04.09.26
The discovery of almost 3,500 tonnes of illegally dumped waste at three sites across the North East is a stark reminder that what happens to waste after it leaves a business matters.
The Environment Agency is currently investigating sites in Peterlee, Hartlepool and Callerton, near Newcastle, all of which contain shredded household waste. Access to the sites has now been blocked and investigations are underway, alongside plans to clear the material.
For those of us working within the waste and recycling sector, incidents of this scale are particularly concerning. They have obvious consequences for local communities and the environment, but they also undermine the many legitimate waste businesses investing in the people, infrastructure, compliance and processes needed to manage material responsibly.
They should also prompt an important question for every organisation producing waste:
Do you know where your waste actually goes?
Waste doesn't stop being your responsibility when it leaves your site
For businesses, choosing a waste contractor should involve more than comparing the price of a collection.
Under the waste Duty of Care, organisations have a legal responsibility to take reasonable steps to ensure their waste is managed correctly. This includes checking that the business collecting it is appropriately authorised and providing an accurate description of the waste being transferred.
Importantly, that responsibility extends beyond simply watching a vehicle leave the premises. Government guidance states that waste holders have a responsibility to take reasonable steps to ensure waste is managed correctly throughout its journey to recovery or disposal.
Failure to comply with Duty of Care requirements is a criminal offence and there is no upper limit on the courts' power to impose a fine.
That makes due diligence an important part of procurement.
Checking waste carrier registrations, understanding where material is being taken, ensuring appropriate documentation is in place and questioning anything that does not look right are not administrative niceties. They are fundamental elements of responsible waste management.
The cheapest route is not always the legitimate route
Waste is a commodity, but it is also a highly regulated one.
The economics of managing different waste streams can change considerably. Commodity markets fluctuate, treatment requirements evolve and the acceptance criteria applied by permitted outlets and reprocessors can become more stringent.
In some areas of the market, finding appropriate and compliant outlets for certain materials has become increasingly challenging. That is not necessarily a bad thing: robust scrutiny is essential if environmental standards are to mean anything. But it does create commercial pressures throughout the waste supply chain.
A responsible operator has to respond to those pressures appropriately.
Sometimes that means additional sorting or processing. Sometimes a material needs more specialist treatment. Sometimes an outlet that was previously available is no longer suitable. And sometimes the compliant answer is simply more expensive than it used to be.
What it should never mean is losing sight of where the waste ultimately ends up.
This is one reason businesses should be cautious of disposal prices that appear significantly below the wider market. A low price is not evidence of wrongdoing, but where the economics do not appear to make sense, it is reasonable to ask how that price is being achieved.
Compliance has a cost – but so does getting it wrong
At J&B Recycling, compliance is part of the service we provide, rather than an addition to it.
Operating permitted waste facilities, maintaining appropriate licences and documentation, employing experienced teams, investing in processing infrastructure and working with legitimate downstream outlets all carry a cost.
But those controls provide something important: traceability and accountability.
Businesses should be able to understand what happens to their waste, how it is managed and, where appropriate, where materials travel next.
The consequences when that chain breaks down extend far beyond the waste industry. The Environment Agency estimates that waste crime costs the UK more than £1 billion every year, while illegally deposited material can leave landowners facing significant clean-up costs and local communities living with the environmental consequences.
The recent North East discoveries bring that issue particularly close to home for us, with one of the sites located here in Hartlepool.
Ask questions about your waste
Responsible waste management relies on transparency throughout the supply chain.
Businesses do not need to become waste experts, but they should expect their waste contractor to be able to answer sensible questions about where their material goes and how it is managed.
Check that your contractor is registered. Make sure your Waste Transfer Notes and other required documentation are in place. Understand what happens to your principal waste streams. And, if a disposal option or price seems too good to be true, do not be afraid to ask more questions.
The Environment Agency itself is encouraging people to check the public register of waste carriers before handing over waste and to keep a written record of where waste is being taken.
For legitimate operators, greater scrutiny of the waste sector should ultimately be welcomed. Strong regulation, effective enforcement and informed customers all help create a market in which responsible waste management can compete on a level playing field.
Because a waste collection is only the beginning of the process.
Where that waste ends up is what really matters.
Looking for a reliable waste partner?
If you’re looking for a reliable, compliant waste management company for your business, J&B Recycling provides tailored commercial waste and recycling services to businesses across the North East.
From regular bin collections to skips, roll-on roll-offs and specialist waste streams, our experienced team can help you find a solution that works for your business – with compliance, traceability and responsible waste management at its core.
Contact our team today to discuss your business waste requirements and find out how J&B Recycling can help.
