Waste Management

Choose waste measures in this order, from most to least preferred: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Treat, Dispose. Everyone has a part to play in re-using, recycling and disposing of waste properly; taken together, the actions of all individuals on a daily basis can make a difference and help minimise environmental impacts.

Under legislation, companies have a "Duty of Care" to ensure that waste is managed properly and recovered or disposed of carefully — but waste is everyone's responsibility. Individual daily actions that help minimise environmental impacts include re-using resources where possible, placing waste in the correct storage bins provided, and following company waste policies and procedures.

Companies can manage and control waste by reporting waste quantities and disposal routes to the Regulator through EEMS (the Environmental Emissions Monitoring System), ensuring that all wastes are segregated and stored in secure and clearly labelled skips, and undertaking regular waste audits.

Waste is sorted into general/non-hazardous and special/hazardous streams. General/non-hazardous waste includes wood, scrap metal and plastics. Special/hazardous waste includes oily rags, batteries and contaminated drill cuttings.

All offshore platforms and mobile offshore drilling units must have a Garbage Record Book and a Garbage Management Plan in place to control and manage all waste streams.

Waste disposal to landfill has environmental impacts including liquid drainage that can contaminate water supplies and water courses, and odour, vermin and increased traffic levels for nearby residents. The incineration of wastes can cause the production of toxic substances, ash that may contain heavy metals and other toxins, and gases that may cause air pollution. Legislation concerned with waste management includes the Landfill Directive, the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Sewage and Garbage from Ships) Regulations, and the Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations.

• Waste hierarchy: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Treat, Dispose.
• Duty of Care: companies must manage waste properly, but it is everyone's responsibility.
• Daily actions: re-use resources, use correct bins, follow company policies.
• Company actions: report via EEMS, segregate/store in labelled skips, conduct waste audits.
• Non-hazardous: wood, scrap metal, plastics. Hazardous: oily rags, batteries, contaminated drill cuttings.
• Platforms/MODUs: Garbage Record Book + Garbage Management Plan.
• Landfill: contaminated drainage, odour, vermin, traffic. Incineration: toxics, heavy-metal ash, air pollution.

1. IMO MARPOL Annex V — prevention of pollution by garbage (Garbage Record Book and Garbage Management Plan).
2. EU/UK waste legislation — the Landfill Directive and the Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations.