Printers Still Need To Register Hazardous Waste

With the deadline less than a month away, many UK printers have failed to register with the Environment Agency under the European Union's tough new hazardous waste regulations.

With the deadline less than a month away, many UK printers have failed to register with the Environment Agency under the European Union's tough new hazardous waste regulations coming in to force.

Failure to do so by July 16 means the companies will be unable to dispose of their waste legally, leading to fears of fly-tipping.

All companies generating more than 200 litres of hazardous waste annually must register.

Print industry waste management specialist J and G Environmental, said that it had written to 1,400 customers in April advising them of the deadline and offering to register on their behalf but the company said that 50 per cent of those companies have still to respond.

J and G's customer services manager, Richard Spreadbury, said: "Those companies are cutting it a bit fine now.

Although it looks certain that the registration deadline will be extended to September, doing nothing about it until then is not a sensible option.

The problem seems to be that the regulations are being implemented but the Environment Agency has not publicised them enough, so many hundreds of printers are unaware of the requirements.

Goodness knows how many companies throughout the country have still to register." He added that if companies register they will receive a registration number, which has to be given to a licensed waste carrier before waste is taken away from factory premises.

Without that number, it cannot be legally moved and will begin to pile up.

"It only costs GBP 18 to register to avoid problems and waste carriers can do it for you.

Alternatively, they companies can register at the Environment Agency's website - www.environment-agency.gov.uk - but our fear is that some less scrupulous companies will resort to fly tipping, or some other method of illegal disposal," commented Spreadbury.

Government ministers have already warned that those companies breaching the hazardous waste regulations face heavy penalties, including jail sentences and hefty fines.

From July, businesses will no longer be able to simply discard and disown their waste.

They will have to describe exactly what the waste contains and that will determine what can be done to ensure its safe disposal.

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