What happens to your waste?
After rubbish is put out for the bin men, most of us don't give it a second thought. Out of sight and out of mind. But what does happen to your rubbish and who handles it on its journey once it leaves your house or business?
Collection
Your local borough or district council is the waste collection authority (WCA) for your area. The WCA is responsible for collecting your rubbish and kebside recycling from your home. They are also responsible for providing the local recycling banks placed at car parks and other highly frequented locations. Other waste services your local council may provide include a bulky household waste and special waste collection; collection of abandoned vehicles, fly tipped waste and litter control.
Some local borough councils also provide a chargeable business waste collection service from commercial premises in their borough. Businesses can opt for this collection service or one provided by a private waste management company.
Disposal
Surrey County Council is the waste disposal authority (WDA) for the county. The WDA responsibilities include directing the public and the WCAs to facilities and sites to dispose of rubbish safely. Surrey County Council let a 25-year contract to Surrey Waste Management Ltd in 1999 to handle the disposal of household waste in the county. This includes operating the 15 Community Recycling Centres for households to take their bulky rubbish and recyclables directly to. As the disposal authority the county council encourages residents strongly to reduce and recycle their rubbish before it reaches disposal.
Planning for Household Waste Facilities
Surrey County Council is the waste planning authority (WPA) in the county. They are required by the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to prepare a Waste Local Plan that sets out policies for the use of land for the handling, treatment and disposal of waste arising in or brought into the County. In compliance with this Act, Planning Officers have recently prepared the draft Surrey Waste Plan, which has been subject to a separate public consultation. This draft document sets out policies and assessments relating to potential sites for waste treatment facilities to be developed up to 2016.
The WPA also determines individual applications for proposed waste management operations.
Regulating Household and Business Waste
The Environment Agency regulates the transport, sorting, treating and disposing of waste in the UK. The local Environment Agency Office (Swift House, Frimley Business Park, Frimley, Surrey GU16 5SQ. Tel: 08708 506 506 regulates the Duty of Care, waste carriers licence, Producer Responsibility Obligations for packaging waste, hazardous waste movements and waste management licences and permits for storage, treatment and disposal facilities.