Although for decades the whole world has been trying to move in an increasingly sustainable mobility direction, the car market is constantly increasing, also helped by the progressive conversion to electric or hybrid of many of the world’s leading car manufacturers.
Currently we do not yet know what the trend will be in the near future, but there are always many cars in big cities and the related congested traffic, drivers and commuters know it well.
And it should also be emphasized that the need for maintenance and tuning of cars is also increasing, with the consequent need to dispose of waste produced by garages, body shops and tire dealers throughout Italy.
Furthermore, in Italy, the policy of state incentives for new cars and the purchase of used cars will certainly impact the amount of workshop waste to be disposed of.
Types of workshop waste
What is workshop waste?
They are numerous and, above all, they are special waste in all respects. Some of this is hazardous waste – used oils, batteries, tires – while others are non-hazardous waste, such as scrap iron and car bodies.
Let’s describe workshop waste in detail. Obviously, we are talking first of all about tires, which must be periodically replaced when they wear out, puncture, or simply reach a number of kilometers that requires, for greater safety, their replacement. In short, when these products can no longer provide a safe and efficient service, they become waste and must be managed as such. In the dictionary of waste management, the acronym ELT stands for End-of-Life Tyres. However, it is necessary to be careful: they do not fall within the scope of the discipline referred to in art. 228 of Legislative Decree no. 152/06 and Ministerial Decree no. 182/2019 for bicycle tyres, inner tubes, related protectors and rubber seals, tyres for airplanes and aircraft in general.
Italian law, with the entry into force of Decree No. 82 of 11 April 2011 and the subsequent Ministerial Decree No. 182 of 19 November 2019, regulated its management with the aim of “optimising its recovery, preventing its formation and protecting the environment”.
This waste, properly recycled (in practice, most of the time reducing it to granules of different sizes), even makes it possible to make synthetic turf, pavements, asphalts, bumps and curbs, car components or suitcases, building coverings, shoe soles and stationery. In any case, it is polluting but not hazardous waste, which obviously must never and then be dispersed in the street or in the environment.
In addition to tyres, there are other special workshop waste that must be disposed of with suitable procedures and tailor-made solutions.
First of all, used oils: whether it is engine oil or brake oils, the disposal of these oils must include storage in suitable containers, which can be, if necessary, tanks or tanks, placed on a waterproofed floor. The presence of a containment basin is appropriate.
Again, common waste for those who own a workshop are car batteries, which are periodically changed and must be stored in containers made of resistant material in the workshop, to prevent liquids such as the acid contained in the batteries from leaking out and ruining the environment. Or, filters and coolants, also to be used for proper disposal, in containers that can be closed and then emptied safely. Finally, in workshops there are numerous materials such as scrap and various pieces of bodywork: these are iron parts that must also be stored in containers and well differentiated within any workshop.
Solutions for the disposal of workshop waste
Good practices in the workshop are therefore increasingly important on a daily basis.
Small and large workshops must now equip themselves with suitable workspaces to be able to guarantee the correct storage and subsequent disposal of this waste. For this reason, the best solution is to rely on competent people and technicians who know how to optimize space with tailor-made solutions: in this way it will be possible to define a temporary storage area with special packaging in accordance with the law.
This makes it possible to guarantee safety in the workplace: only in this way can contamination be avoided between hazardous waste – which should be covered by covers to prevent it from getting wet and polluting the environment – and non-hazardous waste.
On the Eurocorporation website it is possible to find the best solution to be able to manage workshop waste, entrusting the management of this waste to a team of specialized professionals.
