and other particles from the run-off.
Filter drains or filter trenches can be used beside roads and other impermeable surfaces, but should be avoided at busy road junctions or where rainwater can become heavily contaminated. Filter drains allow the run-off to soak away into the surrounding soil. Filter drains are filled with stones or gravel. This stone fill collects particles and helps to prevent pollutants from entering groundwater. You can use a filter strip or swale to reduce the level of pollutants entering the filter drain.
You can use filter drains for source control and to convey run-off between SUDS measures.
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Permeable paving in sustainable drainage systems
How you can use permeable paving as a sustainable drainable system to prevent pollution and flooding from your business.
You can use permeable or porous paving as a source control measure for small roads, pavements, car parks and yards. Source control measures are sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) that deal with run-off at, or close to, the surface where rainfall lands.
Rain passes through the surface, either through gaps between individual blocks or permeable material such as gravel or porous asphalt, trapping pollutants below. Once there, many pollutants are broken down by natural processes.
By using permeable paving you can also prevent water pooling on impermeable surfaces, avoiding puddles and ice on car parks.
Download a diagram of how permeable paving works (PDF, 58K).
Large amounts of water can be stored temporarily under the surface. This reduces the chances of flooding.
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Swales in sustainable drainage systems
How you can use shallow drainage channels on your business premises to prevent pollution and flooding.
A swale is a shallow drainage channel with gentle side slopes in the ground where water running off a site can collect and soak away.
Swales can be used to channel run-off from roads, yards and car parks where it collects into pools before soaking away. You can also use swales to carry water through a site.
Swales can run alongside roads so that run-off from the road surface can drain directly to the swale. You can also use them in the treatment of lightly contaminated run-off from hard standing around farmyards and farm roads.
When building a swale, you can include check dams to slow the flow of water. This allows the sediment to settle out. You can also use swales to carry water between sustainable drainage system (SUDS) features instead of using pipes. This can reduce the cost of construction and maintenance.
Swales can be used for linking SUDS dealing with run-off from individual sites and SUDS that manage the run-off from large areas.
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Detention basins, ponds and wetlands in sustainable drainage systems
How you can use detention basins, ponds and wetlands as sustainable drainage systems to prevent pollution and flooding.
Where rainfall lands on a surface, you can use source control sustainable drainage system (SUDS) techniques to control run-off at, or close to, the source. This includes permeable or porous surfaces such as permeable paving, swales and filter strips.
To deal with heavy or persistent rain which produces more run-off, you can use site control SUDS, which are downstream of source controls, to manage the surface water run-off from larger areas, such as:
- parts of housing estates
- major roads
- business parks
Detention basins
You can use detention basins to store run-off from large areas. Water usually runs into these from conventional drainage systems or from upstream SUDS.
Detention basins let run-off spread across a wide floor area and only fill after heavy rainfall, when they will hold large volumes of water. This lets pollutants settle out before the water soaks away or discharges slowly downstream.
Ponds and wetlands
If you want to store water for longer, you can use ponds instead of detention basins. This allows natural processes, using bacteria and sunlight, to break down pollutants before the water eventually flows into downstream watercourses. Ponds can also be a welcome addition to urban areas, encouraging plants and wildlife.
You should never use existing ponds or wetlands to treat run-off. Always create new ponds to avoid damaging or disturbing the wildlife that is already in the area.
You can also connect a number of ponds, or include wetland areas in tackling run-off from large areas. Wetlands contain a larger amount of vegetation and are more suitable for treating contaminated run-off. Newly created ponds and wetland areas are ideal for treating lightly contaminated water from farmyards and farm roads.
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Detention basins, ponds and wetlands in sustainable drainage systems
In this guide:
- Sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) for business
- What are sustainable drainage systems?
- Sustainable drainage systems best practice
- Green roofs in sustainable drainage systems
- Filter strips and filter drains in sustainable drainage systems
- Permeable paving in sustainable drainage systems
- Swales in sustainable drainage systems
- Detention basins, ponds and wetlands in sustainable drainage systems
What are sustainable drainage systems?
The different types of sustainable drainage systems and how SUDS can be used to manage drainage around your business.
Sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) are a natural approach to managing drainage in and around properties and other developments.
SUDS work by slowing and holding back the water that runs off from a site, allowing natural processes to break down pollutants.
Types of sustainable drainage systems
- Source control measures deal with run-off at, or close to, the surface where rainfall lands.
- Site control measures manage the surface water run-off from larger areas, such as part of a housing estate, major roads or business parks. The run-off from larger areas can be channelled to a site control measure using swales (shallow drainage channels) or filter drains.
- Regional control measures downstream of source and site controls deal with the gathered run-off from a large area. These systems use the same principles as smaller scale SUDS, but can cope with larger volumes of water. Rainwater that passes through small SUDS can feed into larger SUDS which deal with the gathered run-off from a wide area. It is best to connect the flows between SUDS components with swales, filter drains or ditches and avoid the use of pipes.
Benefits of sustainable drainage systems
The benefits of SUDS include:
- preventing water pollution
- slowing down surface water run-off and reducing the risk of flooding
- reducing the risk of sewer flooding during heavy rain
- recharging groundwater to help prevent drought
- providing valuable habitats for wildlife in urban areas
- creating green spaces for people in urban areas
Sustainable drainage system techniques
You can use the following SUDS techniques:
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Source URL
/content/what-are-sustainable-drainage-systems
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Sustainable drainage systems best practice
Legal requirements and good practice relating to planning, design and installation of sustainable drainage systems.
You can use sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) to treat lightly polluted water that runs off from your site, reducing the impact on the environment.
Sustainable drainage systems responsibilities
You must not use SUDS to treat sewage, heavily contaminated run-off or trade effluent. If you cause or allow surface water or groundwater pollution you may be committing an offence and may be prosecuted and fined or imprisoned.
You must consult with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency or Northern Ireland Water before discharging any run-off from your site to public sewers, surface waters or groundwater. If you discharge any run-off without consent or appropriate authorisation you may be prosecuted.
You may have to include plans for SUDS when you apply for planning permission for new developments. It is good practice to include the use of SUDS in all development plans.
If you discharge surface water run-off from a construction site, you must use suitable SUDS techniques.
Sustainable drainage systems good practice
Run-off from hard paving is likely to be contaminated by oil, organic material or toxic metals. Where there is a high risk of contamination by oil, you may need to install an appropriate oil separator in the drainage system (PDF, 79KB).
Where possible, you should design SUDS to increase biodiversity and provide habitats for wildlife in the area they drain.
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Source URL
/content/sustainable-drainage-systems-best-practice
Links
Green roofs in sustainable drainage systems
How you can use a green roof as a sustainable drainage system to prevent pollution and flooding from your business.
Green roofs are an example of source control. Source control measures deal with run-off at, or close to, the surface where rainfall lands. You may need to use additional sustainable drainage system (SUDS) components to control any overflow.
Advantages of green roofs
Green roofs have a layer of vegetation or patches of vegetation as part of the roof cover and can:
- reduce or eliminate run-off from roof areas
- extend the life of your roof
- add insulation to your building during the winter months
- cool your building during the summer by evaporation
- provide sound insulation
- reduce the heat island effect in cities
- provide a habitat for wildlife
You can use a variety of green roofs, including:
- intensive systems - deep soil capable of growing shrubs and even trees
- extensive systems - thin layer of vegetation, such as sedum mats
Disadvantages of green roofs
Green roofs add weight so you should consider them at the construction stage of a new build. For an existing building, an extensive system is recommended as it adds less weight, but you should always consult an engineer to make sure that the structure is safe.
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Filter strips and filter drains in sustainable drainage systems
How you can use filter strips and filter drains as a drainage system to prevent pollution and flooding in your business.
Filter strips are strips of ground where water running off a site can pass, allowing some or all of it to soak away. The rest often enters a swale - shallow drainage channel - or another sustainable drainage system (SUDS) component. This strip of ground can also be used to filter grit and other particles from the run-off.
Filter drains or filter trenches can be used beside roads and other impermeable surfaces, but should be avoided at busy road junctions or where rainwater can become heavily contaminated. Filter drains allow the run-off to soak away into the surrounding soil. Filter drains are filled with stones or gravel. This stone fill collects particles and helps to prevent pollutants from entering groundwater. You can use a filter strip or swale to reduce the level of pollutants entering the filter drain.
You can use filter drains for source control and to convey run-off between SUDS measures.
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Permeable paving in sustainable drainage systems
How you can use permeable paving as a sustainable drainable system to prevent pollution and flooding from your business.
You can use permeable or porous paving as a source control measure for small roads, pavements, car parks and yards. Source control measures are sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) that deal with run-off at, or close to, the surface where rainfall lands.
Rain passes through the surface, either through gaps between individual blocks or permeable material such as gravel or porous asphalt, trapping pollutants below. Once there, many pollutants are broken down by natural processes.
By using permeable paving you can also prevent water pooling on impermeable surfaces, avoiding puddles and ice on car parks.
Download a diagram of how permeable paving works (PDF, 58K).
Large amounts of water can be stored temporarily under the surface. This reduces the chances of flooding.
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Swales in sustainable drainage systems
How you can use shallow drainage channels on your business premises to prevent pollution and flooding.
A swale is a shallow drainage channel with gentle side slopes in the ground where water running off a site can collect and soak away.
Swales can be used to channel run-off from roads, yards and car parks where it collects into pools before soaking away. You can also use swales to carry water through a site.
Swales can run alongside roads so that run-off from the road surface can drain directly to the swale. You can also use them in the treatment of lightly contaminated run-off from hard standing around farmyards and farm roads.
When building a swale, you can include check dams to slow the flow of water. This allows the sediment to settle out. You can also use swales to carry water between sustainable drainage system (SUDS) features instead of using pipes. This can reduce the cost of construction and maintenance.
Swales can be used for linking SUDS dealing with run-off from individual sites and SUDS that manage the run-off from large areas.
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Detention basins, ponds and wetlands in sustainable drainage systems
How you can use detention basins, ponds and wetlands as sustainable drainage systems to prevent pollution and flooding.
Where rainfall lands on a surface, you can use source control sustainable drainage system (SUDS) techniques to control run-off at, or close to, the source. This includes permeable or porous surfaces such as permeable paving, swales and filter strips.
To deal with heavy or persistent rain which produces more run-off, you can use site control SUDS, which are downstream of source controls, to manage the surface water run-off from larger areas, such as:
- parts of housing estates
- major roads
- business parks
Detention basins
You can use detention basins to store run-off from large areas. Water usually runs into these from conventional drainage systems or from upstream SUDS.
Detention basins let run-off spread across a wide floor area and only fill after heavy rainfall, when they will hold large volumes of water. This lets pollutants settle out before the water soaks away or discharges slowly downstream.
Ponds and wetlands
If you want to store water for longer, you can use ponds instead of detention basins. This allows natural processes, using bacteria and sunlight, to break down pollutants before the water eventually flows into downstream watercourses. Ponds can also be a welcome addition to urban areas, encouraging plants and wildlife.
You should never use existing ponds or wetlands to treat run-off. Always create new ponds to avoid damaging or disturbing the wildlife that is already in the area.
You can also connect a number of ponds, or include wetland areas in tackling run-off from large areas. Wetlands contain a larger amount of vegetation and are more suitable for treating contaminated run-off. Newly created ponds and wetland areas are ideal for treating lightly contaminated water from farmyards and farm roads.
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Recycled wood as a resource
In this guide:
- How to use recycled materials and products
- Recycled plastics as a resource
- Recycled glass as a resource
- Recycled and secondary aggregates as a resource
- Recycled paper as a resource
- Recycled organics as a resource
- Recycled wood as a resource
- Recycled plasterboard as a resource
- Recycled tyres as a resource
Recycled plastics as a resource
How your business can use recycled plastics, what the benefits are, the quality standards and where to source it.
As recycling targets rise, recycled plastics are becoming increasingly available.
How to use recycled plastics in your business
You can use recycled plastic in just as many ways as prime or virgin plastic, including in:
- Packaging - recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) can be used in primary packaging by retailers and branded manufacturers for bottles and trays. However, it must be approved for use with food .
- Construction products - eg damp proof membrane, drainage pipes, ducting and flooring, scaffolding boards and kerbstones.
- Landscaping - walkways, jetties, pontoons, bridges, fences and signs can be made from recycled plastic due to its durability, low maintenance and resistance to vandalism and rot.
- Textile fibre and clothing - polyester fleece clothing and polyester filling for duvets can be made from recycled PET bottles (eg soft drink and water bottles).
- Street equipment - furniture, seating, bins, signs and planters can be made from plastic. These can be cheap to produce and are resistant to vandalism.
- Bin liners and refuse sacks - plastic film can be made into new film products such as bin liners, carrier bags and refuse sacks.
- Other uses - eg traffic management products, automotive products, stationery and industrial strapping.
Advantages of using recycled plastics
There are many benefits of using recycled plastics, both for your business and the environment. These include:
- lowering the cost of materials
- marketing and PR opportunities associated with reducing your environmental impact
- making your business ready to comply with future legal measures, such as packaging taxation
- reducing your dependency on commodity plastic pricing
The environmental benefits of using recycled plastic include reducing the:
- volume of waste going to landfill
- amount of oil used for plastic production
- amount of energy consumed
- CO2 emissions associated with the product
Standards and quality protocols for recycled plastics
You should look for recycled plastics that have been produced to the requirements of recognised standards and quality protocols. These will help you to ensure you are buying good quality materials.
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Recycled glass as a resource
How your business can use recycled glass, what the benefits are, the quality standards and where to source it.
Glass can be recycled repeatedly, so it offers good opportunities for use as a recycled material.
How to use recycled glass in your business
- container manufacturing - remelting glass to make new glass products (for clear, green or amber glass) is highly efficient with no loss of quality or physical properties - remelting the glass offers the best environmental benefits for recycling glass
- insulation - recycled glass can be used in fibreglass insulation in buildings, and mixed colour container glass or flat glass cullet can be used - again there are significant environmental benefits
- brick manufacturing - powdered glass can be used as a 'fluxing agent' in brick and tile manufacturing
- water filtration - recycled glass filter methods can be used to filter drinking water, waste water and swimming pool water outperforming traditional sand filters
- grit blasting - glass grit (recycled glass particles) can be used as a non-toxic alternative to traditional grit blast abrasives, which are used to prepare surfaces before they are painted or repaired
- concrete and cement - recycled glass can be used as a natural sand replacement in cement and concrete-based products
- sports turfs - processed sand (recycled glass) can be used in golf bunkers and top dressing for sports fields as an alternative to sand
- unbound aggregate - crushed glass is suitable for use in applications requiring volumes of unbound aggregate, such as road construction
Advantages of using recycled glass
There are many benefits of using recycled glass, both for your business and the environment. Recycling glass can benefit your business by:
- reducing the cost of materials
- improving the reputation of your business and increasing brand loyalty - demonstrating to your customers, consumers and investors that you have a real commitment to corporate social responsibility and the environment
Using recycled glass instead of newly produced glass does not reduce the performance, physical properties, storage stability or visual appeal of the product.
Environmental benefits of using recycled glass include reducing:
- the volume of waste sent to landfill
- CO2 emissions
- the energy and natural resources required to make new glass
Standards and quality protocols for recycled glass
If you intend to use recycled glass products in your business, it should conform to certain standards. These standards can also help you identify good quality recycled products.
Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 101 provides guidance for businesses collecting and delivering recovered container glass or 'cullet'. PAS 101 contains a four-tier grading system.
PAS 102 provides guidance for businesses producing processed glass as a granular media for manufacturing, sports and water filtration applications.
WRAP and the Environment Agency have produced a quality protocol for flat glass to set out approved standards for recycled flat glass - download the quality protocol for flat glass (PDF, 204K).
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Recycled and secondary aggregates as a resource
How your business can use recycled and secondary aggregates, the quality standards and where to source them.
Recycled aggregates come from reprocessing materials that have previously been used in construction including recycled concrete from construction and demolition waste material. Secondary aggregates are by-products of other industrial processes that have not previously been used in construction.
How to use recycled aggregates in your business
You can use recycled and secondary aggregates (RSA) in many different applications including in:
- bituminous (asphalt) road construction
- ground improvements
- earthworks - cuttings and embankments
- utilities reinstatement
- shallow and deep foundations
- buildings - residential and industrial
- geosystems - composite systems that work in the ground, such as for retaining walls and landfill applications
Construction materials which use RSA include:
- concrete - coarse and fine aggregates mixed with cement and water
- bituminous - coarse aggregate mixed with fine aggregate filler
- hydraulically bound - aggregates which set and harden when added to a binder material and water
- unbound materials - materials ranging in size from fine grains to stony material
Advantages of using recycled and secondary aggregates
There are many benefits of using RSA, for your business, the environment and the local community. Business benefits of using RSA include:
- cost savings over new (virgin) aggregates
- reducing the costs of transporting aggregates if recovered materials are available locally
- lowering your costs and shortening the timescales associated with some construction techniques, eg 'crack and seat' in road maintenance
Using locally sourced RSA can also have environmental and social benefits, including:
- conserving natural resources by reducing (or eliminating altogether) the demand for virgin materials
- reducing energy consumption, transport emissions and disposal of waste to landfill
- creating educational opportunities
Quality protocols for recycled and secondary aggregates
The quality protocol for the production of aggregates from inert waste sets out quality standards for when aggregates have been fully recovered, ceased to be a waste and become a product.
Download the end of waste criteria for the production of aggregates from inert waste (PDF, 297K).
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Recycled paper as a resource
How your business can use recycled paper, what the benefits are, the quality standards and where to source it.
The market for recycled paper is increasing as businesses come to realise the benefits.
How to use recycled paper in your business
There are many potential applications for paper with high recycled content, including:
- magazine publishing and printing industries - only a small fraction of the 1 million tonnes of paper used each year for magazine publishing contains recycled content
- newsprint
- tissue
- corrugated flutings
- packaging
Advantages of using recycled paper
Using recycled paper has several benefits both for your business and the environment because it:
- reduces the need for raw virgin pulp
- is equal in quality to paper from virgin forest sources
- is readily available
- demonstrates your business is committed to sustainable procurement
- reduces the volume of biodegradable waste sent to landfill
- reduces energy use and CO2 emissions
- increases your business' environmental credentials and supports a corporate social responsibility agenda
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Recycled organics as a resource
How your business can use recycled organic materials such as compost and biofertiliser, and the quality standards.
Organic waste - eg 'green' and food waste - can be turned into products such as compost and biofertiliser by processes including composting and anaerobic digestion.
How to use recycled organic material in your business
You can use recycled organic material that has been composted in various applications, including:
- mulch
- soil conditioner
- topsoil constituent
- turf dressing
Anaerobic digestion produces biogas, a source of renewable energy. You can use biogas:
- to generate electricity
- to generate heat to power on-site equipment
- as excess electricity exported to the national grid
- as an injection to the gas grid
- as a vehicle fuel
Another by-product of anaerobic digestion is biofertiliser. This is rich in the nutrients required for healthy plant growth and fertile soil.
Advantages of using recycled organic materials
Using recycled organic materials can benefit your business in a number of ways, including:
- reducing your overall material costs
- improving your reputation as a user of recycled materials
- ensuring that you comply with existing and future legal requirements
The use of compost can also:
- help farmers meet soil management standards required for the Single Payment Scheme - see our guide on the Single Payment Scheme
- provide valuable nutrients to soil by improving yield
- increase soil organic matter and water holding capacity
Standards and quality protocols for recycling organic material
Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 100 on producing quality compost describes the recommended composting process including:
- how compost is made
- the materials which can be used
- quality controls
- how compost should be labelled
PAS 110 performs the same function for fertilisers and other products produced by anaerobic digestion.
The quality protocol for compost sets out the standards for using biodegradable wastes to produce quality compost, and when it is no longer classed as waste.
The use of compost can also:
- help farmers meet soil management standards required for the Single Payment Scheme - see our guide on the Single Payment Scheme (SPS)
- provide valuable nutrients to soil by improving yield
- increase soil organic matter and water holding capacity
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Recycled wood as a resource
How your business can use recycled wood, what the benefits are, the quality standards and where to source it.
Using recycled wood conserves natural resources by decreasing the demand for new (virgin) materials. Products can be made entirely from waste wood or contain a proportion of new (virgin) material such as wood chip or wood shavings.
How to use recycled wood in your business
You can use recycled wood to manufacture a range of quality products for different markets, including:
- landscaping products - mulches, surfacing material for pathways and play surfaces
- equestrian products - equestrian surfaces such as indoor and outdoor arenas, and paddocks
- animal products - wood fibre bedding surfacing for horses, poultry and cattle, and cat litter
- energy - fuel chips and pellets
- sports surfaces
- soil remediation
- plant beds and walkways
- wood panelboards
Standards for recycling wood
You should ensure recycled wood products have been assessed to identify contamination from substances such as arsenic and copper based preservatives. There are currently no quality protocols for the treatment of wood waste. You should therefore ensure you use a reputable supplier.
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Recycled plasterboard as a resource
How your business can use recycled plasterboard, the benefits, the quality standards and where to source it.
Plasterboard waste from construction offcuts can be recycled and the gypsum and paper recovered if it is free from contamination.
How to use recycled plasterboard in your business
You may be able to use recycled gypsum from waste plasterboard in a variety of applications which currently use gypsum from natural or synthetic sources including:
- concrete construction products
- lining for walls and ceilings
- forming structures such as partitions
- soil improver
Advantages of using recycled plasterboard
Using recycled gypsum from plasterboard is beneficial to your business and the environment because it:
- reduces the volume of waste sent to landfill
- reduces your costs
- increases your business profile and commitment to corporate social responsibility
UK plasterboard manufacturers and WRAP have signed up to the Ashdown Agreement to:
- reduce plasterboard waste to landfill
- increase plasterboard recycling
The voluntary agreement is reviewed annually to evaluate progress against its targets.
Standards and quality protocols for recycling plasterboard
If you are sourcing recycled plasterboard to use in your business, it should conform to certain standards. This will help you choose good quality recycled gypsum.
Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 109 sets out the specification for the production of recycled gypsum from waste plasterboard. PAS 109 covers the:
- selection, receipt and handling of input materials
- specifications of product grades
- storage, labelling, dispatch and traceability of products
- requirements for quality management systems to ensure it is fit for intended use
The quality protocol for recycled gypsum sets out the standards that gypsum needs to meet for it not to be classed as waste.
Where to source recycled plasterboard
There are a number of businesses that recover gypsum from used plasterboard and manufacture new plasterboard from this recovered material.
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Recycled tyres as a resource
How your business can use recycled tyres, what the benefits are, the quality standards and where to source them.
Tyres under a certain size and shredded tyre material are banned from landfill, so there is likely to be a regular supply of materials from reprocessed tyres.
How to use recycled tyres in your business
You can use tyres or derived materials for a number of different applications including:
- construction - eg roof tiling, acoustic barriers and waterproof membranes
- landscaping - eg paving, walkways and porous piping
- horticulture - eg mulches, composting and drainage infill
- civil engineering - eg sea defences
- retreading or reuse as part-worns
- playground facilities
- sports industry - artificial sports tracks and sports barriers
- flooring - eg carpet underlay and matting
- equestrian - eg surfacing
- landfill engineering
- fuel in cement kilns
- footwear
- coasters
- transport - eg traffic management, automotive parts and rubberised asphalt
Retread tyres are made from similar compounds and are legally required to be manufactured to the same strict performance criteria.
Advantages of using recycled tyres
Using recycled tyres is beneficial to your business and the environment because it can:
- reduce costs
- provide a sustainable, safe and durable alternative to new tyres
- reduce the numbers of new tyres needed which minimises waste
Standards and quality protocols for recycling tyres
If you are sourcing materials from recycled tyres to use in your business, you should look for those that conform to certain standards. This will help you buy good quality materials.
Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 107 sets out standards for producing size-reduced tyre rubber from end-of-life tyres.
PAS 108 was developed in collaboration with the tyres reprocessing industry and provides a specification for producing compact tyre bales for use in construction.
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Which waste materials can be recycled?
In this guide:
- How to recycle your business waste
- Recycling best practice and obligations
- What are my waste recycling options?
- Advantages and disadvantages of recycling business waste
- Which waste materials can be recycled?
- Separate and store business waste for recycling
- Recycling incentives, awards and financial support
- Recycling waste in the hospitality industry
Recycling best practice and obligations
Recycling is an important waste management option for your business, and is even a requirement for some types of waste.
Recycling is important for the environment because it reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill and reduces the need to use new raw materials.
Recycling is the third-best waste management option after reducing your waste and reusing your waste. This is because energy and resources are needed to reprocess the waste before the materials can be used again.
However recycling is a good option for many types of business waste, and you can maximise the benefits that recycling waste can offer your business and the environment.
Recycling best practice
Best practice tips for recycling include:
- Buy products that can be recycled.
- Separate waste that can be recycled from other waste.
- Check the cost of recycling - it could be much less than sending your waste for energy recovery or disposal.
- Sell high-quality recyclable materials, for example construction materials - there are an increasing number of uses for recycled materials.
Waste exchanges give price information and quality specifications for a wide range of products, including compost, glass, metals, paper and board, plastics, textiles and wood.
Your recycling obligations
You must comply with special requirements for recycling certain wastes, such as:
- Batteries that contain harmful chemicals and metals - these are classified as hazardous waste.
- Electrical and electronic equipment - also referred to as WEEE.
- Fridges and air-conditioning equipment containing ozone-depleting substances.
- End-of-life vehicles (ELVs) - you must send ELVs for dismantling and depollution, and recycle any component parts.
- Packaging - you must comply with certain requirements if you produce packaged products, or place packaging or packaged goods on the market.
You must comply with waste legislation if you recycle or transport waste, also known as your duty of care for business waste.
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What are my waste recycling options?
Recycling options available to your business involving plastics, tyres, wood, paper, textiles and metals.
You have three options when recycling your business waste:
- trade it with others - see how to reuse wasted resources in your business
- deposit it at a recycling depot
- have it collected
Using a recycling depot
Taking materials to a recycling depot is a simple and inexpensive method of recycling waste that you cannot reuse or recondition. Most supermarkets have recycling banks for metal, plastic, glass and paper waste, and your local council civic amenity site may have larger facilities for used electrical equipment.
You need to do four things to implement this type of recycling policy:
- appoint someone to be responsible for taking waste to the recycling point regularly
- set up sorting containers to keep different types of recyclable waste (such as paper, plastic and metal) separate
- make staff aware of your policy
- check with your local council to see if they will accept your waste or if they have a licensed site where you can deposit it
Arranging for collection of your recyclable materials
Having recyclable materials collected can be more expensive, but is a convenient option for businesses producing large volumes of waste. You will need to think about:
- finding a reliable collection service that is licensed to handle your type of waste
- keeping your waste separate to make it easy for the collector to process - you may be provided with large crates, bins or boxes for this
- ensure that the appropriate paperwork is completed correctly and you ensure compliance with your duty of care for business waste
Your local council should be able to advise you on waste collection services operating in your area.
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Advantages and disadvantages of recycling business waste
Recycling waste can save your business money but carefully weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of recycling.
You can gain a number of benefits from recycling your business waste. However, remember that a waste activity such as recycling uses energy so your priority should be to reduce waste in the first place.
Weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of business waste recycling carefully:
Advantages of recycling business waste
- Environmental benefits - recycling business waste means less disposal to landfill and less overall harm to the environment.
- Business reputation - you can attract new customers, enhance your chances of winning contracts and improve customer loyalty by demonstrating your environmental responsibility through recycling efforts.
- Reducing waste costs - managing and handling waste is costly, and reducing the amount of waste you send directly to landfill can bring large savings on landfill tax.
- Meeting legal obligations - businesses in some industries have a legal responsibility for disposal of specific products; ensuring compliance through recycling schemes means avoiding penalties, fines or worse.
- Saving energy - producing some recycled products, eg aluminium uses far less energy than making straight from raw materials.
Disadvantages of recycling business waste
- Best worst option - recycling your business waste may be better for the environment than disposal, however either reducing your business waste or reusing your business waste is preferable to recycling.
- Space for recycling - collection and sorting of waste materials for recycling requires space that may be difficult to find in your business premises - you may be able to negotiate more regular collections with your waste contractor.
- Recycling costs - using a waste contractor to collect waste for recycling will cost your business money, if not to the same level as disposal to landfill; reducing your business waste in the first place will cut down these costs.
- Contamination when sorting - plastic containers in food waste or different materials in glass waste can affect the quality of your recycling collections which can increase treatment costs; it takes time and effort to eliminate contamination.
- Staff buy-in - making a recycling system work for your business requires time and effort to get all employees and management sold on the advantages.
At all stages from production to transport to dealing with recycling waste you should be aware of your duty of care for business waste.
To find a recycling business in Northern Ireland that can deal with your waste materials you can search for a registered waste carrier.
Get a free sustainability report
All Northern Ireland businesses with an annual energy and resource spend of more than £30k can get a free assessment of their environmental performance across areas such as raw materials, energy, carbon, packaging, biodiversity and waste - find out more about Invest NI Sustainability Reports.
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Which waste materials can be recycled?
Examples of different types of waste materials that can be recycled and the options for reusing them.
Below are some of the recyclable materials - aggregates, electronic equipment, glass, metals, organic waste, paper, plastic, textiles, tyres, wood - found in businesses, and the options for reusing them.
Recycled aggregates
Aggregates are by-products of other industrial processes, such as concrete from demolition sites. They can often be reconditioned and used again in new construction or manufacturing projects.
Recycled electronic equipment
It's important to remember that even your waste electrical and electronic equipment can be broken up and reused. Parts can be reconditioned and reused from items like:
- computers
- mobile phones
- refrigerators
- batteries
Recycled glass
Glass can be recycled into a number of useful materials, including:
- bricks, cement and concrete
- 'glass grit', which is used for cleaning
- new glass containers
- fibreglass
Recycled metals
Making metal from raw materials is expensive and recycling provides a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative.
Recycled organic waste
Organic waste like fruit and vegetable peelings, grass clippings, wood chippings and tea bags can be recycled by:
- composting - organic waste can be recycled into compost which can be used by farms or gardening businesses
- specialist heat processing to make liquid fertiliser and fuel
Recycled paper
You should aim to buy only recycled paper for use in your business, and make sure you recycle this after use.
- Newspapers and magazines can be recycled into egg boxes and packaging.
- Old photocopies and print-outs can be recycled into high-quality paper.
- Cardboard can be recycled into new cardboard or packaging, or used for animal bedding.
You should sort paper into boxes for recycling, removing any staples and paperclips first.
Recycled plastics
Plastic can be recycled into items like containers and plastic bags. Different plastics need to be separated for recycling, and many products are now labelled with a code to aid this process.
Recycled textiles
Material can be recycled into cloth, insulation, or yarn for knitting and weaving.
Industrial textile waste such as that from carpets can be reused for weaving, and the croppings can be used for animal bedding.
Recycled tyres
The UK Government is trying to encourage more people and businesses to recycle tyres, which can be shredded to make new rubber, burned as fuel, and used in making and re-treading new tyres.
Recycled wood
A number of new products can be made from recycling wood, including
- animal bedding
- fuel pellets and fuel chips
- mulch for use in the garden
Get a free sustainability report
All Northern Ireland businesses with an annual energy and resource spend of more than £30k can get a free assessment of their environmental performance across areas such as raw materials, energy, carbon, packaging, biodiversity and waste - find out more about Invest NI Sustainability Reports.
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Separate and store business waste for recycling
How your business should separate and store your waste before it is sent for recycling, recovery or disposal.
You should separate waste materials into different types (paper and cardboard, plastics, metals, etc) for storage, transport and recycling. You should store your waste securely in sealed, labelled containers ready for recycling or disposal.
You should check whether you need a permit or exemption if you are storing your own waste for recycling or disposal.
Check if you have hazardous waste
Hazardous waste may be harmful to human health or the environment. It is not usually suitable for in-house recycling, as there are strict controls on how you can store, transport and process it.
Prevent pollution during storage and transport
You must prevent waste from escaping and causing pollution. Take steps to prevent:
- leaks from storage containers and tanks
- wind-blown litter
- waste escaping during transport
- leaks from waste processing machinery, for example hydraulic oils from waste compactors
Be aware that some materials you store for recycling can contaminate land and you could be responsible for clean-up costs. For example, poorly handled fluorescent tubes could smash, spreading mercury across your site.
Separating and storing waste
Store waste in areas that can contain a leak or spill and are isolated from surface water drainage systems.
Label containment areas or bins for different materials and activities. Consider using colour coding for quick identification, for example red for hazardous waste and green for glass.
Do not mix any hazardous wastes with other waste or you will need to dispose of all of it as hazardous waste.
If possible, remove contaminants such as metal staples or adhesive tape from materials before recycling. This could make your materials more valuable as they will require less treatment.
Separate and store plastics according to their grade and type. The three most common types of recyclable plastic are:
- polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
- high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
- polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
You will need to agree with your waste management contractor how you will separate your waste for collection.
Compacting waste
If you have a large amount of waste, use a baler or compactor to crush materials into blocks or bales. This allows you to transport larger volumes in one go, which could save you money.
If you do compact your waste, you should:
- drain and clean waste containers that held liquid - eg drums, plastic bottles and cartons - before you compact them
- keep paper and card dry to prevent polluting run-off from the compactor
- separate the area around the compactor from surface water drains to prevent pollution - drainage should go to a foul sewer with permission from Northern Ireland Water
- stack blocks of baled materials securely so they won't fall over and spill materials around your site
- move blocks of baled materials around your site carefully - roughly handled bales may split, spilling materials around your site
You may need to register an exemption from waste management licensing before you can use your baler or compactor. You should contact the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) for more information.
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Recycling incentives, awards and financial support
Details on national recycling awards, financial incentives available to businesses in Northern Ireland.
There are several incentives available to encourage businesses to set up recycling programmes and improve environmental performance. Financial schemes can help companies develop new or existing recycling initiatives. Winning awards can help to project a socially conscious image to your existing and potential customers.
Financial support for recycling
Invest Northern Ireland offers up to five days of free consultancy support to help with projects to reduce the cost of your energy, water, waste and raw materials.
Awards for recycling efforts
The National Recycling Awards are held annually and reward businesses for their recycling efforts - find out how to enter the National Recycling Awards.
Business in the Community Northern Ireland runs an annual Responsible Business Awards which recognises environmental champions - find out how to apply for a Responsible Business Award.
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Source URL
/content/recycling-incentives-awards-and-financial-support
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Recycling waste in the hospitality industry
How to implement a recycling scheme to save your business money and reduce the amount of waste you send to landfill.
Businesses in the hospitality industry can recycle significant quantities of materials.
Recycling your waste can:
- lower your waste management costs, especially if you often dispose of heavy materials such as glass
- save space and reduce clutter
- improve your environmental credentials
- reduce your impact on the environment
However, you should still make sure you comply with your duty of care for business waste.
What can you recycle?
Materials that you can recycle include:
- glass bottles and jars
- cardboard
- plastic bottles
- food and drink cans
- printer cartridges
- electrical items
Finding a recycling waste contractor
You should consider the following questions when looking for a waste contractor suitable for your recycling needs:
- What materials will you recycle?
- Do you want the materials collected by the waste contractor or can you transport them to the waste facility?
- Is the service suitable for the size of your business? If you produce very little waste, you may not need a weekly scheduled collection.
- How will you collect and store the materials for recycling?
- How will you pay for the service? For example, is there an annual charge or a fee each time containers are emptied?
- How will your glass be collected? It will normally be best to separate colours at your site.
Setting up a recycling scheme
Once you have found a suitable waste contractor, the next step is to consider how a recycling scheme will work in your business. This includes:
- deciding on the location and labelling of recycling containers
- arranging the collection schedule with the contractor
- employee involvement and training - staff members must understand what materials are being recycled and where they should put them
- launch and promotion - so that staff are clear about when to start using the service
HelpActionsAlso on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/recycling-waste-hospitality-industry
Links
What are my waste recycling options?
In this guide:
- How to recycle your business waste
- Recycling best practice and obligations
- What are my waste recycling options?
- Advantages and disadvantages of recycling business waste
- Which waste materials can be recycled?
- Separate and store business waste for recycling
- Recycling incentives, awards and financial support
- Recycling waste in the hospitality industry
Recycling best practice and obligations
Recycling is an important waste management option for your business, and is even a requirement for some types of waste.
Recycling is important for the environment because it reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill and reduces the need to use new raw materials.
Recycling is the third-best waste management option after reducing your waste and reusing your waste. This is because energy and resources are needed to reprocess the waste before the materials can be used again.
However recycling is a good option for many types of business waste, and you can maximise the benefits that recycling waste can offer your business and the environment.
Recycling best practice
Best practice tips for recycling include:
- Buy products that can be recycled.
- Separate waste that can be recycled from other waste.
- Check the cost of recycling - it could be much less than sending your waste for energy recovery or disposal.
- Sell high-quality recyclable materials, for example construction materials - there are an increasing number of uses for recycled materials.
Waste exchanges give price information and quality specifications for a wide range of products, including compost, glass, metals, paper and board, plastics, textiles and wood.
Your recycling obligations
You must comply with special requirements for recycling certain wastes, such as:
- Batteries that contain harmful chemicals and metals - these are classified as hazardous waste.
- Electrical and electronic equipment - also referred to as WEEE.
- Fridges and air-conditioning equipment containing ozone-depleting substances.
- End-of-life vehicles (ELVs) - you must send ELVs for dismantling and depollution, and recycle any component parts.
- Packaging - you must comply with certain requirements if you produce packaged products, or place packaging or packaged goods on the market.
You must comply with waste legislation if you recycle or transport waste, also known as your duty of care for business waste.
HelpActionsAlso on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/recycling-best-practice-and-obligations
Links
What are my waste recycling options?
Recycling options available to your business involving plastics, tyres, wood, paper, textiles and metals.
You have three options when recycling your business waste:
- trade it with others - see how to reuse wasted resources in your business
- deposit it at a recycling depot
- have it collected
Using a recycling depot
Taking materials to a recycling depot is a simple and inexpensive method of recycling waste that you cannot reuse or recondition. Most supermarkets have recycling banks for metal, plastic, glass and paper waste, and your local council civic amenity site may have larger facilities for used electrical equipment.
You need to do four things to implement this type of recycling policy:
- appoint someone to be responsible for taking waste to the recycling point regularly
- set up sorting containers to keep different types of recyclable waste (such as paper, plastic and metal) separate
- make staff aware of your policy
- check with your local council to see if they will accept your waste or if they have a licensed site where you can deposit it
Arranging for collection of your recyclable materials
Having recyclable materials collected can be more expensive, but is a convenient option for businesses producing large volumes of waste. You will need to think about:
- finding a reliable collection service that is licensed to handle your type of waste
- keeping your waste separate to make it easy for the collector to process - you may be provided with large crates, bins or boxes for this
- ensure that the appropriate paperwork is completed correctly and you ensure compliance with your duty of care for business waste
Your local council should be able to advise you on waste collection services operating in your area.
HelpActionsAlso on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/what-are-my-waste-recycling-options
Links
Advantages and disadvantages of recycling business waste
Recycling waste can save your business money but carefully weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of recycling.
You can gain a number of benefits from recycling your business waste. However, remember that a waste activity such as recycling uses energy so your priority should be to reduce waste in the first place.
Weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of business waste recycling carefully:
Advantages of recycling business waste
- Environmental benefits - recycling business waste means less disposal to landfill and less overall harm to the environment.
- Business reputation - you can attract new customers, enhance your chances of winning contracts and improve customer loyalty by demonstrating your environmental responsibility through recycling efforts.
- Reducing waste costs - managing and handling waste is costly, and reducing the amount of waste you send directly to landfill can bring large savings on landfill tax.
- Meeting legal obligations - businesses in some industries have a legal responsibility for disposal of specific products; ensuring compliance through recycling schemes means avoiding penalties, fines or worse.
- Saving energy - producing some recycled products, eg aluminium uses far less energy than making straight from raw materials.
Disadvantages of recycling business waste
- Best worst option - recycling your business waste may be better for the environment than disposal, however either reducing your business waste or reusing your business waste is preferable to recycling.
- Space for recycling - collection and sorting of waste materials for recycling requires space that may be difficult to find in your business premises - you may be able to negotiate more regular collections with your waste contractor.
- Recycling costs - using a waste contractor to collect waste for recycling will cost your business money, if not to the same level as disposal to landfill; reducing your business waste in the first place will cut down these costs.
- Contamination when sorting - plastic containers in food waste or different materials in glass waste can affect the quality of your recycling collections which can increase treatment costs; it takes time and effort to eliminate contamination.
- Staff buy-in - making a recycling system work for your business requires time and effort to get all employees and management sold on the advantages.
At all stages from production to transport to dealing with recycling waste you should be aware of your duty of care for business waste.
To find a recycling business in Northern Ireland that can deal with your waste materials you can search for a registered waste carrier.
Get a free sustainability report
All Northern Ireland businesses with an annual energy and resource spend of more than £30k can get a free assessment of their environmental performance across areas such as raw materials, energy, carbon, packaging, biodiversity and waste - find out more about Invest NI Sustainability Reports.
HelpActionsAlso on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/advantages-and-disadvantages-recycling-business-waste
Links
Which waste materials can be recycled?
Examples of different types of waste materials that can be recycled and the options for reusing them.
Below are some of the recyclable materials - aggregates, electronic equipment, glass, metals, organic waste, paper, plastic, textiles, tyres, wood - found in businesses, and the options for reusing them.
Recycled aggregates
Aggregates are by-products of other industrial processes, such as concrete from demolition sites. They can often be reconditioned and used again in new construction or manufacturing projects.
Recycled electronic equipment
It's important to remember that even your waste electrical and electronic equipment can be broken up and reused. Parts can be reconditioned and reused from items like:
- computers
- mobile phones
- refrigerators
- batteries
Recycled glass
Glass can be recycled into a number of useful materials, including:
- bricks, cement and concrete
- 'glass grit', which is used for cleaning
- new glass containers
- fibreglass
Recycled metals
Making metal from raw materials is expensive and recycling provides a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative.
Recycled organic waste
Organic waste like fruit and vegetable peelings, grass clippings, wood chippings and tea bags can be recycled by:
- composting - organic waste can be recycled into compost which can be used by farms or gardening businesses
- specialist heat processing to make liquid fertiliser and fuel
Recycled paper
You should aim to buy only recycled paper for use in your business, and make sure you recycle this after use.
- Newspapers and magazines can be recycled into egg boxes and packaging.
- Old photocopies and print-outs can be recycled into high-quality paper.
- Cardboard can be recycled into new cardboard or packaging, or used for animal bedding.
You should sort paper into boxes for recycling, removing any staples and paperclips first.
Recycled plastics
Plastic can be recycled into items like containers and plastic bags. Different plastics need to be separated for recycling, and many products are now labelled with a code to aid this process.
Recycled textiles
Material can be recycled into cloth, insulation, or yarn for knitting and weaving.
Industrial textile waste such as that from carpets can be reused for weaving, and the croppings can be used for animal bedding.
Recycled tyres
The UK Government is trying to encourage more people and businesses to recycle tyres, which can be shredded to make new rubber, burned as fuel, and used in making and re-treading new tyres.
Recycled wood
A number of new products can be made from recycling wood, including
- animal bedding
- fuel pellets and fuel chips
- mulch for use in the garden
Get a free sustainability report
All Northern Ireland businesses with an annual energy and resource spend of more than £30k can get a free assessment of their environmental performance across areas such as raw materials, energy, carbon, packaging, biodiversity and waste - find out more about Invest NI Sustainability Reports.
HelpActionsAlso on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/which-waste-materials-can-be-recycled
Links
Separate and store business waste for recycling
How your business should separate and store your waste before it is sent for recycling, recovery or disposal.
You should separate waste materials into different types (paper and cardboard, plastics, metals, etc) for storage, transport and recycling. You should store your waste securely in sealed, labelled containers ready for recycling or disposal.
You should check whether you need a permit or exemption if you are storing your own waste for recycling or disposal.
Check if you have hazardous waste
Hazardous waste may be harmful to human health or the environment. It is not usually suitable for in-house recycling, as there are strict controls on how you can store, transport and process it.
Prevent pollution during storage and transport
You must prevent waste from escaping and causing pollution. Take steps to prevent:
- leaks from storage containers and tanks
- wind-blown litter
- waste escaping during transport
- leaks from waste processing machinery, for example hydraulic oils from waste compactors
Be aware that some materials you store for recycling can contaminate land and you could be responsible for clean-up costs. For example, poorly handled fluorescent tubes could smash, spreading mercury across your site.
Separating and storing waste
Store waste in areas that can contain a leak or spill and are isolated from surface water drainage systems.
Label containment areas or bins for different materials and activities. Consider using colour coding for quick identification, for example red for hazardous waste and green for glass.
Do not mix any hazardous wastes with other waste or you will need to dispose of all of it as hazardous waste.
If possible, remove contaminants such as metal staples or adhesive tape from materials before recycling. This could make your materials more valuable as they will require less treatment.
Separate and store plastics according to their grade and type. The three most common types of recyclable plastic are:
- polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
- high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
- polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
You will need to agree with your waste management contractor how you will separate your waste for collection.
Compacting waste
If you have a large amount of waste, use a baler or compactor to crush materials into blocks or bales. This allows you to transport larger volumes in one go, which could save you money.
If you do compact your waste, you should:
- drain and clean waste containers that held liquid - eg drums, plastic bottles and cartons - before you compact them
- keep paper and card dry to prevent polluting run-off from the compactor
- separate the area around the compactor from surface water drains to prevent pollution - drainage should go to a foul sewer with permission from Northern Ireland Water
- stack blocks of baled materials securely so they won't fall over and spill materials around your site
- move blocks of baled materials around your site carefully - roughly handled bales may split, spilling materials around your site
You may need to register an exemption from waste management licensing before you can use your baler or compactor. You should contact the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) for more information.
HelpActionsAlso on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/separate-and-store-business-waste-recycling
Links
Recycling incentives, awards and financial support
Details on national recycling awards, financial incentives available to businesses in Northern Ireland.
There are several incentives available to encourage businesses to set up recycling programmes and improve environmental performance. Financial schemes can help companies develop new or existing recycling initiatives. Winning awards can help to project a socially conscious image to your existing and potential customers.
Financial support for recycling
Invest Northern Ireland offers up to five days of free consultancy support to help with projects to reduce the cost of your energy, water, waste and raw materials.
Awards for recycling efforts
The National Recycling Awards are held annually and reward businesses for their recycling efforts - find out how to enter the National Recycling Awards.
Business in the Community Northern Ireland runs an annual Responsible Business Awards which recognises environmental champions - find out how to apply for a Responsible Business Award.
HelpActionsContent category
Source URL
/content/recycling-incentives-awards-and-financial-support
Links
Recycling waste in the hospitality industry
How to implement a recycling scheme to save your business money and reduce the amount of waste you send to landfill.
Businesses in the hospitality industry can recycle significant quantities of materials.
Recycling your waste can:
- lower your waste management costs, especially if you often dispose of heavy materials such as glass
- save space and reduce clutter
- improve your environmental credentials
- reduce your impact on the environment
However, you should still make sure you comply with your duty of care for business waste.
What can you recycle?
Materials that you can recycle include:
- glass bottles and jars
- cardboard
- plastic bottles
- food and drink cans
- printer cartridges
- electrical items
Finding a recycling waste contractor
You should consider the following questions when looking for a waste contractor suitable for your recycling needs:
- What materials will you recycle?
- Do you want the materials collected by the waste contractor or can you transport them to the waste facility?
- Is the service suitable for the size of your business? If you produce very little waste, you may not need a weekly scheduled collection.
- How will you collect and store the materials for recycling?
- How will you pay for the service? For example, is there an annual charge or a fee each time containers are emptied?
- How will your glass be collected? It will normally be best to separate colours at your site.
Setting up a recycling scheme
Once you have found a suitable waste contractor, the next step is to consider how a recycling scheme will work in your business. This includes:
- deciding on the location and labelling of recycling containers
- arranging the collection schedule with the contractor
- employee involvement and training - staff members must understand what materials are being recycled and where they should put them
- launch and promotion - so that staff are clear about when to start using the service
HelpActionsAlso on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/recycling-waste-hospitality-industry
Links
Recycling incentives, awards and financial support
In this guide:
- How to recycle your business waste
- Recycling best practice and obligations
- What are my waste recycling options?
- Advantages and disadvantages of recycling business waste
- Which waste materials can be recycled?
- Separate and store business waste for recycling
- Recycling incentives, awards and financial support
- Recycling waste in the hospitality industry
Recycling best practice and obligations
Recycling is an important waste management option for your business, and is even a requirement for some types of waste.
Recycling is important for the environment because it reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill and reduces the need to use new raw materials.
Recycling is the third-best waste management option after reducing your waste and reusing your waste. This is because energy and resources are needed to reprocess the waste before the materials can be used again.
However recycling is a good option for many types of business waste, and you can maximise the benefits that recycling waste can offer your business and the environment.
Recycling best practice
Best practice tips for recycling include:
- Buy products that can be recycled.
- Separate waste that can be recycled from other waste.
- Check the cost of recycling - it could be much less than sending your waste for energy recovery or disposal.
- Sell high-quality recyclable materials, for example construction materials - there are an increasing number of uses for recycled materials.
Waste exchanges give price information and quality specifications for a wide range of products, including compost, glass, metals, paper and board, plastics, textiles and wood.
Your recycling obligations
You must comply with special requirements for recycling certain wastes, such as:
- Batteries that contain harmful chemicals and metals - these are classified as hazardous waste.
- Electrical and electronic equipment - also referred to as WEEE.
- Fridges and air-conditioning equipment containing ozone-depleting substances.
- End-of-life vehicles (ELVs) - you must send ELVs for dismantling and depollution, and recycle any component parts.
- Packaging - you must comply with certain requirements if you produce packaged products, or place packaging or packaged goods on the market.
You must comply with waste legislation if you recycle or transport waste, also known as your duty of care for business waste.
HelpActionsAlso on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/recycling-best-practice-and-obligations
Links
What are my waste recycling options?
Recycling options available to your business involving plastics, tyres, wood, paper, textiles and metals.
You have three options when recycling your business waste:
- trade it with others - see how to reuse wasted resources in your business
- deposit it at a recycling depot
- have it collected
Using a recycling depot
Taking materials to a recycling depot is a simple and inexpensive method of recycling waste that you cannot reuse or recondition. Most supermarkets have recycling banks for metal, plastic, glass and paper waste, and your local council civic amenity site may have larger facilities for used electrical equipment.
You need to do four things to implement this type of recycling policy:
- appoint someone to be responsible for taking waste to the recycling point regularly
- set up sorting containers to keep different types of recyclable waste (such as paper, plastic and metal) separate
- make staff aware of your policy
- check with your local council to see if they will accept your waste or if they have a licensed site where you can deposit it
Arranging for collection of your recyclable materials
Having recyclable materials collected can be more expensive, but is a convenient option for businesses producing large volumes of waste. You will need to think about:
- finding a reliable collection service that is licensed to handle your type of waste
- keeping your waste separate to make it easy for the collector to process - you may be provided with large crates, bins or boxes for this
- ensure that the appropriate paperwork is completed correctly and you ensure compliance with your duty of care for business waste
Your local council should be able to advise you on waste collection services operating in your area.
HelpActionsAlso on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/what-are-my-waste-recycling-options
Links
Advantages and disadvantages of recycling business waste
Recycling waste can save your business money but carefully weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of recycling.
You can gain a number of benefits from recycling your business waste. However, remember that a waste activity such as recycling uses energy so your priority should be to reduce waste in the first place.
Weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of business waste recycling carefully:
Advantages of recycling business waste
- Environmental benefits - recycling business waste means less disposal to landfill and less overall harm to the environment.
- Business reputation - you can attract new customers, enhance your chances of winning contracts and improve customer loyalty by demonstrating your environmental responsibility through recycling efforts.
- Reducing waste costs - managing and handling waste is costly, and reducing the amount of waste you send directly to landfill can bring large savings on landfill tax.
- Meeting legal obligations - businesses in some industries have a legal responsibility for disposal of specific products; ensuring compliance through recycling schemes means avoiding penalties, fines or worse.
- Saving energy - producing some recycled products, eg aluminium uses far less energy than making straight from raw materials.
Disadvantages of recycling business waste
- Best worst option - recycling your business waste may be better for the environment than disposal, however either reducing your business waste or reusing your business waste is preferable to recycling.
- Space for recycling - collection and sorting of waste materials for recycling requires space that may be difficult to find in your business premises - you may be able to negotiate more regular collections with your waste contractor.
- Recycling costs - using a waste contractor to collect waste for recycling will cost your business money, if not to the same level as disposal to landfill; reducing your business waste in the first place will cut down these costs.
- Contamination when sorting - plastic containers in food waste or different materials in glass waste can affect the quality of your recycling collections which can increase treatment costs; it takes time and effort to eliminate contamination.
- Staff buy-in - making a recycling system work for your business requires time and effort to get all employees and management sold on the advantages.
At all stages from production to transport to dealing with recycling waste you should be aware of your duty of care for business waste.
To find a recycling business in Northern Ireland that can deal with your waste materials you can search for a registered waste carrier.
Get a free sustainability report
All Northern Ireland businesses with an annual energy and resource spend of more than £30k can get a free assessment of their environmental performance across areas such as raw materials, energy, carbon, packaging, biodiversity and waste - find out more about Invest NI Sustainability Reports.
HelpActionsAlso on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/advantages-and-disadvantages-recycling-business-waste
Links
Which waste materials can be recycled?
Examples of different types of waste materials that can be recycled and the options for reusing them.
Below are some of the recyclable materials - aggregates, electronic equipment, glass, metals, organic waste, paper, plastic, textiles, tyres, wood - found in businesses, and the options for reusing them.
Recycled aggregates
Aggregates are by-products of other industrial processes, such as concrete from demolition sites. They can often be reconditioned and used again in new construction or manufacturing projects.
Recycled electronic equipment
It's important to remember that even your waste electrical and electronic equipment can be broken up and reused. Parts can be reconditioned and reused from items like:
- computers
- mobile phones
- refrigerators
- batteries
Recycled glass
Glass can be recycled into a number of useful materials, including:
- bricks, cement and concrete
- 'glass grit', which is used for cleaning
- new glass containers
- fibreglass
Recycled metals
Making metal from raw materials is expensive and recycling provides a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative.
Recycled organic waste
Organic waste like fruit and vegetable peelings, grass clippings, wood chippings and tea bags can be recycled by:
- composting - organic waste can be recycled into compost which can be used by farms or gardening businesses
- specialist heat processing to make liquid fertiliser and fuel
Recycled paper
You should aim to buy only recycled paper for use in your business, and make sure you recycle this after use.
- Newspapers and magazines can be recycled into egg boxes and packaging.
- Old photocopies and print-outs can be recycled into high-quality paper.
- Cardboard can be recycled into new cardboard or packaging, or used for animal bedding.
You should sort paper into boxes for recycling, removing any staples and paperclips first.
Recycled plastics
Plastic can be recycled into items like containers and plastic bags. Different plastics need to be separated for recycling, and many products are now labelled with a code to aid this process.
Recycled textiles
Material can be recycled into cloth, insulation, or yarn for knitting and weaving.
Industrial textile waste such as that from carpets can be reused for weaving, and the croppings can be used for animal bedding.
Recycled tyres
The UK Government is trying to encourage more people and businesses to recycle tyres, which can be shredded to make new rubber, burned as fuel, and used in making and re-treading new tyres.
Recycled wood
A number of new products can be made from recycling wood, including
- animal bedding
- fuel pellets and fuel chips
- mulch for use in the garden
Get a free sustainability report
All Northern Ireland businesses with an annual energy and resource spend of more than £30k can get a free assessment of their environmental performance across areas such as raw materials, energy, carbon, packaging, biodiversity and waste - find out more about Invest NI Sustainability Reports.
HelpActionsAlso on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/which-waste-materials-can-be-recycled
Links
Separate and store business waste for recycling
How your business should separate and store your waste before it is sent for recycling, recovery or disposal.
You should separate waste materials into different types (paper and cardboard, plastics, metals, etc) for storage, transport and recycling. You should store your waste securely in sealed, labelled containers ready for recycling or disposal.
You should check whether you need a permit or exemption if you are storing your own waste for recycling or disposal.
Check if you have hazardous waste
Hazardous waste may be harmful to human health or the environment. It is not usually suitable for in-house recycling, as there are strict controls on how you can store, transport and process it.
Prevent pollution during storage and transport
You must prevent waste from escaping and causing pollution. Take steps to prevent:
- leaks from storage containers and tanks
- wind-blown litter
- waste escaping during transport
- leaks from waste processing machinery, for example hydraulic oils from waste compactors
Be aware that some materials you store for recycling can contaminate land and you could be responsible for clean-up costs. For example, poorly handled fluorescent tubes could smash, spreading mercury across your site.
Separating and storing waste
Store waste in areas that can contain a leak or spill and are isolated from surface water drainage systems.
Label containment areas or bins for different materials and activities. Consider using colour coding for quick identification, for example red for hazardous waste and green for glass.
Do not mix any hazardous wastes with other waste or you will need to dispose of all of it as hazardous waste.
If possible, remove contaminants such as metal staples or adhesive tape from materials before recycling. This could make your materials more valuable as they will require less treatment.
Separate and store plastics according to their grade and type. The three most common types of recyclable plastic are:
- polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
- high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
- polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
You will need to agree with your waste management contractor how you will separate your waste for collection.
Compacting waste
If you have a large amount of waste, use a baler or compactor to crush materials into blocks or bales. This allows you to transport larger volumes in one go, which could save you money.
If you do compact your waste, you should:
- drain and clean waste containers that held liquid - eg drums, plastic bottles and cartons - before you compact them
- keep paper and card dry to prevent polluting run-off from the compactor
- separate the area around the compactor from surface water drains to prevent pollution - drainage should go to a foul sewer with permission from Northern Ireland Water
- stack blocks of baled materials securely so they won't fall over and spill materials around your site
- move blocks of baled materials around your site carefully - roughly handled bales may split, spilling materials around your site
You may need to register an exemption from waste management licensing before you can use your baler or compactor. You should contact the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) for more information.
HelpActionsAlso on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/separate-and-store-business-waste-recycling
Links
Recycling incentives, awards and financial support
Details on national recycling awards, financial incentives available to businesses in Northern Ireland.
There are several incentives available to encourage businesses to set up recycling programmes and improve environmental performance. Financial schemes can help companies develop new or existing recycling initiatives. Winning awards can help to project a socially conscious image to your existing and potential customers.
Financial support for recycling
Invest Northern Ireland offers up to five days of free consultancy support to help with projects to reduce the cost of your energy, water, waste and raw materials.
Awards for recycling efforts
The National Recycling Awards are held annually and reward businesses for their recycling efforts - find out how to enter the National Recycling Awards.
Business in the Community Northern Ireland runs an annual Responsible Business Awards which recognises environmental champions - find out how to apply for a Responsible Business Award.
HelpActionsContent category
Source URL
/content/recycling-incentives-awards-and-financial-support
Links
Recycling waste in the hospitality industry
How to implement a recycling scheme to save your business money and reduce the amount of waste you send to landfill.
Businesses in the hospitality industry can recycle significant quantities of materials.
Recycling your waste can:
- lower your waste management costs, especially if you often dispose of heavy materials such as glass
- save space and reduce clutter
- improve your environmental credentials
- reduce your impact on the environment
However, you should still make sure you comply with your duty of care for business waste.
What can you recycle?
Materials that you can recycle include:
- glass bottles and jars
- cardboard
- plastic bottles
- food and drink cans
- printer cartridges
- electrical items
Finding a recycling waste contractor
You should consider the following questions when looking for a waste contractor suitable for your recycling needs:
- What materials will you recycle?
- Do you want the materials collected by the waste contractor or can you transport them to the waste facility?
- Is the service suitable for the size of your business? If you produce very little waste, you may not need a weekly scheduled collection.
- How will you collect and store the materials for recycling?
- How will you pay for the service? For example, is there an annual charge or a fee each time containers are emptied?
- How will your glass be collected? It will normally be best to separate colours at your site.
Setting up a recycling scheme
Once you have found a suitable waste contractor, the next step is to consider how a recycling scheme will work in your business. This includes:
- deciding on the location and labelling of recycling containers
- arranging the collection schedule with the contractor
- employee involvement and training - staff members must understand what materials are being recycled and where they should put them
- launch and promotion - so that staff are clear about when to start using the service
HelpActionsAlso on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/recycling-waste-hospitality-industry
Links