New Welsh Waste Regulations commencing 6th April
From 6th April 2024, the new law in Wales will mean that all workplaces, including community pharmacy, must present the following materials separately for collection for recycling and arrange for the waste to be collected separately from other waste.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is responsible for making sure that materials are being separated and collected correctly, and that the ban on recycling going to incineration and landfill is being followed. Local authorities are responsible for making sure the ban on food waste going to sewer is followed.
Immediate action is to contact your waste supplier and confirm whether they are prepared for the changes, and how they plan to comply including new bins or receptacles to support the separation of waste.
If you operate your business independently, setting up a recycling service and ensuring you are complying with the new law will be your responsibility. If you do not comply with the law, it could mean a fine for your pharmacy.
Your waste must be segregated into the following waste streams for collection:
- Paper and card
- Glass
- Metal, plastic, and cartons and other similar packaging (for example coffee cups)
- Food – all premises that produce 5kg or more of food waste in seven consecutive days
- Unsold small waste electrical and electronic equipment (sWEEE)
- Unsold textiles.
Food waste
The 5kg food waste weight limit applies to any seven-day period. If you produce 5kg or more of food waste during any seven days, then it must be presented separately for collection. If you do not produce over 5kg per week this should be monitored to take account of any changes on the premises, for example an increase of staffing levels or visitors.
This law only applies to household-like waste produced by workplaces, that is waste that is usually found at home and routinely collected from the kerbside.
The new law bans any food waste of any amount from being disposed of down the sink or drain into the sewer. It means you cannot use in-sink maceration units that chop or liquidise food waste and send it down the drain. While it will not be illegal for you to have a macerator, de-waterer, or other similar food waste disposal technology, it will be illegal to use them to send food waste into sewers.
Documentation
As a waste producer, you are required to produce a waste transfer note. In most cases, your waste collector will produce this for you. What you need to consider:
- Ensure that the description of the waste being collected is accurate and that none of the separated materials can be sent by your waste collector to landfill or incineration.
- Ask your waste collector for regular evidence of the final processing destinations of your segregated materials.
Waste collection
All occupiers of workplaces must correctly present recyclable materials separately for collection by their chosen waste collector. Whether you own, rent, or lease your premises, it still applies.
If you share a space, you may need to check if a central recycling system that meets the requirements of the law will be provided by landlords. If so, it will be your responsibility to ensure you and your staff use the recycling systems provided correctly. If not, your recyclable waste will be your responsibility. If you mainly have an online presence, you will still need to comply with the changes on any premises that you use.
Numark have reached out to the CPW board to highlight the change to waste regulation as another increase to workload, complexity and cost to pharmacy businesses in Wales.