Environmental Management System –

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Environmental Management System

8.1.9 Waste Management Operational Procedure

Issued: September 2019

Author: Fiona Wheatley

Approved by: Fiona Abbott
Review date: 06/09/2019
Clause Ref: Ecocampus and ISO 14001(2015): 8.1
DO NOT PRINT THIS PROCEDURE UNLESS NECESSARY
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Management of Waste
1 Purpose
This document sets out how to the University will manage the storage, transfer, re-
use and disposal of its waste, including control of relevant waste documentation. It;

• address the risks and opportunities associated with the waste aspect;
• outlines how waste documentation is stored and maintained;
• outlines the storage and transfer of waste to authorise person/businesses
without harming the environment
• describes the compliance with relevant environmental legislation

2 Definitions
Senior Management – person or group of people who direct and control an
organisation at the highest level.
Risks and Opportunities – potential adverse effects (threats) and potential
beneficial effects (opportunities).
Process – Set of interrelated or interactive activities which transform inputs into
outputs.

3 Responsibilities
Corporate Provide templates to support the waste management
Responsibility practices within the University. Provide information and
team guidance on all matters related to waste management,
internal or external to Swansea University operations.
Offer members of staff and students support, as
required
Waste & Coordinate and develop waste management and
Recycling recycling services across all Swansea University sites.
Officer Responsible for ensuring waste is collected by licenced
contractors and disposed of at authorised facilities, and
ensure waste transfer and consignment notes are
stored as required. Development of waste strategy,
raising awareness and promoting waste and recycling
services, and compliance.

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Environment Ensuring compliance & deployment through the

Manager University’s EMS.
Head of Primary budget holder for the University waste
Sustainability management contract and the development of waste
management into the Sustainability strategy.
Veolia (main The daily collection of on-campus waste and its transfer
waste to off-site licenced facilities for processing in line with
contractor) the requirements of the waste hierarchy. The provider of
specialist waste services as an when required to the
University as contracted. Provision of all duty of care
waste documentation e.g WTN, structured invoicing for
services, and weight collection data.
Veolia waste Coordinating and overseeing daily on campus waste bin
operatives collections. Coordinating all campuses skip collections
and deliveries. Maintaining and cleaning all waste
compounds. Servicing all external quad bins at Bay
Campus, and 10 at Singleton and collection of any loose
waste found across the campuses whilst carrying out
duties. Completing all internal waste works requests as
contracted. Facilitate access to the primary compounds,
as and when required.
Grounds Staff Maintenance of university grounds including; litter
picking,
and the collection of any loose waste found across the
campuses, located outside the primary vicinity of the
campuses dedicated waste compounds. Taking said
waste to the nearest, or primary waste compound for
recycling by Veolia. Substantive collections of waste
due to ‘fly tipping’ will be removed by Veolia via a Works
Order request.
Cleaning Staff Removal of waste from all internal bins and transfer to
wheelie bins in the waste compounds.
All staff Ensure all waste streams are disposed of in the correct
bins and/or alternative approved manner.

4 Related documents
• Aspects and Impacts Register: Relevant environmental aspects and
associated environmental impacts are detailed within the University and/or
College/PSU Aspect & Impacts Register
• Waste Transfer Notes (WTN)/Waste Consignment Notes (WCN): Waste
transfer notes and consignment notes are official documents that record the
movement of waste from the University site and are stored by the Waste &
Recycling Officer or relevant departmental officer.

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• Waste Management Guidance Notes (WMGN): Waste Management

Guidance Notes are succinct guides to describe how a waste should be
managed throughout its lifecycle (generation to disposal).

5 Process
5.1 Waste Hierarchy
The Waste Hierarchy must be considered when deciding what the best option is to
manage a waste stream. This is a mandatory requirement of the Waste (England &
Wales) Regulations 2011. It places more emphasis on waste prevention, and
requires organisations to consider preparing waste for reuse, then opportunities for
recycling, before options such as energy recovery. By law, we need to apply the
Waste Hierarchy to ensure we minimise the impacts of our waste activities.

Figure 1: Waste Hierarchy Triangle

The University has committed to segregating its waste at source and focusing on
separating key recycling streams; cans, paper, plastics, food and glass. Segregation
at source improves recyclit quality and the principle is in line with the Waste
Regulations (England and Wales) 2011. The Regulations stipulate that materials
such as paper, metal, plastic and glass must be collected separately if it is necessary
to encourage high quality of the recycling of the material.

5.2 Waste Segregation and Disposal

All waste prior to reuse, recycling or disposal should be held in secure, designated
areas. All waste must be pre-treated (where required), segregated, clearly labelled
and held in areas to prevent escape. Storage facilities for waste must be;
• Safe and secure from unauthorised entry

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• Robust
• Covered and locked
Waste must only be transported off site by a registered waste carrier and disposed of
at a licensed waste disposal site. The Sustainability team can advise if a contractor
is authorised for the proposed workstream. Dangerous and hazardous waste
materials are to be disposed of in accordance with the Hazardous Waste
Regulations 2005.
Hazardous and non‐hazardous waste must not be put in the same receptacle

5.3 Waste Receptacles

5.3.1 External Waste Receptacles
Across the University campus inhabiting all communal areas, high foot falls areas
and entrance ways ‘quad’ bins have been installed to enable the segregation of
waste and recycling. Only metal, top-opening quads/duos with black bin bags for
non-recycling and clear bags for recycling streams (paper, plastic and cans) are to
be used externally to the specification captured in Figure 1. Figure 2 highlights other
external waste receptacles that are utilised by the University for other recycling
streams.

Figure 2 – Swansea University external ‘quad’ bin

Figure 3 – Swansea University external bins, on order mixed recycling / glass

recycling only / food waste only / coffee cups only

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5.3.2 Internal waste receptacles

(A) Communal areas and office work spaces

All communal and high-foot fall areas are supplied with internal quad bins (see
Figure 4). Offices and shared work spaces that host 10 or more staff will be provided
with a quad bin. For offices that host less than 10 staff quads and duos will be
located in the immediate area within external corridors, offering a recycling point for
office waste. Individual offices will not be supplied with quads or duo bin however
bins will be located in the immediate area within external corridors, offering a
recycling point for office waste.

Desk bins are not supplied as they are not conducive to improving recycling rates,
and those in current circulation will not be serviced by cleaning staff. Staff can
request desk bin removal be placing a works order via the helpdesk system.
(B) Teaching spaces - Lecture halls and class rooms
Teaching spaces, such as lecture halls hosting more than 100 seats, will have a
quad bin located within the space. Teaching spaces hosting less than 100 seats will
have quad and duo bins located outside the spaces located in the immediate area
within external corridors, offering a recycling point for staff & student waste.

Figure 4 – Swansea University indoor ‘quad’ and ‘duo’ bins

(c) Laboratory and Workshops

For Health & Safety purposes, it is imperative University laboratories and workshops
purchase and install waste bins that are adequate for the waste streams produced,
whether this be chemically contaminated wastes, or clinical health waste. Having the
correct type of bin improves laboratory and workshop safety, as well as cleanliness.

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The University now has a specification for metal fire retardant, clinical waste grade
bins, which are designed for specialist working areas. Further guidance can be found
here1 on bin sizes and costs. For safety and to eliminate contamination quad bins
should not be placed into laboratories or workshops.

80Litre Metal Sackholder • Metal

• Pedal operated
• Hands free
• Front opening
• Fire retardant
• Easy clean
• Anti-bacterial

Figure 5 – Example of laboratory and workshop compliant bins

All laboratory and workshop bins must have clear labels, to ensure compliance and
correct waste segregation.
Quad and duo bins must not be placed into laboratories or workshops.

5.4 Waste Management Guidance Notes (WMGN)

A range of Waste Management Guidance Notes have been developed to provide
guidance on a wide range of controlled, and hazardous wastes generated by the
University. All guidance notes are reviewed every two years (or earlier if required)
and updated in line with changes to waste regulations, and operational controls.
Each guidance notes outlines; waste duty of care requirements, EWC code, waste
description, internal storage requirements, and confirms the correct disposal
procedure. All guidance notes have been developed in line with current waste
regulations. The core WMGN are outlined below but the current list can be found on
the Sustainability pages on the University website2.

1 Compliant Waste Bins for Chemically Contaminated and Clinical specification guide
available from https://staff.swansea.ac.uk/media/compliant-chemically-contaminated-
and-clinical-waste-bins.pdf
2 https://www.swansea.ac.uk/sustainability/waste/#waste-management-guidance-

notes=is-expanded

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Non-Hazardous
• WMGN01 Non-Recycling
• WMGN02 Plastic
• WMGN03 Paper
• WMGN04 Food tins and cans
• WMGN05 Confidential Waste
• WMGN06 Cardboard
• WMGN07 Glass
• WMGN08 Wood
• WMGN09 Metal
• WMGN10 Coffee Cups
• WMGN11 Plasterboard
• WMGN12 Stationary
• WMGN13 Used Cooking Oil
Hazardous WEEE
• WMGN14 Toner Cartridges
• WMGN15 Batteries
• WMGN16 Lightbulbs/Fluorescent Tubes
• WMGN17 WEEE
• WMGN18 Paint
• WMGN19 Aerosols
Chemical Waste
• WMGN20 Chemical Waste Classification
• WMGN21 Chemically Contaminated Laboratory Solid Waste (Red Bag)
• WMGN22 Laboratory and Workshop Sharps
• WMGN23 Laboratory and Workshop Glass and Glass Sharps
Clinical and Healthcare hazardous and Non-hazardous Waste
• WMGN24 Anatomical Waste – Human & Animal; Non-chemical & Chemically
Preserved (Red)
• WMGN25 Infectious Clinical Waste (Orange Bag)
• WMGN26 Infectious and Chemically Contaminated Solid and Sharps Waste
(Yellow bag/box)
• WMGN27 Infectious Solid and Sharps Cytotoxic & Cytostatic Waste (Purple)

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• WMGN28 Other Medicine Waste (Blue)

• WMGN29 Offensive Waste (Black/Yellow)
• WMGN30 Biological
Engineering
• WMGN31 Oil-Contaminated Solid Waste
• WMGN32 Oil Waste
If you have a waste stream not included in the above, please contact estates-
waste@swansea.ac.uk.

5.5 Waste Licenses and Permits

Any activity involving the; storage, use, treatment or disposal of waste on University
grounds requires either;
• an Environmental Permit from the Environmental Regulator, and/or:
• to register an Exemption with the Environmental Regulator, and/or:
• to comply with other terms and conditions where the above are not required
As the volume of hazardous waste produced by the University exceed the Natural
Resources Wales threshold of 500kg, each campus has been registered as a
producer of hazardous waste. The annual registration will be renewed by the
Sustainability Team. For further details regarding waste permits and exemptions, if
you are responsible for storing, or processing any waste ready for disposal, please
contact; estates-waste@swansea.ac.uk.
The University sites are also registered as a Lower Tier Waste
Carrier/Broker/Dealer. These licences will last indefinitely, unless revoked or
withdrawn. Each site is registered; this allows the University to transfer its own non-
hazardous waste in University-owned vehicles, only, between sites. If you carry
waste on the public highway, you must carry a license in your vehicle. These can be
obtained from; estates-waste@swansea.ac.uk.

5.6 Authorised Waste Carrier

Veolia is the main waste contractor for Swansea University; Veolia manage and are
responsible for further sub-contractors. All waste contractors must be authorised as
registered carriers of controlled waste. The University annually checks the
certificates of registrations and their expiry dates for all of the waste contractors
associated with the waste management contract. Evidence of registrations and
permits are stored centrally by the Sustainability Team.

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5.7 European Waste Catalogue (EWC) Code

All wastes produced will have a corresponding EWC code. It is a legal requirement
that any waste produced sent for recycling, or disposal must be correctly classified
using a EWC code. A EWC is a code used to identify waste, as listed in the
European Waste Catalogue, also referred to as List of Waste (LoW) or Waste
Classification Code.
The European Waste Catalogue is made up of roughly 650 codes divided across 20
chapters. Each chapter of the catalogue is subdivided into categories. The EWC
code itself is consists of six digits. Whereas an asterisk next to the code denotes that
the waste is considered as hazardous.
At the University EWC codes for controlled waste are identified by the Sustainability
Team and applied to by the appointed contractor to all Duty of Care documentation.
For chemical waste disposal, the EWC is determined by the contractor-appointed
chemist prior to disposal. University staff are not permitted to coordinate waste
disposals independently outside of the remit of the current Veolia contract. Staff must
not apply EWC directly but contact estates-waste@swansea.ac.uk for guidance.

5.8 Transfer of Waste: Transfer and Consignment Notes

All waste movements must be recorded on a Waste Transfer Note or Hazardous
Waste Consignment Note (where applicable for hazardous waste). All Waste
Transfer Notes (WTN) must be retailed for two years, and include the following
information;
• A written description of the waste
• Our SIC Code (85.42/1: Higher Education)
• The 6 digit Waste Code (see EWC list)
• Quantity to be removed and collection address
• Confirmation that we have applied the Waste Hierarchy
All Hazardous Waste Consignment Notes (HWCN) must be retained for three years,
and include the following information;
• A written description of the waste
• Our SIC Code (80.30/2: Higher Education)
• The 6 digit European Waste Catalogue (EWC) Code (see EWC list)
• University Hazardous Waste “Premises Code”
• Quantity to be removed and collection address
• Part E: Consignee Certificate3 (this must be returned to the University
on completion for the document to be compliant and auditable)

3 link

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• Confirmation that the Waste Hierarchy has been applied

An invoice is NOT a Waste Transfer Notes or Hazardous Waste Consignment Notes.

Figure 6 shows an example of a WTN (other examples of Waste Transfer Notes are
available via the Government website4). Section A and B are to be completed by the
University, whilst Section C and D are to be completed by the appointed waste
management company.

Figure 6 – Example Waste Transfer Note

Figure 7 shows an example of a WNC (other example of Hazardous Waste
Consignment Note are available via the Government website5). The consignment
note has 5 parts (A to E). The waste producer or holder completes parts A, B and C.
The consignor (the waste collector) will check Part A,B,C and will complete Part D.

4 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/duty-of-care-waste-transfer-note-
template
5 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hazardous-waste-consignment-note

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Part E will be completed by the consignee (the person receiving the waste) and will
return the completed form to the waste producer, which must be retained for 3 years.

Figure 7 – Example of Hazardous Waste Consignment Note

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A copy of all Waste Transfer Notes or Hazardous Waste Consignment Notes

received must be sent to estates-waste@swansea.ac.uk.
5.8.1 Document Retention
All WTN/HWCN are retained centrally by the University’s appointed Waste and
Recycling Officer. Other documentation to be collated and held with the
Sustainability team include;
• Secure destruction certificates for confidential waste collections
• Electronic WEEE collection
• Radioactive waste disposal

5.9 Waste Monitoring & Reporting

The University’s Waste and Recycling Officer collects and collates the University’s
waste and recycling data on a monthly basis from all waste contractors. Data is
reported annually to HESA and is available for the Green League scoring. All
Colleges/PSUs are required to support the collation and submit data and
documentation promptly to the Sustainability team to ensure compliance and support
the review and continual improvement of waste management practices.

5.10 Contractors
Only approved contractor waste management companies can be used to dispose of
University waste. Further details about these contractors can be found by contacting
the Sustainability team: estates-waste@swansea.ac.uk. The Waste and Recycling
Officer ensures that all relevant licences are held by the contractors and that duty of
care requirements are upheld. Refer to 8.1.10 Needs and expectations from
Contractors for further guidance.
The University contactors are subject to frequent duty of care audit in order to review
compliance.

5.11 University’s Waste Contract Management

The University’s main waste contract with Veolia is managed and coordinated on a
daily basis by the Sustainability Team, with monthly contracts meeting held to
evaluate service provision, and key deliverables. Invoices, monthly waste data
collection reports, and Duty of Care documentation are supply by the contract to the
Waste and Recycling Officer. All data and invoices are validated, and waste
recharges applied via Estates Finance. All WMGN identify if charges are incurred for
the disposal for a specific waste stream.
University staff are directed through the WMGN to utilise the Help desk system for
certain waste collection and disposal services. These works orders will be directed to
the Sustainability Team for action with the appropriate contractor.

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The Sustainability Team coordinates the University waste budget, which covers the
daily and route waste services however for specialist and bespoke waste
arrangements charges apply. For further information please see the relevant WMGN
or contact estates-waste@swansea.ac.uk.

5.12 Waste Management for University Events

The University hosts hundreds of events on both Singleton and Bay campus every
year. The Sustainability Team attend weekly operational event management
meetings, and ensure provision of additional collections, events bins, as well as
waste collection operatives for all large scale events such as Open Days and Varsity.

To arrange additional waste and recycling services for an event, please email
estates-waste@swansea.ac.uk.

5.13 Waste Management Plan

The University’s current Waste Management Plan 2018-2020 is available from the
Sustainability Team webpages on the website. The purpose of the Waste
Management Plan is to support implementation of the University’s Sustainability
Strategy 2016-2020, in particular addressing the objectives and targets identified.
The plan sets out SMART objectives and targets for waste management-related
actions, tracking progress annually to measure impact and supporting continual
improvement under our ISO14001:2015 certified environmental management
system.

5.14 Waste Management Communication

Amendments to this document, or any other waste operational, and guidance
document resulting from changes to legislation will be communicated via the
Corporate Responsibility Committees, University website, email and posters where
appropriate.

6 Effects and actions of non-conformance

Failure to comply with this procedure may result in:
• Non-conformance with the requirements of EcoCampus and the ISO
14001:2015 standard.
Departure from this procedure is addressed in the procedure 10.1 Nonconformity
and Corrective Action

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7 Version control
Date Version Update
28/02/2019 1.0 New document
29/05/2019 2.0 Significant expansion of waste management
practices
16/09/2019 3.0 Transfer to accessible format and minor admin
changes
18/06/2020 4.0 Roles and Responsibility update; inclusion of
Veolia Operatives and Ground staff descriptions.

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