Campsite waste collection and disposal
Campsite waste falls into several separate waste streams, and it’s important to understand how each one should be separated to allow for quick and easy collection and disposal.
Below, we’ve covered the waste types that campsites are likely to produce, how water and sewage waste should be handled, and what happens once everything’s been collected.
Campsite Waste Collection
Campsites generate a range of waste, from general rubbish and recyclables to food waste and glass. Our waste management Getting set up with a campsite waste collection service is easier than you may think. It all begins with a quick free quote and waste plan that is built around what your site actually produces, not a generic package with capacity you don’t need.
Once you’re up and running, Waste Managed will then deliver all the bins and containers you’ll need, free of charge, and collect your waste on a schedule that matches your site’s output volume. We understand that waste volume can fluctuate throughout the year. Perhaps you need weekly collections through the winter months but need to increase collections to several times a week once the school holidays hit. With Waste Managed, that’s not a problem. If numbers spike, you can scale bins and collections through our online portal rather than waiting on your next contract review.
Campsite Waste Disposal
Where your waste goes once it leaves the site depends on the particular waste stream. For example, food waste typically goes for anaerobic digestion, where it’ll be broken down to generate energy, rather than sent to landfill. Alternatively, glass waste goes for recycling, and dry mixed recycling is sorted and processed for reuse, while only genuine non-recyclable material ends up as general waste.
Waste Managed work with licensed disposal partners up and down the UK, prioritising recycling wherever the waste stream allows it, keeping in line with our wider sustainability commitments.
Not only that, but because your bins and schedule match what your site actually produces, you shouldn’t be left with overflowing bins during your busiest weeks or only fill half the bins when the hectic months die down.
Types of campsite waste
Most campsites produce a similar core mix of waste.
- General waste covers non-recyclable packaging and food wrappers
- Dry mixed recycling takes plastic, cans, paper and cardboard.
- Food waste includes anything left behind by guests as well as waste from your café or communal kitchen
- Glass waste covers drinking glasses, bottles and jars
- Sanitary waste comes from your toilet and shower blocks, and needs its own dedicated bin, kept separate from general waste.
Unlike the other waste types, hazardous and specialised waste, such as gas canisters, disposable BBQs and batteries, must not go into a general waste bin, due to the potential fire and contamination risk they pose if crushed or compacted during collection.
With Waste Managed, we’ll set you up with separate, licensed disposal for all your waste types alongside your standard bins, meaning nothing is at risk or ends up where it shouldn’t.
Campsite waste regulations
All waste produced at your campsite is classed as commercial waste under UK law, rather than household waste, with limited exceptions for any permanent residents on site. This is an important distinction, as commercial waste carries legal obligations that don’t apply to a typical household bin. Here’s what you need to know…
Under the Controlled Waste Regulations 2012 (England and Wales), which build on the Environmental Protection Act 1990, you have a Duty of Care to use a licensed waste carrier and keep a Waste Transfer Note for every collection. Your waste also needs to be correctly described and classified using the right waste codes.
But don’t worry, when you take out a waste management contract with us, we will handle all the legal paperwork on your behalf as part of your waste plan, so you’re not left working it all out yourself.
These obligations sit alongside the water waste rules covered above, and together, they cover most of what a campsite operator needs to stay compliant. If you’re unsure where your site stands, get in touch and our team of experts will be more than happy to talk you through it.
What our experts say
“Staying compliant when dealing with your waste disposal can be a little confusing and can also take time away from looking after your guests and focusing on other management tasks at your campsite. With Waste Managed, you’ll have the peace of mind that all that is handled for you, on top of all your waste collection and disposal needs.” – Steve Traviss, Procurement Director
Waste Managed are experts in campsite waste management
With more than 15 years of experience and more than 40,000 happy customers up and down the country, we’ve built a genuine understanding of what campsites and holiday parks need from a waste partner, particularly when it comes to seasonal demand.
We work across every part of the UK, in both city centres and rural locations, and can scale your bins and collections as your site moves through the seasons. This means you’re never paying for more than you need.
To find out more about how we work, visit Why Choose Waste Managed?
