Our roadside sharps removal service focuses on less visible threats to public health and safety, as part of our roadside cleaning services.
Roadside waste can be unsightly and is certainly unhygienic. In a recent blog, we looked at our fly tipping clearance service, which deals with some of the more obvious areas of illegal dumping. But sometimes it’s much smaller items that may have the biggest impact on the health and safety of road users and pedestrians. Discarded syringes and sharps can be a severe biohazard risk alongside major roads or in layby areas. In this blog, we focus in on roadside sharps removal.
A massive road network needs a big cleaning solution
The UK’s network of roads is enormous. In terms of total length, it amounts to around 262,300 miles (or 422,100 kilometres if you think metrically). These roads clearly vary hugely in size and capacity, as well as quality. From small residential streets to motorways linking major urban centres, there’s a lot of tarmac out there.
Trunk roads, the largest and most important highways, are administered by agencies of central and devolved government. Respectively, these agencies are Highways England, Transport Scotland, the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent, and South Wales Trunk Road Agent. Transport for London is responsible for all trunk roads and other major roads in the capital, which are part of the Transport for London Road Network. In England alone there are 4,300 miles (6,920 km) of trunk roads. All other roads are the responsibility of the relevant county council or unitary authority.
On the ground, clearing up rubbish and waste from the roadside is the responsibility of private companies (often FM companies) employed by the relevant government agency or local council which owns the road. This can cover everything from picking up litter alongside busy trunk roads to road sweeping to get rid of autumn leaves. And understandably, getting rid of needles and other sharps is one key aspect that needs careful consideration.
Leave roadside sharps removal to the specialists
Roadside sharps removal is a key part of our roadside specialist cleaning services. We work with local councils, police authorities, and facilities management firms on regular maintenance, call out, and project-defined basis. Our team can quickly respond to incidents on or near the road network. If public spaces become contaminated with used syringes, it is vitally important to clear the area quickly to ensure the safety of members of the public. Our staff are fully insured, vaccinated against all blood-borne viruses, and use robust procedures to clear affected areas quickly and safely. Once collected, we dispose of any sharps and syringes safely, and we provide a certificate of disposal.
Indeed, the correct collection and disposal of biohazardous waste is essential to protecting the public and the environment from health and safety risks. This includes hazardous and biological material that may have come into contact with or been infected by microbiological and pathological waste. We operate to industry-leading standards (including BS-EN-ISO 9001:2018 and ISO14001 for Environmental Management). And as an upper-tier licensed waste carrier, we always have a sharp focus on safe and secure disposal.
To find out more about REACT Specialist Cleaning and out Atex explosive environment cleaning services, contact one of the team today.
Telephone: 01283 550 503
Email: info@reactplc.co.uk
Website: www.reactsc.co.uk
Post by Shaun D. Doak
Shaun is the CEO of REACT Group plc., a business dedicated to specialist cleaning, hygiene, and decontamination. He is deeply committed to making sure that every one of our company’s clients receives the highest possible level of service. An expert in HVAC and commercial and industrial cleaning methodologies, Shaun has extensive experience in the facilities management and renewable services sector.
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