Who are they?
Established in 1904, Leeds University is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK, ranked in the UK’s Top 10 by The Times, and renowned globally for the quality of teaching and research. In 2015, the University invited CSG to tender, with a view to handling their various hazardous and laboratory waste streams.
What do we do for them?
The University produces a wide variety of hazardous and laboratory waste across a number of their Faculties, including the prestigious St. James’s Hospital in Leeds. With such a broad scope of activities, the waste streams involved can include laboratory chemicals, solvents, pesticides, herbicides, oily rags, machine oil, coolants, batteries and aerosols. The sheer variety of waste means the ability to process it all accurately is a vital requirement.
Our team visits the University on a quarterly basis to catalogue, pack and collect the hazardous wastes. Typically, they spend up to a week on site, across the campuses, to prepare the load, which is collected 2 weeks later. Great care is taken to catalogue the waste, ensuring all variables (quantities, locations, hazard, disposal route etc.) are known and documented.
All CSG staff involved in the listing and packing are trained chemists, qualified to at least first degree level, trained in the Carriage of Dangerous Goods Regulations and hold ADR driver vocational training certificates. They also receive internal training.
In order to strengthen the collection process further, we also operate a training scheme to nominated University staff, which covers the storage and segregation of chemical waste in the workplace.
Upon arrival at our licensed treatment facility, each item of waste is then dealt with in accordance with the route clearly assigned to it by the chemist who packed it.
What difference have we made to Leeds University?
• A consistently accurate service that suits the client’s internal schedules.
• Immediate response in the event of unforeseen or exceptional requirements.
• 81% of hazardous waste recycled.
• Significant reductions in levels of hazardous waste sent to landfill and incineration over the duration of the contract.
