Recycling and the difference it can make

With global warming on the increase and waste produce at an all-time high it is important that we are recycling as much as possible. Recycling involves converting a waste product into a reusable state to avoid the need for new raw materials being sourced. Not only does this reduce the need for new resources, but also the process of recycling waste products is more energy efficient as a greater amount of energy is needed to extract refine, transport and process raw materials than is required to recycle a product.

There is a limit to our planet’s natural supplies and by using recycled materials we can extend the lifespan of the materials we source in order to get the most value out of them. Recently we came across an interesting local example of recycling with Dunton & Broughton Rangers FC nearby in Leicestershire. Their five-a-side pitch was in such a state and the team were unable to replace the pitch due to limited finances that they were forced to train elsewhere.

Fortunately, the team was donated new turf that was previously used as a five-a-side pitch in Canary Wharf. This turf was initially destined to end up in a landfill site but thankfully this has been avoided by giving the turf a second home and Dunton & Broughton Rangers FC can once again train as a complete team at their preferred location.

This is one example on a small scale that summarises the recycling process. Recycled products can be anything from bags, clothes, books and toys to furniture, construction materials and bins. In a nutshell it involves a material that could be labelled as waste being reused in a different capacity therefore extending the material’s life and limiting the amount of waste that finds its way to our landfill sites.

LSPS are scrap metal recycling and waste management specialists. We are one of Leicestershire’s largest independent ferrous and non-ferrous metal recyclers and have a 50 tonne electronic weighbridge onsite. More information can be found on the LSPS website, information specifically about our waste recycling and disposal services can be found here or alternatively you can call LSPS on our free phone number: 0800 083 7807.

Does your business need a license to carry waste?

At LSPS, our waste transfer station is designed to meet the waste disposal needs of businesses. Our extensive range of specialist, state of the art equipment makes this possible and our services are open to all traders who are licensed waste carriers. But what does being a licensed waste carrier mean? This article investigates.

As a business, if you transport, buy, sell, dispose of or arrange for someone else to buy, sell or dispose of waste then you are required to register for a waste carrier’s, broker’s or dealer’s license. If the waste you transport is produced by your own business then the registration is usually free and renews automatically but if you transport other people’s waste, such as construction or demolition waste then you are required to pay a fee of £154 for a 3 year licence.

In fact, if you don’t register you can face a fine of up to £5,000. The exception to this license requirement is for home owners and businesses who only move waste within their own premises – these parties do not require a waste carrying license.

This waste carrying license is split into two levels, lower tier and upper tier. In England, the upper tier registration covers waste management and construction businesses whereas the lower tier registrations include smaller scale businesses like carpet fitters and confidential waste collection companies.

If you are a licenced waste carrying trader in Leicestershire, LSPS can correctly process your waste ready for recycling or disposal. We do not accept waste that is considered hazardous and we do not except items such as fridges, freezers, asbestos, tyres or gas bottles.

More information can be found on the LSPS website, information specifically about our waste recycling and disposal services can be found here or alternatively you can call LSPS on our free phone number: 0800 083 7807.

Book your skip online with LSPS

If you are considering hiring a skip it is important that you book the right skip to meet your needs. At LSPS we have taken steps to make the process of hiring a skip as straight forward and hassle free as possible, whilst also ensuring that you get the right skip for you at the time and place that you need it.

It is very quick and easy to hire a skip from LSPS using our online skip booking form which asks for:

· the size of skip you require

· when you need the skip to be delivered

· when you need the skip to be collected

· your preferred delivery time

· the address the skip needs to be delivered to

· your contact telephone number

· the type of waste the skip will be used for (mixed, builders waste, green waste, scrap metal or paper)

· whether the skip is to be positioned on or off road

· whether you will be available to pay the driver on the delivery date

In addition to these fields you also have the opportunity to detail any special requirements that are unique to your skip hire order such as the need for lockable doors that prevent unauthorised access. Once you have submitted the online booking form we will contact you to confirm the order’s details and discuss skip availability.

When ordering a skip your primary concerns should be booking a skip that is an adequate size for your needs, assessing any site access issues and acquiring a skip permit if your skip is to be positioned on a public road or pavement. To avoid additional skip hire costs you should consider hiring a skip that is slightly larger than what you think you might need. LSPS can also acquire your skip permit to give you peace of mind during use. If you are unsure what type of skip would be best for your needs then you can visit our skip hire guide for more details.

More information about LSPS Ltd services can be found on our website, or alternatively you can call LSPS on our free phone number: 0800 083 7807.

Experience is crucial when moving machinery

If your business is looking to move items of machinery, we strongly recommend that you consult with a professional team to minimise the risk of causing damage. Attempting to move machinery with inadequate equipment could lead to the loss of production time or create significant bills to repair items damaged in transit. The process of moving machinery requires extensive planning, precision, extreme care and an attentive approach to health and safety. Above all, experience can be the most important asset during the process of relocating a machine. The knowledge required to foresee potential issues or spot developing problems during the moving process can only be gained through on-the-job experience.

For over 35 years, LSPS Ltd have assisted numerous companies with their machine relocation, removal and installation requirements. Our experienced team can move single or multiple machines within your business premises and provide transport for offsite relocation or dismantling. To do this effectively LSPS Ltd uses an extensive range of specialist machine moving equipment:

· fork lift trucks with 1-40 tonne load capacity

· hiabs with a 65 tonne lifting capacity at 1 metre

· stepframes

· curtainsides

· low-loader trailers

· mega lifts

Hiring LSPS Ltd to move your machinery will allow the process to be run smoothly, in a timely manner and will relieve your business of the stress that this delicate procedure can cause. Regardless of the scale of a project, our company can adapt and meet your machinery moving requirements, and with an international service we can relocate machinery to anywhere within Great Britain or Europe.

More information about LSPS Ltd services can be found on our website, or alternatively you can call LSPS on our free phone number: 0800 083 7807.

The benefits of using recycled wood as a heat source

It is estimated that around 7.5 million tonnes of waste wood is created in the United Kingdom each year. Currently, only around 16-20% of this waste is being recycled, either through reuse or by being converted into an energy product ready for incineration. Around 6 million tonnes (or 80%) of waste wood finds its way into UK landfill sites every year.

As well as the costs involved for our county councils, landfill sites also contribute a huge amount to land, water and air pollution. Increasing the amount of recycled and reused wood is a big concern of ours as the demand for wood is still on the rise. Recycling or reusing more waste wood would reduce the amount of wood waste left rotting in landfill sites and reduce the number of trees needed to maintain the world’s need for timber.

Using recycled wood to create heat

Recycled waste wood is providing a second use for the material and is reducing the amount being buried in landfill sites. Wood was one of the first materials used as a heat source because when dry the properties of wood allow it to produce a good amount of heat over a long period of time. When burnt in an enclosed stove wood can burn up to five times more efficiently than an open fire. It is important to state that you should never burn wood that is painted, coated in plastic or melamine, chipboard and MDF as these will produce toxic fumes.

Wood burning stoves are engineered to be highly efficient and are a great way to heat your home. Switching from a gas or electric heating system to using a wood burning stove as your main source of heat can dramatically reduce your carbon footprint. This is because you are replacing a fossil fuel with a sustainable fuel source. In addition to the eco-friendly aspect of recycling wood, there are significant benefits to using recycled wood products as a heat source in your home.

At LSPS we use the waste products from environmentally friendly saw mills to create our Wood Briquettes and Wood Pellets. Therefore, our Wood Briquettes are made from 100% recycled material, they burn more efficiently than regular timber and even radiate more heat compared to coal. These products can be used in open fires, stoves and boilers or cookers designed for these materials. They have very low moisture content which allows them to light quickly. They are smoke, spark and spitting free. They produce very low emissions, and leave a far smaller amount of ash residue.

More information can be found on the LSPS website, or alternatively you can call LSPS on our free phone number: 0800 083 7807.

Confidential Waste Disposal

Identity fraud continues to be a serious threat to people and businesses. The government estimates that the cost of such crimes is around £2 billion a year. Therefore, it is imperative that businesses dispose of their confidential waste as safely and securely as possible.

The data protection act is in place to ensure that businesses securely destroy old accounts and archived information; failure to do so can lead to prosecution. To avoid the unlawful disclosure or accidental loss of personal data, every business must have a data control policy to effectively manage their disposal process. Every item that contains personal data (names, addresses, financial and legal details) must be completely destroyed using a secure waste disposal method. The legal responsibility for any information that requires disposal falls to the data controller. It is vital that the data controller receives a certificate of destruction from the company disposing of the documentation as proof that the process was completed securely.

Prior to processing confidential information for disposal, there are a number of ways you can limit the risk of identity fraud:

· The most important step is to create an effective data disposal policy and stick to it.

· Ensure that any documents containing sensitive material are locked away and limit access to only the staff that require it. This reduces the chance of information being disclosed to the wrong people.

· Make sure your staff are well informed about the risk of identity fraud and provide them with your data disposal policy.

· Staff should also be aware that there is a risk involved when supplying company information without confirming who they a dealing with in both online and telephone communication.

· Today, internet security is essential and it is important that your company’s firewall and anti-virus software is maintained effectively.

· Where possible, authenticate and verify the identity of both your employees and customers. Doing so will confirm that they are who they say they are.

Useful guidelines to follow when disposing of confidential information:

· Check your department’s retention periods before destroying any confidential information. Destroying information earlier than necessary may be in breach of the law.

· Double check any paper waste you throw away to be sure that it does not contain any sensitive information which must be treated as confidential waste.

· Place any paper waste that includes sensitive information in a confidential waste bag and ensure the confidential waste bag is kept in a secure location.

· When no longer required, confidential information stored on USB drives, DVDs, CDs, external hard drives and internal hard drives must be professionally destroyed.

· When required contact a reputable disposal company to safely and securely dispose of your confidential waste.

Identity theft is a crime that has continually been on the rise, so using a reputable company to dispose of your businesses information is a crucial step you can take to preventing crimes of this nature.

More information can be found on the LSPS website, or alternatively you can call LSPS on our free phone number: 0800 083 7807.

Recycling waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

We’re all getting used to recycling waste items such as paper, bottles and tin cans in the correct recycling bins, however there are some items that need special attention, such as the recycling of electrical items such as:

• Laptops, computers
• MP3 players, sound equipment
• Light bulbs, batteries
• Mobile phones, tablets
• Wiring
• TVs, DVD players

Unfortunately you can’t simply stick these items in your standard recycling bins, so here we look at where they should go.

Facts about WEEE?

Anything that needs plugs or batteries in order to work is classes as waste electrical and electronic equipment, which is becoming one of the fastest growing waste streams in Europe. Around one million tonnes of WEEE is thrown away every year – over 75% of this ends up in landfill.

But electrical waste can be recycled, so it’s important to play our part and not simply throw old appliances out.

Recycling electrical and electronic waste

Regulations came into effect in 2007 with the intention to boost WEEE recycling rates, now retailers have to provide a way of returning end-of-life electricals and take responsibility for reusing or recycling them.

We also have a responsibility of recycling waste electricals, ways of doing this are:

• Recycling old electricals: hire a skip, take to the tip or return the items to the retailer.
• Giving unwanted electricals away – sometimes other people or charities may find a use for your unwanted electricals, this keeps them away from landfill.
• Investing in electricals with longer warranties, this means that they are less likely to break and the retailer has a responsibility to dispose of them.

Recycling WEEE

If you only have one item that’s not too bulky then you can simply take it to your local household waste recycling centre.

However, if there is a lot of electrical waste then you can hire a skip, with larger quantities this can be by far the easiest option. A good skip hire company will recycle WEEE for you, along with other recyclable waste, and relieve you of the hassle of transporting everything yourself.

Related articles:

• What is landfill?
• Recycling facts in the UK