Hazardous Waste Disposal in the Automotive Repair Sector

Overview

A network of national car body and repair centers needed an economical, compliant, and effective way to dispose of hazardous waste created during vehicle painting and refurbishment. The activities generated huge amounts of waste in the form of spent paint, solvents, and aerosol cans, which needed safe handling and conformance to UK environmental regulations.

Challenges

Variations in waste handling procedures between locations

• Risk of failure to comply with Environment Agency requirements
• Increasing cost of waste disposal and logistics inefficiencies
• Requirement for enhanced safety and traceability in waste operations

Midland Chemical and Waste Management provided a total waste management solution customised to meet the unique needs of the automotive repair industry. The most important aspects of the solution were:

• On-Site Environmental Audit: Performed compliance audits and waste process reviews in every facility to pinpoint risks and normalise processes.
• Waste Segregation & Container Supply: Stored securely, industry standard for:
• Used paint and solvent drums: Spill and dirty absorbents and rags
• Scheduled Nationwide Collections: Carried out scheduled collections by licensed carriers with quick turnaround of waste and decreased on-site storage time.
• Approved Transport & Disposal: Transported all the waste in ADR compliant terms and disposed of at approved hazardous waste plants with complete traceability and environmental protection.
• Documentation & Reporting: Issued all related legal documents like Waste Transfer and Consignment Notes, and provided centralized reporting to facilitate audit and sustainability reporting.
• Staff Training & Safety Procedures: Organised training sessions for the purpose of waste identification, spill response, and safe handling procedures to ensure workplace safety.

Outcomes

Compliance with regulation ensured at all working locations

• Reduction of 20% of disposal cost with optimized logistics
• Improved site safety and reduction in risk of environmental mishaps
• Effective documentation supporting audits and certifications
• Improved environmental performance in line with sustainability standards