Our Laboratory Testing, Waste Classification & Waste Management Consultancy Services
Through Waste Classification testing, WAC testing and consultancy services for all aspects of the waste management process, our services allow you to save money, improve efficiency through the construction process and comply with regulations. All testing is carried out in a UKAS accredited laboratory with consultancy services carried out by qualified environmental consultants with years of practical waste management experience.
Save Money - Our range of waste management services can save you money in two primary ways. Firstly, by assessing the proposed development at a site and, if required, carrying out contamination testing, we can provide recommendations for the re-use of waste and reduce the need for off-site waste disposal. Secondly, by carrying out soil sampling and testing for known contaminants we can potentially classify waste soil as non-hazardous or inert, this will greatly reduce the landfill tax charged on disposal.
Fast & Qualified Service - Turnaround for laboratory testing and reports within days of commencement, with soil testing carried out in a UKAS accredited laboratory that meets all relevant British Standards, and consultancy services carried out by qualified environmental consultants, with years of practical waste management experience.
Comply With Regulation - Government legislation states that it is the legal responsibility of the waste producer to ensure waste is appropriately managed. It is considered part of your 'Duty of Care'. However, this is not always a simple process and the correct knowledge and credentials are essential in order to make sure you comply with the relevant regulations and avoid potential penalties. Luckily you're not alone, we can work on your behalf to ensure waste management for your site is appropriately and efficiently carried out, saving you time and money in the process.
Soil Waste Test Kit - For waste management projects that require soil waste contamination testing, our soil testing kits can utilised. This cuts the cost of sending our technician to your site to carry out sampling work and still allows you to benefit from our UKAS accredited laboratory testing and detailed reports. It also allows for a quicker turnaround, as we will dispatch your waste soil testing kit for next working day delivery and can complete testing and the report within 6-8 working days as standard, or 3-4 working days if you opt for our fast track turnaround.
Ask a question →
Testing & Management Following The Waste Hierarchy
Prevention - When waste is produced through business activities (e.g. soil waste from digging foundations) it's important to implement the 'Waste Hierarchy'. This sets out the ways businesses should attempt to minimise waste in order of importance and includes prevention, re-use, recycling, recovery and finally, disposal. In order to prevent and reduce the need for off-site waste disposal, we carry out a range of consultancy services and can work in conjunction with your architects, engineers and/ or groundworkers, taking into account your specific requirements and site and logistical constraints.
Re-use - In order to assess the ability to safely re-use waste soil, usually created during the site preparation and excavation stages of a construction project, a combination of consultancy, reporting and physical soil testing is required. This is primarily achieved by carrying out a Phase 1 Preliminary Risk Assessment, to assess the level of risk to future site users from the re-use of waste at the site, and Phase 2 Intrusive Site Investigations, testing soil from the site in a UKAS accredited laboratory and analysing results to quantify the risk to future site users.
Recycling, Recovery & Disposal - Disposal of waste to landfill is generally a last resort and should be avoided where possible. However, for hazardous soil, sometimes landfill disposal is the best or only option available and this can be a complicated and time consuming process that needs to be appropriately managed to avoid unnecessary delays, costs and even penalties for illegal waste disposal. For the disposal of soil waste to landfill, Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) testing may be necessary, AFTER a Waste Classification Test has classified the waste as non-hazardous or hazardous, to tell you which type of landfill the waste will be accepted at (inert, non-hazardous, hazardous).
Contact us →
Waste Management Consultancy Service Case Study
Following initial contact with the client, a utilities & engineering company, our waste management consultants created a fast, detailed and fully tailored approach to assessing contamination risk and laboratory testing requirements for the client.
The client required a cost effective and fast way of complying with new waste disposal regulations. The answer was to develop a process of, initially, identifying areas on-site with an elevated risk of contaminated soil waste, followed by a supporting on-site survey to collate additional information. With sufficient data, our waste management consultants made a recommendation on the requirement to conduct a Waste Classification Test to, as the name suggests, classify waste as non-hazardous or hazardous for disposal.
This case study highlights our ability to create tailored waste management reports, combining consultancy and contamination testing, such as waste classification & WAC testing, to help our clients comply with regulations, save money and show due diligence.
Many thanks for these updated results and accompanying waste characterisation report, this is a good quality document. I'm happy that this will support the on-going description of this waste stream under the above EWC, and that it validates the continued suitability of the media for non-hazardous disposal.
- Biffa plc
Meet Our Waste Management Consultants
Louis Turner, Technical Director - Having graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in Environmental Science, Louis is recognised for his technical leadership and precision in environmental consultancy. Louis provides strategic oversight across all service areas, ensuring projects meet the highest standards of compliance, accuracy, and environmental responsibility. Louis directs contaminated land investigations, from desk-based risk assessments to intrusive site surveys. He ensures soil and ground gas analysis is conducted to UKAS-accredited standards, producing clear, evidence-based reports that support planning applications, regulatory approvals, and safe development decisions.
Joe Turner, Operations Director - Providing practical expertise and a client-focused approach, Joe ensures that every project is delivered quickly, efficiently, and without unnecessary hassle. He has successfully managed a wide variety of project types across the consultancy, bringing a wealth of operational knowledge and a reputation for keeping projects on track. Joe's leadership guarantees a smooth process for clients, from initial enquiry through to final reporting. Joe oversees contaminated land investigations, coordinating desk studies, site surveys, and remediation works. His operational management ensures that soil sampling, ground gas monitoring, and reporting are completed seamlessly, giving clients confidence in compliance and project delivery.
Richard Turner, Director - With over 30 years of experience in site development, he provides invaluable insight into pragmatic solutions that balance costs, practicalities, and client objectives. Richard has a detailed understanding of building regulations and a clear sense of what is and isn't possible on site, making him a trusted advisor for developments of all sizes. Richard applies his site development expertise to contaminated land investigations, ensuring that remediation strategies are practical, cost effective, and achievable on site. His focus on feasibility helps clients move forward with confidence.
Contact Us
Contact us for an informal discussion about your requirements or, if your requirements are more complex, a more formal consultation may be necessary. Following initial consultation we can provide an outline proposal detailing how we can help and the costs involved. If you're looking for more information about our services or our company then complete the below contact form and we will endeavour to respond to your enquiry in a timely manner, alternatively, give us a call on 0800 433 2906 and our experienced consultants can provide actionable advice and guidance.
If you need help or have a question, let us know and we will endeavour to respond same day. By sending this form you agreeing to our Privacy Policy and for the personal data entered above to be saved to allow us to properly respond to your enquiry. Data is not shared with third-parties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a soil test for removing construction waste? - If you're removing soil waste, produced by business activities (e.g. a groundworks construction company excavating earth for foundations of a building), you will need to determine whether the soil you are removing is hazardous or not, as this will determine how the waste will be disposed of and whether soil could be re-used, avoiding the need for disposal. A waste classification test will be required to measure the levels of potentially toxic heavy metals and hydrocarbons and to classify the waste. If landfill is the chosen destination for your soil waste, leachate analysis will be needed and this is known as a Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) test.
How to classify excavated waste from utilities work? - To dispose of excavated utilities waste, such as material destined for landfill, waste carriers and landfill operators require detailed chemical analysis and accurate classification as either hazardous or non-hazardous. Under the Street Works UK protocol, a desktop risk assessment and site assessment are mandatory before excavation. Materials must be segregated, ensuring bituminous layers and sub-base layers are kept separate. In addition, at least 1% of qualifying excavations must undergo UKAS/MCERTS-accredited laboratory analysis. If the correlation between field and laboratory results falls below 93%, the proportion of samples tested increases to 3%.
What is a waste classification test? - Soil waste classification testing is an essential part of the waste disposal process, as it allows for the accurate classification of waste soil (hazardous or non-hazardous) and ensures appropriate management of waste. If a site is believed to be potentially contaminated, a soil waste classification test will be required prior to disposal of soil waste from site. Soil waste classification testing may save you money by reducing disposal costs, if waste can be classified as non-hazardous, and avoiding potential penalties for wrongly disposing of soil waste.
What is a WAC test? - The Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) sets parameters for different types of waste and determines criteria for waste to be accepted to a particular landfill type (in other words, a WAC test tells you which landfill you can send your waste to). A WAC test will essentially analyse the leaching ability of contaminants in the soil to identify how contaminants will act when in landfill. So, after soil waste has undergone basic characterisation to classify it as non-hazardous or hazardous it can then undergo WAC testing.
References
BSI Group. BS EN 12457-2 - Characterisation of waste. Leaching
Environment Agency. Classify excavated waste from street and utility works: RPS 298
Environment Agency. Land contamination risk management (LCRM)
Environment Agency. Waste Classification: Guidance on the classification and assessment of waste
Street Works UK. Material Classification Protocol