A wide variety of wastes are produced by industry and households. These can be divided into construction Industry waste, domestic waste, commercial waste, hazardous waste and radioactive waste. Many of these wastes can be recycled to provide new raw materials or incinerated to provide energy. We have experience in dealing with all of these waste categories
Construction Industry Waste
This category of waste includes soils, rock, concrete, bricks, rubble and demolition waste. A great deal of the bulk of the waste can be reclaimed by crushing and/or screening to produce topsoil or sub base material. We can advise on methods and measures to reduce nuisance to adjacent premises.
Domestic Waste
A wide variety of materials are included in domestic waste. These range form garden vegetation to food waste. Most "green waste" is now recycled by converting it into compost. In some areas food waste is also composted. A significant portion of the remaining waste is separated and recycled. The remaining material is either incinerated or deposited in landfill sites. We have designed waste treatment and composting operations and can advise on methods of disposal of unsuitable material.Commercial Waste
The bulk of this waste is material from the selling or production of goods. It included food waste, hospital waste, packaging waste, scrap metal, timber and plastic. Much of this material can be recycled sometimes at source with a consequent saving in transport costs. We are able to advise on separation and recycling of these materials.
Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste is so designated because it can cause harm to either people or the environment or both. It ranges from toxic liquids and gasses to acid sludges and materials such as asbestos. These materials can be treated in a wide variety of ways to either reduce the toxicity or encapsulate the material in such a way that the toxic elements are prevented from coming into contact with people or the environment. We have a great deal of experience in designing and building treatment plants and separation plants to separate and recycle the material.
Radioactive Waste
Radioactive waste has a high profile because of its perceived ability to do harm. A great deal of radioactive materials are used in hospitals either in diagnostics or in cancer treatment. In general terms radioactive waste can be divided into high level, intermediate level and low level waste. High level waste is mainly produced from the reprocessing of used reactor fuel although some is produced during decommissioning of reactors. This waste must be isolated from the environment for thousands of years until the radioactive elements have decayed This waste is characterised by the presence of actinide elements which emit alpha particles and have long half-lives. In addition the waste produces heat from the decay process. Intermediate level waste includes elements which decay relatively rapidly but because of their intense radioactivity must be isolated from the environment. Low level wastes make up the bulk of radioactive wastes and range form used gloves and overalls to used diagnostic reagents from hospitals. These wastes contain generally extremely low concentrations of radioactive elements or only require a relatively short time for the radioactive elements to decay. We have experience in decontaminating contaminated sites and have designed containers which isolate wastes from the environment.