Homestyle Gossip

Construction waste will always be significantly different in scope and character to standard waste, and will usually therefore require a very specific waste management strategy.

Just as construction work is necessarily carried out in intense bursts, and involves an extremely wide range of tasks, so too is construction waste often generated at extremely high volumes over relatively concentrated periods. It will also of course consist of an unusually wide variety of materials.

For these reasons, in official circles, construction waste is viewed as having a very distinct identity to that of domestic and even commercial waste. Consequently, any organisation embarking on a construction project must by law draw up a site waste management plan detailing both the types of waste it is likely to generate, and the nature of its waste management strategy.

Owing to the challenging size and varied nature of commercial waste, it is also often the case that those embarking on a programme of building or renovating work will choose to hire the services of at contractor to carry out the waste removal work.

A good contractor will not only be able to shift large amounts of different kinds of waste quickly and efficiently (most will be able to transport waste in loads ranging from 15 cubic yards to 106 cubic yards); but it will also be best placed to deal with the variety of materials in the most appropriate ways.

Rubble, for example, can be broken down and used for aggregate; whilst disused or damaged parts and components can be reconditioned and made fit for re-use. Certain types of brickwork may also find a specialist market; and there may well be a demand for particular varieties of soil.

A contractor of a more specialist nature, however, will usually be needed to remove and safely neutralise construction waste material of a more hazardous nature.

It can be very surprising how damaging the thoughtless disposal of both domestic and commercial waste can be for the environment. Effective waste management however, can greatly help to minimise such damage.

The negative environmental impact of poor waste management can occur in two ways.

First of all, waste that ends up in landfill can release both greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere and harmful chemicals into the soil and water supplies.

Secondly, a failure to recycle or re-use materials inevitably means that new materials will have to be produced from scratch; involving the appropriation of scarce natural resources and the possible release of pollutants into the atmosphere.

Good waste management however involves dealing with different substances in the most appropriate ways. Some substances, for example, such as aluminium, glass and plastics, can be recycled to produce raw materials for the production of new aluminium, glass and plastic items.

Others, such as hazardous oils and chemicals can be neutralised and rendered safe.

In order to help facilitate the effective processing of domestic and commercial waste it will often be necessary to ensure they are fit for the processing plants.

Firstly, the waste should be sorted into discreet types. Following this, it should be ensured that the waste items are cleaned and rinsed as excessive dirt can render some items unsuitable for recycling.

It is also recommended that any waste management plant is checked for the particular type of processing services on offer. Some plants, for example, will handle tetra packs whilst others will not.

To help with the logistics of transferring waste to its proper processing or recycling destinations there are some waste management companies which will offer to collect commercial waste from premises for a small fee.

The credentials of such waste management companies should be carefully checked however as disposal will still remain the responsibility of the original waste producer.

In the last few decades there has been a growing recognition that innocuous-looking items such as plastics and metals which form a part of everyday commercial waste can pose a serious threat to the environment. There are also grave concerns regarding the over-exploitation of scarce resources in the fresh production of these and other everyday materials.

These are just two of the reasons for the increased emphasis on recycling as part of modern industrial waste management.

Where items really cannot be recycled or somehow re-used – perhaps owing to their extreme hazardous nature – effective waste management will involve isolating these elements so that they can be either neutralised or destroyed.

In short, most responsible businesses now aim to send as little as possible to landfill sites.

It can be challenging to ensure that the policy of dealing with commercial waste in this way is followed, particularly in larger organisations.

There are however, several methods used to try and help facilitate such ‘green’ practices.

Firstly, employees are provided with specific receptacles in which to place unwanted materials. One type of bin for example may be used for waste paper; another may be used for plastics. In this way each type of waste is kept separate, making the process of recycling commercial waste much more logistically straightforward.

Even apparently ‘unusable’ waste can be usefully transformed with a little effort. Food waste for example can be composted along with any plant or grass cuttings to make organic fertilisers.

Secondly, a business may choose to use the services of a licensed waste management company which specialises in the collection and processing of commercial waste.

In this way, the logistics of transferring the correct category of waste to the most appropriate processing plant is instantly taken care of.

Finally, recycling can simply involve a policy of re-using items wherever possible (through cleaning and repair) rather than purchasing from new.

Whilst effective business waste management is often justly commended for helping the environment by reducing unnecessary landfill, it can also provide significant benefits for companies themselves in terms of reducing their overall costs.

The overriding principle of good commercial waste management should always be to minimise that which is discarded, and to maximise both the re-processing and re-using of waste materials.

A first useful step might be to analyse what is regularly purchased in the way of raw materials or commercial equipment, so as to try and identify any unnecessary accumulation of waste at source. This can of course immediately bring about savings in expenditure.

The next step should be to always try and repair or refurbish any item before discarding it, particularly if the cost of replacement is rather expensive. Many businesses have found that they can save considerably on new capital expenditure through the careful management of such commercial waste.

Items that cannot be re-used should still be recycled wherever possible. Often, such recyclable items can be collected by a reputable waste management company at a cost which may well amount to far less than the cost of a business transporting its commercial waste to a landfill site.

A business can of course help to organise its waste ready for collection by setting out specific receptacles in which staff are encouraged to deposit different types of commercial waste. Some bins, for example, can be used for collecting waste paper, whilst others can be deployed for holding used aluminium cans.

A final word of caution may is in order however: only bona fide, licensed waste management companies should be selected for the removal of commercial waste; since even when the waste is handed over and has left the premises, the originating company remains legally responsible for what ultimately happens with that waste.

The focus of rubbish removal has shifted in recent years from the dumping of waste in bulk on landfill sites or in incinerators, to the much more positive alternative of recycling.

By recycling waste, not only can unwanted items be put to good use again, thus helping to conserve resources; but there will also be far less chance of the uncontrolled release of harmful gases or chemicals into the atmosphere.

To be truly effective however, the recycling of waste needs to be carried out in an organised and efficient way. This is the case regardless of whether the waste is of domestic or commercial origin.

In the first instance, wherever possible, waste products should be cleaned before disposal. In some instances waste recycling plants are forced to reject recyclable items because dirt or mould has become too ingrained.

Secondly, the waste should be separated into distinct types; aluminium cans in one batch for example, and paper or glass, say, in another. This will make it far easier to process the waste when it arrives at the recycling plant.

The process of separation can be made easier by placing around the home or workplace different bins or bags which are clearly labelled for the disposal of specific types of waste.

Thirdly, every effort should be made to ensure that those items which are less obviously recyclable are given due attention. Food waste for example often ends up on landfill sites, yet a simple composter can help transform this and other organic materials into a rich garden fertiliser.

Finally, where the level of overall waste is exceptionally high – following construction work perhaps or as the consequence of a major premises overhaul – it is extremely worthwhile seeking the assistance of a specialist contractor, or hiring a skip from a bona fide supplier, to ensure that the rubbish removal is carried out quickly and efficiently, and is processed appropriately at its destination.

Hiring a skip remains one of the most popular ways of dealing with unusually large quantities of household waste – waste which would otherwise be simply too large for the normal rubbish collections.

One of the other main advantages of a skip is that it can hold a variety of materials, most of which will normally be subject to the skip hire company’s commitment to the recycling of waste.

The first point to decide on before ordering a skip is whether you wish to keep the skip for a few days in order to ‘fill up as you go’, or whether you are likely to have your waste all ready to be loaded; in which case the driver will be able to wait and leave immediately once the skip is full.

The second decision to be made before ordering is in regard to how much waste you are likely to be disposing of, and consequently what size of skip you would need to hire.

Skips range in size from 1.5 cubic metres to around 4.6 cubic meters and beyond. Whichever size is hired, however, It is important to note that skips should not be piled up above the height of the sides as this will make them very difficult to lift and rather hazardous to transport.

It is also important to note that many skip hire companies will charge by the day rather than levying a one-off usage fee.

Thirdly, if the skip is likely to be left on the street it may be necessary to firstly secure permission from your local authority. If you are unsure it is always best to check first.

Finally, always check the credentials of the eventual skip hire company you choose; if the waste is disposed of inappropriately it is very likely to be traced back to you rather than the skip hire company.

Out of the many facets of waste management that occurs, rubbish removal is important and very relevant to the upkeep and the evolution of our society. Our environment plays a huge part in the survival and future of our lives, and over the years more rubbish removal techniques have come into motion.

Different methods are practiced on a daily basis to help sort our domestic and commercial waste in attempts to save and recycle as much as possible. In later years it has become apparent that landfill sites are too full and beginning to damage our ecosystems, hence why there is now a bigger emphasis than ever on going green in order to reduce our carbon footprint.

Various steps to counteract the destruction of the plant have been put in place, namely the process of reusing and recycling. For Example, methods such as incineration, where solid organic waste materials are converted into heat, gas, ash and steam – which can then be used for new energy sources.

Other than government processes for rubbish removal, we are all encouraged to do our bit at home by using reusable bags for our shopping rather than wasting more plastic, using lower energy lightbulbs, monitoring our use of lights and heating as well as segregating our general waste into various elements of recyclable, compost and hazardous so that we are only disposing what is necessary. And, even within these categories there are a number of further compartmentalising to be done; plastic, glass, paper, metal, textiles and electronics.

Rubbish removal is evidently necessary and we cant control the fact that there will always be waste, but in many circumstances there is a lot of unnecessary waste being thrown away. What we can control is how much we are throwing out as ‘waste’; if we use reusable shopping bags, start turning food waste into compost, separate our recyclable waste in the appropriate bag we will them manage to keep our waste to a minimum. Having the segregated recycling and refuse bags make it clear to rubbish removals what rubbish has to go where – thus improving society’s waste management.

Any DIY project will almost inevitably lead to significant quantities of waste, and that waste will of course require effective management.

Merely disposing of waste in bulk is not only logistically difficult, it is also extremely wasteful, given that most DIY waste can either be recycled or put to alternative uses.

In addition, there is a danger that the hazardous nature of some DIY waste can go unnoticed when disposed of as part of a bulk consignment; presenting a threat not only to the environment but also to the health of those involved in the waste disposal process itself.

The first principle for Recycling waste from DIY projects is to separate the waste into different waste types. In this way, the waste can be more easily managed according to each distinct category and will also more easily lend itself for recycling.

Plastic trimmings and paper off-cuts from home decorating projects are obvious examples of recyclable materials. There are however, also some rather ‘niche’ types of waste products that can be transformed into usable items.

Rubble from an old wall or a crumbling path, for example, can be used as aggregate in professional building works, unwanted fixtures and fittings can be cleaned up and re-used and unwanted textiles can also be processed for recycling.

In many cases, the waste produced after a DIY project can still prove difficult to manage, particularly given that the quantities generated are so much larger than those normally associated with household refuse.

It can also be extremely difficult for the non-professional to deduce which waste products can be recycled, as opposed to disposed of or neutralised, and where the more specialist recyclable items should be taken.

For this reason, many householders planning to undertake a DIY project are increasingly more likely to use the services of a registered waste management company to handle their DIY rubbish removal needs.

For most householders, the most effective way of ‘going green’ is to manage the process of rubbish removal in much more imaginative and useful ways. Not only can this benefit the environment and immediate surroundings, it can also help to save money.

The main principle behind going green is that of recycling waste wherever possible, rather than merely consigning all unwanted items to the general refuse bin.

The most immediate benefit of recycling waste is that it will not need to be incinerated or left to clog up landfill sites; both of which contribute unnecessarily to the release of harmful gasses in the atmosphere.

Recycling will also help prevent valuable resources from being wasted. By processing used plastics into reusable plastic materials, for example, there is less need to make fresh plastic from petroleum.

Likewise, by recycling paper, fewer trees will need to be destroyed to make wood pulp.

It should be noted however the recycling of waste is not only about benefitting the wider environment; it can also generate immediate benefits closer to home.

Recycling can mean, for example; donating old clothes to local charities rather than leaving them, out for rubbish removal.

It can also involve using a composter to store organic waste such as grass cuttings and left-over foodstuffs, in order to produce nutrient-rich fertiliser to help grow plants in the garden.

It can even help to save on the household budget if items normally reserved for rubbish removal are re-used in imaginative ways.

A cardboard shoe box, for example, decorated in adhesive paper and with the lid removed, can make an ideal receptacle for the storage of CDs or DVDs and save on having to spend out on retail storage products (some of which are merely made out of cardboard anyway).

Finally, recycling waste also helps reduce the amount of unsightly and unpleasant refuse stored for rubbish removal.

DIY is still a popular way of completing simple repairs and improvements around the home without incurring the expenses of a tradesman. It should always be appreciated however, that any DIY project carries with it a potentially significant cost to the environment, largely by way of the waste these jobs almost always generate. This cost however, can be minimised if simple green DIY waste management practices are followed.

It is right to concern ourselves with the impact of DIY waste. DIY waste is more often than not generated in far larger quantities than ordinary household waste and there is also much less chance that DIY waste will contain bio-degradable elements. In addition, DIY waste is much more likely than ordinary household waste to include materials of a hazardous nature.

For all these reasons, it is imperative that DIY rubbish is not disposed of haphazardly or in an indiscriminate way; DIY waste management should be undertaken in an organised and structured way. This can be done by firstly separating the waste into different waste types, and then dealing with each waste type in an appropriate manner.

Through separating and organising rubbish in this way, the recycling of waste products can be much more easily achieved. Metallic or cardboard are good examples of such recyclable items.

Other types of waste produce can also be put to good use through separation, for example; plant material for composting, building rubble for aggregate or used fixtures and fittings for refurbishment and redeployment.

At the same time, dangerous substances, such as oil-based paints, can be more easily neutralised if they are segregated first.

Since DIY can result in both unusually large amounts of waste, and waste of a non-routine nature, many householders find it easier to rely on a registered specialist contractor to organise both their rubbish collections and subsequently the waste separation.