Yep this is what this thread is all about RUBBISH and it is especially written for a fab geek Cathie (sorry it took so long) and to Glorsclaws for giving me a proverbial kick up the posterior and inspiration to write an article

Here is a quote from the Environmental Agency

The UK produces around 330 million tonnes of waste annually - a quarter of which is from households and business. The rest comes from construction and demolition, sewage sludge, farm waste and spoils from mines and dredging of rivers.”

Now my geeky friends although we do not contribute the most rubbish (25%)it is still quite a lot and every little counts in what we can do to help reduce all this waste and how we dispose of it!

So rubbish is well just that rubbish – isn’t it? Well in actual fact yes and no. We have different classifications of rubbish (technical name WASTE)!

Chemicals are important to us all in everyday life and some are used in health and some the production of food for example!

In our line of business they are extremely important – how would we get that peroxide blonde look or the longest nails in the world if we didn't use chemicals – get the idea??

However, there is a little bit more than meets the eye to disposal of chemicals, such as whether it is an industrial chemical- its life cycle stage i.e. production use disposal but also how it enters the environment – industrial emission or domestic waste and how long it takes to break down once it is in a landfill site (which are also regulated as to what waste can be taken there). Therefore ,we have to be aware of how to dispose of unused/used products carefully. If you decide to just "dump"

One way to identify what type of chemical it is, is to look on your MSDS sheets, these will sheets will also tell you whether they are hazardous etc. When running a Salon you are required to have these – imagine if that hunky fireman, you have had your eye on for ages, came to put out your fire and used water instead of foam? And then the whole place explodes rather than putting the fire out – exciting as it may seem it would be very dangerous for both the Fire services and the public (and of course yourself) not to know what was quietly bubbling away in your store room due to the heat/fire!

On the MSDs sheet, generally, it will also indicate how to dispose of the waste whether it be hazardous or non harzardous.

PLEASE NOTE you will be liable of (I think) a £2,000 fine if you do not comply with the correct waste disposal procedure

HABIA in their guide also give guide lines which can be downloaded from their site

Downloads | Habia

From what I understand all commercial properties will have a commercial bin and therefore, I would think that the council will be aware of whether what type of waste would be collected from those particular premises.

The way in which they work out whether something is harzardous is to compare the toxicity of the product compared with the weight - so for example acetone is highly flammable - therefore hazardous if in contact with a flame but when used with to remove enhancements in a proper ventilated salon etc (and of course no naked flames then it is relatively non hazardous - (not if it was radio active and your clients fingers and toes were turning green then that would be another story)



Controlled wastes include:

"Household waste" means waste from:

domestic property, that is to say, a building or Self-contained part of a building which is used wholly for the purposes of living accommodation;a caravan which usually and for the time being is situated on a caravan site; a residential home; premises forming part of a university or school or other educational establishment; premises forming part of a hospital or nursing home

"Commercial waste" means waste from:

premises used wholly or mainly for the purposes of a trade or business or the of sport, recreation or]entertainment.

“Industrial waste" means waste from:

any factory;any premises used for the purposes of, or in connection with, the provision to the public of transport services by land, water or air;any premises used for the purposes of, or in connection with, the supply to the public of gas, water or electricity or the provision of sewerage services; orany premises used for the purposes of, or in connection with, the provision to the public of postal or telecommunications services.

Clinical waste “Clinical waste” means any waste:

which consists wholly or partly of human or animal tissue,excretions,blood or bodily fluids,drugs or other pharmaceutical products,swabs or dressings; or syringes, needles or other sharp instruments.

Within the controlled wastes, a further classification can be made into hazardous, non hazardous and inert wastes depending on the effect of these wastes on the health and environment.

Hazardous waste

Certain types of wastes have properties (eg. toxic, carcinogenic) that make them hazardous. Movement and disposal of this waste is more tightly regulated. The European Commission (EC)uses the term “hazardous waste” for such substances, whilst the UK legislation refershazardous wastes as Special Wastes. Hazardous wastes are not necessarily the same as special wastes. Currently, there is an ongoing debate within the UK to adopt the EC’s definition of hazardous waste.

Non hazardous waste

Non-hazardous waste are those controlled waste which is not deemed to be hazardous.

Inert waste

Uncontaminated earth and excavation waste which]might include, for example, bricks, concrete, stone, building sand and gravel, ceramic materials, slates etc.

Non-controlled waste

Non-controlled waste include:

Agricultural
Mines and Quarries
However, new laws are proposed to bring these two wastes under the Agency's control.

Other noncontrolled wastes which are subject to separate legislative control are Radioactive, and Explosive waste.