What is Waste Duty of Care?

Anyone who produces, imports, keeps, stores, transports, treats or disposes of waste must take all reasonable steps to ensure that waste is managed properly.

As humans we are unique in that we, um, have a tendency to soil where we live. This has dramatic effects on our health, the health of our planet and every living thing we share it with. Legislation in the UK takes the position that we all have a responsibility to manage our waste to ensure that harm is minimised. But, did you realise, that even if you are not a waste management company, you still owe the environment a 'Duty of Care'? Any organisation that handles waste in any form is obligated to ensure that waste does not escape into the environment and cause harm. Whether you're a shop, healthcare organisation, householder, business or otherwise, you have a legal duty to ensure that your waste is correctly classified, collected by authorised people and treated or disposed of to authorised facilities. Responsibility for your waste only ends when it reaches its final treatment or disposal point - passing it to a waste management company doesn't mean it's not your problem any more.

If you have ever read a newspaper article on fly-tipping, you will know that the penalties for not complying with the Duty of Care legislation can be severe. So, how do you meet your obligations?

One way is to complete the new self-led online training course 'Waste Duty of Care' on madernelearning.com. This is a thorough course that will train you step-by-step to comply with the law.

Another way is to ask us to undertake a Duty of Care audit for you. This includes checking your waste through each point of the chain and ensuring that all organisations involved are appropriately permitted and legally able to manage your waste. You then receive a comprehensive report demonstrating your compliance for your records. Very useful for ISO accreditations and internal audits!

Whatever you choose to do, the onus is on you to show that you are managing your waste responsibly and in compliance with the law. Don't ignore it!