RJS Waste Management UK answers your frequently asked questions

Clear and concise information to help make your decisions about our asbestos services, hazardous waste services and demolition services quick and easy.

Frequently Asked Questions About Our Waste Management Services  

With offices in Chichester, Oxford and London,  RJS Waste Management provides asbestos services, hazardous waste disposal and demolition services throughout southeast England.  Whether you want to know about our qualifications, accreditations, or transfer documentation, find the answers to your frequently asked questions right here.

Asbestos Surveys

We offer three asbestos surveys: asbestos management surveys; asbestos reinspection surveys; refurbishment and demolition surveys.

All non-domestic premises built before the year 2000, are legally bound to maintain an asbestos register. This is in line with the Control of Asbestos Regulations (CAR) 2012, which says those responsible for the maintenance of such buildings have a legal “duty to manage” (see Answer 3 below). If asbestos is present, or suspected, then it must be managed appropriately.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the purpose of surveying is as follows,

  • To find Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) and record what it is, where it is and how much there is
  • To record how accessible it is, its condition, and any surface treatment
  • To record the asbestos type, by sampling or by presuming

Once the quantity and condition of any asbestos have been assessed a material assessment score will be calculated indicating the risk level of any asbestos-containing materials.

The duty to manage asbestos is geared towards those who manage non-domestic premises. And, according to the HSE, these are, “the people with responsibility for protecting others who work in such premises, or use them in other ways, from the risks to ill-health that exposure to asbestos causes”. When it comes to residential properties, the responsibility of asbestos surveys is more of a grey area. But if you are having any refurbishments carried out you will need an asbestos survey, which you can commission yourself and any reputable builder should ask for one before starting their works.

There is no flat rate for an asbestos survey, each one is job-specific. But there is a flat rate for taking asbestos samples. It costs from £125 (+VAT) for up to two samples, further samples are chargeable.

Our British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) P402 certified surveyors carry out asbestos surveys in accordance with HSG264 Asbestos: The Survey Guide (2012)

Asbestos Removals

Your asbestos survey report will include recommendations as to whether asbestos removal is necessary.

Our team is made up of UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) asbestos operatives and Asbestos Removal Contractors Association (ARCA) Licenced Contracts Manager & Supervisor as well as other skilled and experienced staff who all work to The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012).

A time frame for asbestos removal is job-specific. It depends on how much asbestos there is and what type it is (this will be identified by your asbestos survey). Once we have the results of your asbestos survey and have made our site assessments, we will provide a quote with an estimated time frame.

Not always. If asbestos is present outside your property then no, although parts may be segregated for your safety. If there are parts of your property where asbestos is present, such as ceilings, insulating and pipe lagging, then they will be out of bounds while asbestos removal takes place.

Hazardous Waste

Hazardous waste types we can remove and dispose of includes fly-tipped waste and construction waste such as:

The options are limited when it comes to hazardous waste disposal, especially for asbestos-containing materials. However – whether your hazardous waste is destined for treatment and recovery – incineration or hazardous landfill, we use several approved licenced UK facilities. Your hazardous waste disposal is always backed up by a consignment note too.

Any hazardous waste needs to be collected in containers that are fit for transport and in line with legislation. If your containers are not suitable, or are damaged in any way, we can provide replacements but there will be an extra charge for this. There are specific requirements, laid out by the HSE, for the collection and disposal of asbestos waste.

Through our specialist UK laboratories, we can provide a wide range of tests and analyses – from soil testing and Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) testing to asbestos testing for the marine industry and microbiological analysis. Read more here.

Demolition Services

According to the HSE, a refurbishment and demolition survey is needed where your premises, or part of it, is planned for an upgrade, refurbishment or demolition. The survey must locate and identify all asbestos ACMs before any structural work begins.

Please see Asbestos Services: Answer 3.

We are experienced at providing demolition services, including site clearances and strip out works, for all types of domestic, commercial and industrial property. Please talk to a member of our team if you would like to know more about demolitions for specific types of building.

A time frame for a demolition project is job-specific. Once we have the results of your refurbishment and demolition survey and have made our site assessments, we will provide a quote with an estimated time frame.

Customer Services

Generally, we work Monday to Friday, 8.30-17.30. However, to meet your waste management needs, we can often provide out of hours services on request.

With offices in Chichester, Oxford and London, RJS Waste Management covers the entire southeast of England. To name a few, we provide services in the counties of West Sussex, East Sussex, Hampshire, Dorset, Surrey, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. Find out more.

After your initial enquiry, we will get in touch to arrange a visit to your premises if necessary. The visit will be free of charge.

You can either give us a call on the number that is most local to your area (see here) or via one of our three main office phone numbers – Chichester (01243 213 273), Oxford (01865 598069) or London (020 7859 4520). You can also contact us online by email (info@rjswaste.co.uk) or via one of our online forms. We will then take all the relevant information from you and come back to you with a quote as soon as possible.

Yes, you will have a main point of contact throughout your enquiry/project and there will always be a dedicated team available whenever you need us via telephone and email.

Depending on your waste’s stream and type, we aim to assess your needs and provide a quote within 7-10 days.

We prefer BACs payments but you can also pay by card and cheque.

No, we do not expect you to sign a contract.

You will receive a request to rate our performance via Customer Thermometer whenever we email you. You can also review our Chichester, Oxford and London offices/services on Google or via Facebook. You can also email us. Check out our existing testimonials.

General

While we specialise in hazardous waste (see Hazardous Waste: Answer 1), we collect, remove and dispose of difficult non-hazardous waste such as construction waste, WEEE and confidential waste.

As well as having 60+ years of waste management experience under our belts, we are fully licenced and insured under the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 as an upper tier waste carrier, broker and dealer. This means we can collect, carry and dispose of your waste in our waste carrier licenced vehicles.

RJS Waste Management and our trusted partners have a fleet of high-quality vehicles, ranging from transit vans to articulated lorries. They are serviced and regularly checked as fit for waste transportation, in accordance with our waste carrier licence.

The Environment

In line with the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011, we practice sustainable waste management wherever possible. This means anything that can be recycled and reused will be. Types of waste that can often be recycled include WEEE – such as household appliances, lighting and IT equipment – and metal waste.

RJS Waste Management has an environmental policy that informs our recycling and sustainability best practices. While there are some limitations when it comes to recycling waste (see The environment: Answer 1), we are committed to our Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ) objectives. These include reducing the environmental impact of business operations and working towards Sustainable Development Goals.

Please see General: Answer 5 and Hazardous Waste: Answer 2.

Documentation

According to Defra, “The Duty of Care is a legal requirement for those dealing with certain kinds of waste to take all reasonable steps to keep it safe and is set out in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA).  It applies to anyone who is a holder of household, industrial and commercial waste, known as controlled waste”.

When moving waste, a duty of care waste transfer note might be required. These are available online via Gov.UK but we will provide them as standard.

Yes, you will receive a copy of a waste transfer note (for non-hazardous waste) or a consignment note (for hazardous waste) when we collect your waste. The completed signed copies from the disposal site will be provided when we send your invoice.