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 Waste Deadline Looms
Monday 20th June 2005
Hundreds of printers fail to register...
With a deadline less than a month away, hundreds of UK printers have failed to register with the Environment Agency under the EU's tough new hazardous waste regulations coming into force this year.
Failure to do so by July 16 means the companies will be unable to dispose of their waste legally, leading to fears of fly-tipping. All companies generating more than 200 litres/kgs of hazardous waste annually must register.
Leading print industry waste management specialists J & G Environmental, who wrote to more than 1400 customers in April advising them of the deadline and offering to register on their behalf, say around 50 per cent have still to respond.
Customer Services Manager Richard Spreadbury said: "They are cutting it a bit fine now. Although it looks certain the registration deadline will be extended to September, doing nothing about it until then is not a sensible option.
"The problem seems to be that the regulations are being implemented but the Environment Agency has not publicised them enough so many hundreds of printers are unaware of the requirements. Goodness knows how many companies throughout the country have still to register.
"Get registered and you get a registration number which has to be given to a licenced waste carrier before waste is taken away from factory premises. Without that number, it cannot be legally moved and will begin to pile up. Yet it only costs £18 to register to avoid problems, and waste carriers can do it for you. Alternatively, register at www.environment-agency.gov.uk.
"Our fear is that some less scrupulous companies will resort to fly tipping or some other method of illegal disposal."
Ministers have already warned that those companies breaching the hazardous waste regulations face heavy penalties, including jail sentences and hefty fines.
From July, businesses will no longer be able to simply discard and disown their waste. They will have to describe exactly what the waste contains and this will determine what can be done to ensure its safe disposal.
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For further information please contact:
Richard Spreadbury at J&G Environmental. Telephone: 01258 453445.
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