Waste Audits at Specified Intervals

Waste audits should be conducted at periods specified by the company by in house or external specialists. This will enable the company to identify areas where waste can be reduced, and the technology and resources required.

It is often best to concentrate upon only a few waste streams at a time in order to make the study less complicated. The outcomes of the audits can be put into the EIP beneath the progress column.

Allocation of cost

A system of identifying and allocating the costs that each area/department of the company generated through the wastes that they produce is a useful step to take in implementing a waste minimisation strategy. This will give rise to a more detailed picture of the costs of waste generation, and thus aid the company in its prioritisation. There should be a person given responsibility within each department for the wastes that they generate and the focus should be on the following areas of cost:

• Handling and storage on site
• Treatment
• Records
• Contingency for emergencies and remedial actions
• Insurance for potential pollution liability
• Raw material
• Waste disposal charges
• Transportation of the waste

Technology transfer encouragement

Technology transfer is through the study and transfer of technical information and expertise regarding waste minimisation for example: within the company, other companies (eg. Minimisation clubs, waste exchange), trade associations, best practice literature, universities, and consultants.

Useful source of information: The DTI's UK Environmental Business Club Directory is a useful source of information for waste minimisation.

Programme assessment

The entire programme needs to be assessed, for example at six monthly or yearly periods, in order to review the system, report progress and identify improvement opportunities.