The Environmental Protection Act 1990
Sanitary Bin Legislation:
Providing your female staff and customers with a discreet and hygienic place to dispose of feminine hygiene waste is not only crucial to maintaining a clean and pleasant washroom environment, it’s also a legal requirement.
A lot of people are unaware of this but as a business owner, you need to adhere to sanitary waste disposal regulations in order to ensure that your company complies with the following:
- The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
- The Water Industries Act 1991
- The Environmental Protection Act 1990
There is strict legislation surrounding this matter so it’s important to educate yourself about the laws otherwise you could unwittingly find yourself in trouble.
Do I need to provide sanitary bins?
If you have any female employees, or if women from other companies visit your premises, you need to provide sanitary waste disposal bins and they should be placed in readily accessible places.
The Duty of Care Act means that as well as providing these conveniences, any sanitary waste must be managed to the point of disposal. This means that neither you or any of your employees can dispose of the contents of the bins. Only a licenced carrier can do this and a full audit trail of documentation must be available at all times. Failure to comply with this can lead to a large fine or even imprisonment.
Why do I need to provide sanitary waste disposal?
The Water Industries Act states that sanitary waste which can cause harm to a sewer or drain should not be flushed. As well as having disastrous consequences on the environment, putting sanitary waste down the toilet can result in expensive drain clearing bills for your area.
Towels and tampons aren’t dissolvable which means that when they’re flushed, they pollute water systems and eventually, beaches. These materials are incredibly bad for the environment but if bins aren’t provided, the only option is to put them down the toilet.
What’s more, sanitary waste can also lead to blockages of your very own drain systems. This will eventually lead to toilets which are out of order and need costly repairs. If you’re a business which has customers visiting your premises on a regular basis, smelly toilets that don’t work are very off-putting and can even damage your reputation.
Finally, The Environmental Act imposes a Duty of Care on organisations that produce, keep or dispose of controlled waste, including sanitary waste. This means that providing the right facilities is mandatory.
If you are unsure of your position in relation to the correct disposal of waste or environmental health and safety, then please contact us.
Astral Hygiene provides all its clients with the necessary Duty of Care documentation. This will certify that your waste is being handled, transported and disposed of in the correct manner and in accordance with the law. Waste Notes are a legal requirement, and should be retained for a period of 2 years.
Astral Hygiene is a Registered Waste Carrier with the Environment Agency : Registration Number CBDU116749.
Further information on the Environmental Protection Act is available at the HMSO website
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
These regulations place a legal requirement on employers to provide appropriate facilities for their employees at the place of work:
Sanitary Disposal
Regulation 21 of the Approved Code of Practice, in the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, advises that :
“in the case of water closets used by women, suitable means should be provided for the disposal of sanitary dressings”
This Regulation is further supported by the Water Industries Act 1991, which states that no items should be flushed that could cause a blockage within the sewer or drain.
Notwithstanding the legal requirements, you can help prevent having to meet the high cost of unblocking drains by employing Astral Hygiene, to provide sanitary disposal services to your work place.
Air Freshening.
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, state that suitable
“means should be taken to prevent odours from lingering in and from entering into other rooms”
The Airfresh Units supplied by Astral Hygiene can be used in conjunction with our wide range of fragrances to help you meet these requirements.
Air Cleaning Unit
The Prozone available from B Hygienic will help combat any malodour problems, and when used in conjunction with the Airfresh Unit will create a clean and pleasantly fragranced atmosphere.
Soap Dispensing
You have a legal obligation to provide hand cleaning facilities in your washrooms. Regulation 21 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 states that washing facilities
“… must include soap or other suitable means of cleaning”
Astral Hygiene have a range of Soap Dispensers and a range of hand cleaning products to suit all hand care and cleaning needs.
Water Management Systems
Water By-Law 83 states that every pipe that supplies water to a flushing system or a trough used for flushing a urinal shall be fitted with
- either a flow shut-off device controlled by a time switch and a lockable shut-off valve,
- or some other equally effective automatic device or method for regulating the periods during which the cistern or trough may fill.
By fitting a water management system from B Hygienic up to 80% savings are possible when compared to unmanaged urinals.
Warm Air Hand and Face Dryers
You are required by law to provide hand drying facilities in your washrooms. Regulation 21 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 states that washing facilities
“must include towels or other suitable means of drying”
Astral Hygiene offer a range of Electric Warm Air Dryers to suit all budgets and match any décor.
