SANITARY DISPOSAL

Why Do We Need Sanitary Bins

All employers have a legal requirement to provide female employees with a suitable means for disposing of sanitary waste.  This includes the safe management of waste on your premises right up to the point of final disposal.  (The Environmental Protection Act 1990).

As with most things in life, these guidelines are often reviewed, with guidance being tweaked from time to time.  Disposing of sanitary waste via a third-party provider, ensures you receive evidential proof that the sanitary or continence items within your bins are disposed of responsibly and appropriately with duty of care provided.

Sanitary Waste	Incontinence	Personal Hygiene
Sanitary pads	Adult Incontinence pads	Wipes
Menstrual cups	Children’s nappy waste	Cotton wool
Tampons	Leg bags and stoma	Soiled materials

How often do I need this service?

Consider the number of people who may need to dispose of sanitary and incontinence waste and adjust the frequency of disposal so that it suits your business.  For example those with fewer employees might prefer an 8-weekly service, whereas companies experiencing frequent footfall, such as cafes and large offices might prefer a weekly service.

What do I need to check?

Your preferred contractor must have a current waste carrier licence. Prices vary between providers and location has a part to play.  We are aware that a charge of up to £300 per bin per annum has been imposed in some places, whereas in other regions, by different providers, servicing averages out at £95 – £130 per bin per annum (based on 13 services per year of a single bin).  But when you check prices, please consider also whether there are additional costs for administration and certification, the length of a contract and its flexibility.  Perhaps you could find out if the company local – is it independent or is it national?

Why is this so important?

As well as providing dignity in the workplace through the provision of appropriate waste disposal, you are also protecting the environment by encouraging your workers to properly dispose of their waste (as this should be separated other forms of waste and should never be flushed).

Research:

According to (Friedler et al., 1996) tampons accounted for around 23% and pads for 3.8% of all unflushables polluting the sewage system. Sanitary pads, mostly composed of plastic, are also washed up in marine areas and can pose a hazard to marine organisms and human health (Ó Briain et al., 2020).

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SANITARY BINS – WHY DO I PAY AND WHAT DO I PAY FOR

Sanitary Bins:

Why do I pay and what do I pay for?

Firstly, let’s address the elephant in the room – nobody wants their staff to touch other people’s sanitary waste. But somebody must do it and that’s why we’re here.

There’s more to it than that.  Current legislation states that you should adequately provide means by which your staff and customers maintain dignity when disposing of sanitary and personal care waste.  These acts are:

Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992

The Water Industries Act 1991

The Environmental Protection Act 1990

Failure to provide adequate sanitary bins in your workplace bathrooms could breach these regulations; however, just as importantly, having sanitary bins in washrooms helps keep staff and visitors comfortable.

Your duty of care expands to ensuring the bins are emptied regularly, and no sanitary/non flushable items should be flushed away.  It then goes further to ask that you ensure you properly manage the waste to protect the environment.

Let’s face it, nobody wants to deal with blocked toilets or pay hefty bills and fines because of inadequate disposal, so if you provide adequate sanitary and/or incontinence waste disposal you are helping everyone.

Why contact us?

We will provide you with a price for the hire of a suitable sanitary bin, removal of the sanitary waste from your bin, a clean of the bin and insertion of a new liner.  You will receive a report and waste certificate and be reassured that it has been done by a professional washroom service provider.  Our price will include certification, administration and you will only commit to 12-months contract with us.  We have no lengthy tie-ins or penalties (although we do ask that you provide us with 1-month’s notice if you decide to cancel).

We are members of the Independent Washroom Services Association (IWSA).  The IWSA is a group of approximately 35 independent washroom service providers . Our association works in partnership to deliver local and national services across the UK and Ireland.  We all work to agreed standards and co-operate with each other to ensure we can meet our customers’ needs.

So what do you pay for?

• Peace of mind that your company’s washroom needs are met with adequate sanitary and incontinence provisions,
• Certification
• Regular service pattern, with regular technicians
• Fair pricing
• Reassurance that you are meeting the requirements of current legislation
• Services that put the customer first

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ENTRANCE MATS

Entrance mats are often the first things you encounter in a commercial building.  Do you step over them, or wipe your feet on them?  Whatever the answer, an entrance mat the first line of defence for any building, trapping dirt, moisture and debris before it makes its way further inside.  Not only does it help the floors stay clean, but it extends the life of interior flooring, saving money on maintenance.

On wet days, entrance mats also protects your visitors against slips and falls.

Whatever type you choose, a mat shows that you care for your environment and those within it.  In addition think about branding.  A well-designed mat containing your company’s logo, or even simply sporting your company brand colour can reinforce an image right at the threshold.

When considering mats for your commercial space, consider the following:

• Traffic volume – high traffic areas need heavy-duty durable mats to handle constant wear and tear.

• Weather conditions – consider an external scraper mat that can remove debris and mud before the door is even open.  Once inside greet your visitors with a strong, moisture absorbing mat.

• Safety features such as anti-slip backing may be necessary.  Or where an individual is expected to stand for long periods of time, maybe an anti-fatigue mat might be your choice.

• If the environmental impact is important to you, consider 100% recycled PET plastics and Phthalate free backing.  Sustainability doesn’t mean sacrificing quality.

• Your Logo your choice.  Made to your measurements and your design (you provide these), logo mats add that special touch to your reception area.

• Your colour your choice.  We can organise made to measure sizes in a range of colourways.

Sterling Washroom Services Limited offers a range of solutions on a 3-year contract.  You will be provided with your mats (or in the case of bespoke you will purchase these) and our price to you will include laundry every 2 or 4 weeks (your choice).  Just call to find out more.

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