Hazardous Waste fact sheet

What is hazardous waste?

Hazardous waste is defined, by the UK Governments Health and Safety Executive, as anything that is harmful to humans or the environment, including items that may not be hazardous themselves, but that have become contaminated. Hazardous waste can be found in different states, meaning it could be a liquid, solid or a gas. Examples of hazardous waste include things like asbestos, which could come from older building renovations, chemicals used in the manufacturing processes, batteries that power our equipment, solvents, oils and paints used in manufacturing or things like gasses used in cooling equipment. 
 
We address hazardous waste according to domestic legislation. We operate in line with a country’s specific regional and local regulations for identifying and managing hazardous waste.

How do you manage hazardous waste? 

As a large manufacturing company, it is important that we keep waste to the lowest possible level to reduce our impact on the environment, communities and individuals.
 
BAE Systems monitors waste and we report performance in our Annual Report. Our sites record and report on the amount of hazardous waste they produce. 
 
We have a Climate Response and Environment Policy that requires us to develop, implement and maintain an effective Environmental Management System. Our Environmental Management System (EMS) ensures we comply with contract requirements and applicable laws, regulations and standards and other requirements to which the organisation subscribes. As part of this, our businesses have objectives and strategies for responsible consumption and reducing waste.
 
Environmental Aspects and Impacts assessments are in place at local levels along with procedures which detail the segregation of incompatible materials, labelling and storage of waste. We proactively follow the waste hierarchy^{Fig 1} in working to understand the value of raw materials, maximising manufacturing efficiencies, eliminating or reducing waste generated and focusing on recycling. Locations have waste segregation procedures to maximise recycling potential and to comply with local regulatory requirements. All employees can proactively contribute by following local rules on sorting and segregating waste in to the different containers or storage areas provided. Periodic checks are conducted to ensure waste that is generated is segregated correctly.
 
Fig 1

We use our expertise to reduce our global environmental impact. At BAE Systems, we look at the whole life cycle of our products and services, aiming to minimise hazardous waste from design right through to the end of a product’s life and its disposal. This reduces both our own and our customers’ impact on the environment. Maintenance, technology improvements, alternative raw materials and reuse or recycle programmes all play a part in reducing the amount of hazardous waste we generate. We also work across our sites to reduce not only production waste but also non-production waste created in our programmes and facilities. 
 
We continue to harness the power of technology in our operations, such as additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) for repeatable, complex parts. By reducing production time and only using the material that is needed, we’re able to make our manufacturing methods more sustainable and reduce hazardous and non-hazardous waste. 

Who is responsible for hazardous waste at BAE Systems?

We use resources efficiently and sparingly to minimise the impact of our operations and those of our suppliers. Our Climate Response and Environment Policy is part of our Operational Framework, which sets out how we work across BAE Systems – our values, policies and processes. 
 
BAE Systems has an Executive Committee – a quarterly forum for Senior Leaders to discuss, review and agree on the issues and actions that are important to the Company as a whole. The Executive Committee and our Board of Directors approve our Operational Framework annually; this means our Climate Response and Environment Policy is reviewed and signed off each year (this process is described in our Annual Report). We also have an Audit Committee who assess risks to our organisation and the controls we have put in place to minimise those risks.
 
The BAE Systems Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Committee oversees environmental issues. Our ESG, Culture and Business Transformation Director is part of our Executive Committee, with responsibility for environmental matters including those related to waste and, in turn, hazardous waste.
 
The ESG, Culture and Business Transformation Director leads our Sustainability Council, which meets monthly to recommend priorities and areas for focus; they also support other Leaders in implementing our Company sustainability agenda. 
 
Line Leaders are responsible for the operations and performance of BAE Systems’ individual businesses. They must establish policies, processes and charters in their area that put Company-wide requirements, processes and charters mandated by the Executive Committee into practice.
 
Each and every employee also has their own role to play in reducing and managing waste. 

Has BAE Systems made a commitment to reduce hazardous waste?

We are committed to reducing the amount of waste generated wherever possible. Local management systems are in place to allow for performance tracking, monitoring and either location or Business specific targets to be set.

Do you have any initiatives in place to reduce hazardous waste?

Site management systems are designed to analyse amount and type of waste generated which allows for the identification of specific waste projects. Using a lifecycle management approach, waste generation can be prevented in both the supply chain and our manufacturing processes. Where waste is generated we actively work to move the disposal of waste through the waste hierarchy^{Fig 1}. Examples include:

• Working with the local council to recycle the former runway at Samlesbury using materials to form a base layer for resurfacing roads.
• Identification of a new disposal method for cured carbon fibre resulting in zero waste to landfill since 2020 across three manufacturing sites.
• Using 3D printing technology to manufacture parts for aircraft which use less material, storage, packaging and logistics.

Do employees receive training in how to deal with hazardous waste?

Employees receive the relevant training, guidance and information required for them to fulfil their obligations with regard to waste management. We operate a learning portfolio broken down into core skills, leadership, functional learning and Business Integrity Training. Employees’ interactions with waste varies dependent on their role, however employees receive induction training which includes the importance of waste segregation, labelling and storage of waste. Where employees’ roles are within the manufacturing process and waste is generated, detailed guidance is provided within standard operating procedures around the specific types of waste generated and how to manage it.
 
The information contained in this fact sheet is for PLC managed businesses and is accurate as at the date of its publication.

Publication date: 11/11/24