Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Guidance

Yorwaste has a legal obligation to collect POPs separately from non-POPs.

What are POPs?

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are chemical substances that do not break down easily in the environment and can accumulate in living organisms. They may cause long-term adverse effects on our health via food chains and the environment.

POPs are often referred to as forever chemicals because of their long-lasting presence. The manufacture, sale and use of products containing POPs is now banned.

Yorwaste has a legal obligation to collect POPs separately from non-POPs.

What do you need to do?

As a waste producer, it is your responsibility to know if the soft furnishings and electrical waste you produce may contain POPS.

– If you are unsure whether the soft furnishings and electricals contain POPs, you must assume that they do.

– POPS containing waste must not be mixed with any other waste streams, they must not be broken down and need to be stored or handled separately.

If waste is generated from a hospital or care home for example, then the mattress must be placed in a separate container to the rubber mattress cover/protector.

We can provide you with separate containers for each waste type. If you need advice or a separate container, please contact us.

Identify waste domestic seating that contains POPs

Waste domestic seating is any item of seating of a household type from households or businesses that is waste. Upholstered domestic seating may contain POPs.

  • Sofas
  • Sofa beds
  • Armchairs
  • Recliner chairs
    (electrical or mechanical)
  • Kitchen and dining room chairs
  • Garden furniture
  • Stools and foot stools
  • Office chairs that are fire resistant to domestic standards
  • Futons
  • Bean bags, floor and sofa cushions
  • Others

    Any other upholstered items that can reasonably be described as a form of seating used by households, and to which relevant fire regulations apply. This might include child car seats, highchairs, and benches.

  • This includes any part made of or containing leather, synthetic leather, other fabric, or foam.
  • Items that are not domestic seating may still contain POPs.
  • Commercial seating is at particular risk of containing POPs.

Domestic seating unlikely to contain POPs

  • Items that are not upholsteredFor example, a wooden chair without a cushioned or textile back, seat, or arms
  • Deckchairs
  • Wastes with proofWastes from manufacturing new domestic seating that the manufacturer can show does not contain POPs
  • Mattresses, curtains, blinds and beds are not domestic seating and are not covered by this guidance.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

  • WEEE often has components that contain hazardous substances or POPs. These could include:
  • Printed circuit boards
  • Plastic casings, cables and other components
  • Insulation foam
  • Cooling agents
  • Flame retardants
  • Activated glass and screen phosphors
  • Cathode ray tubes
  • Capacitors
  • Ni-Cd batteries

Success Stories

  • Swinton Estate is a privately owned country estate near Masham, North Yorkshire.

    • New Award

      received for Sustainability

    • 22%Increase

      in Recycling Rate annually

  • Growing from a humble maker of poultry crates in 1934 to one of the UK's largest suppliers of pre-owned modular buildings

    • £20thousand

      savings made

    • 9

      waste streams managed

    • 500+

      skips or hooks exchanges completed

  • A UK-based company that offers processing and packaging services for various sectors.

    • 1.4million kg

      waste collected

Legal Compliance

  • The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 require that businesses;

  • Sort and store waste safely and securely.

  • Ensure that any waste carrier they partner with has a valid waste carrier's license and is registered to dispose of waste.

  • Failure to comply can risk a criminal conviction, fines, and seizure of assets. By signing up to Yorwaste you are meeting your obligation without the hassle of navigating through the legislation yourself.

Yorwaste is here to help and support you

You don’t have to navigate these regulations alone. Contact us for additional support.