Sheffield

Hallam
University
WASTE MANAGEMENT POLICY

1 UNIVERSITY POLICY

This Waste Management Policy forms part of the University's sustainability

framework and underpins the University's sustainability policy.

The policy aims to reduce the negative environmental impacts of our waste, to
reduce landfill waste and to ensure disposal of waste materials is in an
environmentally responsible manner.

We recognise we need to reduce the unnecessary use of raw materials and will
enable waste recycling, composting and energy recovery to assist in reducing
landfill waste.

The University is committed to the implementation of an effective waste management

programme that meets or exceeds all legislative and regulatory requirements placed
upon it.

2 POLICY AIMS

The University's waste management policy is based on the principle that priority
order of action is to:

• Reduce waste produced: Through purchasing policy, operational activity and by

raising awareness, reduce the waste that will be created for disposal.
• Re-use: Before discarding items, take action to re-use in the first instance within the
University and if this is not applicable, with external nominated organisations and
contractors. Every avenue of re-use of items must be explored before being
discarded as wastes.
• Recycle: The University has the facility to recycle significant quantities of general
waste and is increasing this provision and its targets as new markets are developed
for recycled materials. Where practical and viable, the University's procurement
activities will support these markets for recycled materials.
• Minimum waste to landfill: Redundant items that cannot be dealt with other than
being disposed of, will in the first instance, be considered for heat recovery before
being sent to landfill as a last resort.
• Risk Minimisation: Including considering the end of life disposal (costs and
environmental impact) when making purchasing decisions and developing activities.
Complying with regulations, legislation and applying best practice in order to
minimise risks of immediate and future pollution or harm to health by disposing of
waste appropriately.

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3 WASTE MANAGEMENT

Faculties and Directorates are required to have appropriate procedures and waste
management processes in place as applicable to the waste being produced.

Certification of appropriate disposal (in the form of a waste transfer note,

consignment note or certificate of disposal) must be obtained by the Faculty or
Directorate when using an external approved service supplier to dispose of wastes.

Waste should be prevented or minimised wherever possible and must be stored,

carried, processed or disposed of in accordance with the principles of duty of care.

Waste must be stored in compliant and suitable containers and locations pending
their disposal.

Waste containers must be securely sealed to prevent accidental spillage or

leakage.

Segregation of waste should take place to prevent mixing of incompatible

materials and to allow for recycling.

Waste is not to be stored in plant rooms or service risers.

Waste and recycling removed from the university must only be transported by
persons or service providers that are authorised to do so.

4 DEFINITIONS

Waste
Waste includes any substance or object which the holder discards or intends or is
required to discard and any substance which constitutes a scrap material, an
effluent or other unwanted surplus arising from the application of any process or
any substance or article which requires to be disposed of which has been broken,
worn out, contaminated or otherwise spoiled as per the Environmental Protection
Act 1990 and amendments.
General Waste
A form of Controlled Waste, comprising all Waste from University Faculties and
Directorates with the exception of Hazardous Waste.

Recycling
The diversion of waste away from landfill or incineration and the reprocessing of
those wastes either into the same product or a different one. This mainly includes
non-hazardous wastes (or non-hazardous components of other wastes) such as
paper, glass, plastic and scrap metal.

Duty of Care
A requirement of all producers, importers, carriers and those involved in the
disposal of waste to take all reasonable steps to ensure that waste is segregated,
described, stored, transported and treated or disposed of safely.

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 Service Provider
Third parties providing works, goods or services to the University whether
contracted or not.

Hazardous Waste
This term encompasses the term Special Waste as defined by Hazardous Waste
Regulations 2005 and amendments. It includes waste that could, in certain
circumstances, be harmful to human health or the environment in the short or long
term due to its physical, chemical or biological properties of explosive, oxidising,
flammable or highly flammable, irritant, corrosive, toxic or very toxic, harmful,
carcinogenic, mutagenic, infectious and ecotoxic.

Batteries, fluorescent tubes, photographic chemicals, paint, waste oils, solvents,

acids, alkaline solutions, pesticides and electrical equipment are all hazardous
wastes.
Some hazardous wastes such as Asbestos, Electrical and Radioactive Waste are
subject to their own regulations and within the University; their disposal is covered
by other guidance.

Animal By-Product Waste

Animal by-product (ABP) waste includes parts of animal carcasses, products of
animal origin which are not intended for human consumption and slaughterhouses.

ABP waste also includes catering waste (all waste food from restaurants, catering
facilities, central kitchens) although the regulations pertaining to catering wastes
are less onerous than other kinds of ABP wastes and for the purposes of this
Policy, they are included within the General Waste stream.

Radioactive Waste
The disposal of radioactive substances must be fully in accordance with the
requirements of EPR2010. Specific policy and guidance with regard to radioactive
substances can be found from the Health & Safety Service document HSSP10.

5 REVIEW, CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT AND REPORTING PERFORMANCE

Audits of waste will be carried out throughout the year by a range of University staff
and external auditors as part of local procedures or as part of ISO 14001.

Reports on findings from audits will inform the procedures of dealing with waste to
ensure legal and regulatory compliance and continually improve our environmental
impact and performance.
Performance against targets will be reported in the annual sustainability report to
University Executive and the Board of Governors for approval before being
published.

6 RESPONSIBILITIES

Members of Staff
All members of the University community have a personal responsibility for the
way their conduct impacts on this policy and should ensure that the waste they
create is dealt with in accordance with this policy.

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 Faculties and Directorates

Have a duty to comply with legislation relating to the segregation, storage,

transport, treatment and recording of waste types. Directors and Heads of
Departments are responsible to ensure this policy is disseminated within their area
of responsibility.

Sustainability and Energy Strategy Manager

The Sustainability and Energy Strategy Manager is responsible for the
development of this policy including stakeholder consultation.

Facilities Management
For the implementation of the policy with respect to the general waste streams
across the institution

Managers and technical staff

With changing waste legislation affecting the University, those Managers and
Technical staff with responsibilities for the disposal of waste (for example from
laboratories), must ensure that they are doing so legally and appropriately.

The Assistant Director Estates Development and Sustainability

For the performance monitoring of this policy, review and future development

7 REVIEW

This policy will be reviewed annually within the Environmental Management System.
If no changes are required, the policy will remain valid.

Original version v1.0 December 2009

Amended v2.0 July 2011
Amended v3.0 March 2013
Amended v4.0 August 2014
Amended v5.0 August 2015

Signed: Date: 14 August 2015

Position: Director of Estates and Facilities