If you have bulky waste or larger amounts of waste to recycle or dump then the easiest way to deal with it if you don’t want to pay for a skip is to visit your local tip or recycling centre. Most councils offer a free recycling service on site as long as you are a local council tax payer and the waste is household waste. Trade waste from a company or tradesman is not accepted and there are strict rules around this so check before you travel to the facility.
Usual day to day things are straight forward to recycle or dump but some waste is classed as ‘Special Waste’. Its classed as Special Waste for a number of reasons, it could be that the item is deemed as hazardous or dangerous waste or it could just simply mean there is a special way or process to recycle that particular item.
Below is a brief list of commonly found Special Waste and the best practices to deal with it safely and legally.
Asbestos: Asbestos is a hazardous waste and is dangerous to health. Asbestos comes in different forms but usually sheets. Asbestos has to be handled very carefully and packed in a certain way. Although some council sites do accept this special waste you will need to make contact your local council to learn which site accepts asbestos and how it needs to be prepared before you handle it.
Batteries: You can recycle standard home batteries in many places, often supermarkets have collection points for batteries. You can take standard batteries to your local tip for recycling, car batteries and small truck batteries are usually accepted too, due to the acid content batteries are a hazardous waste and need to be handled with care.
Water Filter Cartridges (Brita): Although not classed as a hazardous waste these cartridges are often re serviceable by their manufacturer, contact Brita Filters online to access their recycling scheme for water filter cartridges.
Clinical Waste: Clinical waste such has infectious materials, needles from syringes etc is considered hazardous waste and local councils will not accept clinical waste at any of their recycling centres or tips. Clinical Waste must be dealt with by professionals in a safe way, contact the local Environmental office ot local council for further advice on clinical waste.
Deceased Animals: Deceased animals are accepted at some sites but instruction on what animals can be taken and when should be sought before visiting the site. Most councils will also remove dead animals from road-side or common land.
Japanese Knot Weed: Japanese Knotweed is a fast-growing plant that is very invasive and causes damage to property. None of the council sites accept Japanese Knotweed in their garden waste programs or any general waste disposal bins. Any plant material or soil containing this plant even as roots or rhizomes must be treated as hazardous waste. This waste stream must be handled by licensed professionals and is covered with lots of legal legislation around the handling, treatment and disposal of it. Contact your local council for a list of professional licensed disposal companies.
Drugs and Medication: Any unused drugs, tablets, medicine, creams or medicated treatments should be returned to a local pharmacy. They will dispose of them for free for you in the safest way possible.
The list is not extensive and is a simple guid of the most common types of special waste you may come across, and other wastes not listed here could still fall into this category so if you are unsure what waste you have and how to handle it then check with your local council or the environmental agency for advice.
