Recycling and waste management

Please select a topic for more information:

General Publications	Transport
Health Hazards	Waste Collection
Metal Recycling	Manual Handling
Paper Recycling	Falls From Height
Plastic Recycling	HSE Microsite

    

    

     

General Publications

Waste industry safety and health - reducing the risks (240KB) pub 10/04

This leaflet has been produced by HSE and the Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum (WISH). It is written for supervisory staff and employees and provides a checklist of standards to aim at.

Back to top

Guidance for the waste management and recycling industry (226KB) pub 08/07

This 'good practice' guidance was written in consultation with the Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum (WISH). It does not aim to be comprehensive but gives examples of good practice within the industry. It is for managers and those organising training within the waste management and recycling industry.

Back to top

Designing and operating material recycling facilities safely (100KB) pub 09/09

This guidance is for designers / manufacturers, installers and users involved in developing and operating material recycling facilities. It does not aim to be a comprehensive, ‘stand-alone’ document, but gives examples of health and safety concerns that should be considered.

Back to top

           

Health Hazards

Health hazards in the waste and recycling industry (208KB) pub 10/07

This guidance is for employers, managers and supervisors. It aim to help them understand, remove or reduce the risk of ill-health associated with handling waste and recycables during collection and sorting activities.

Back to top

Managing offensive / hygiene waste (113KB) pub 01/0

This guidance has been written for managers of waste management operations that may come into contact with offensive / hygiene wastes. These can include municipal and commercial waste collection, material recovery facilities (MFRs), transfer stations, landfill and incinerators.

Back to top

Handling needles in the waste and recycling industry (155KB) pub 08/07

This guidance is for managers and employers and aims to reduce the risks of blood-borne viruses infection from syringe needles.

Back to top

       

Metal Recycling

How to reduce exposure to dioxins in aluminium recycling (38KB) pub 05/03

This leaflet explains what dioxins are and how to reduce exposure.

Back to top

Lead and you (124KB) pub 09/11

This leaflet provides guidance on what health problems can occur if you absorb too much lead; what your employer should do to protect your health and the precautions you should take.

Back to top

     

Paper Recycling

Guidance for the recovered paper industry (647KB) pub 05/04

This publication is aimed at managers and operators working in the recovered paper industry. It identifies the main health and safety standards needed to achieve acceptable and safe working procedures.

Back to top

       

Plastic Recycling

Plastics recycling (83KB) pub 09/98

This information sheet is aimed at smaller businesses. It identifies the commonly encountered hazards and basic precautions to be taken for machinery safety; noise; hazardous substances; and material and safe access.

Back to top

      

Transport

Safe transport in waste management and recycling facilities (152KB) pub 09/11

This guidance is aimed at waste management facility managers, their supervisory staff, and safety professionals within waste management companies. This best practice document covers most types of waste management facility, such as landfill sites, recycling plants and transfer stations.

Back to top

Skip and container safety (123KB) pub 09/11

This guidance is for users, buyers, designers / manufacturers and maintenance staff who work with skips and containers used with skip loader and hook loader vehicles.

Back to top

       

Waste Collection

Safe waste and recycling collection services (222KB) pub 04/09

This guidance is aimed at clients in control of contacts, those who specify contracts, and employers who operate the services. It will also help managers and supervisors design and operate collection services so that acceptable levels of safety are achieved and maintained.

Back to top

The safe use of refuse collection vehicle hoists and bins (141KB) pub 09/11

This guidance gives examples of risks of injury to workers and members of the public, and indicates some protective measures and safe operating procedures that can be used to minimise these risks. Some short-term solutions to reduce risks from existing incompatibilities are included in this guidance.

Back to top

Hand sorting of recycables

This guidance is for managers and supervisors of waste/ recycling transfer and sorting facilities that require hand sorting/picking from piles of material. It aims to help prevent accidents to pedestrian workers who have to operate in close proximity to moving vehicles.

Back to top

    

Manual Handling

Please click here to visit our Manual Handling page

Back to top

      

Falls From Height

Please click here to visit the HSE Falls From Height page

Back to top

      

HSE Waste Management and Recycling Microsite

A lot of useful information can also be found on the HSE 'Waste Management and Recycling' Microsite:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/waste/index.htm