It should be noted that this document draws extensively upon the materials such agencies provide freely online and in hard copy and readers should look at these original sources.
It is clear that the political and legal environment is placing increasing importance upon managing wastes. The national targets for waste reduction, the increasing costs of disposal, the decrease in landfill space and the focus on producer responsibility seen in the end of life legislation for WEEE, all suggest that companies should be pro-active in developing a waste management strategy that can address current and upcoming environmental issues.