Can I store hazardous materials?
Storing Hazardous Materials
Most reputable storage facilities and removals companies operating in the UK maintain strict policies against the storage or transport of hazardous materials. This prohibition is primarily due to significant safety risks, legal obligations, and insurance limitations.
What Constitutes a Hazardous Material?
Hazardous materials encompass items that pose a risk to health, safety, or the environment. Common examples often include:
- Flammable liquids and gases: Petrol, diesel, paint, varnish, paint thinners, aerosols, propane or butane cylinders (e.g., for BBQs). Even items with residual fumes can be problematic.
- Corrosive substances: Bleach, drain cleaners, battery acids, certain industrial cleaning agents.
- Explosives: Fireworks, ammunition, detonators.
- Toxic materials: Pesticides, fertilisers, poisons, mercury (found in some older thermometers).
- Radioactive materials: Any item emitting radiation, even low levels.
Beyond these, items prone to attracting pests, such as unpackaged food, or those that could decompose and create a nuisance, like rotting organic matter, are also typically not permitted in storage units. Live plants and animals are also always on the prohibited list, for obvious reasons.
Why Are They Prohibited?
The reasons for these prohibitions are straightforward:
- Safety Risks: Hazardous materials can ignite, explode, corrode, or release toxic fumes, posing severe risks to staff, other customers' property, and the storage facility itself.
- Legal Compliance: UK legislation, such as the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations and various environmental protection acts, imposes strict requirements on the handling and storage of such items. Storage facilities are not typically licensed or equipped to meet these regulations for general public use.
- Insurance Invalidity: Storing prohibited items can invalidate the facility's insurance policy, as well as any storage insurance a customer might have arranged. This means no cover in the event of an incident.
Alternatives for Hazardous Materials
Rather than attempting to store prohibited items, the correct approach is safe and legal disposal:
- Council Waste & Recycling Centres: Local authority recycling centres often have dedicated sections for hazardous household waste, including paints, chemicals, and batteries. Check the specific requirements and opening times of your local centre. For general waste from a move, guidance is available on what to do with rubbish left over after moving.
- Specialist Disposal Services: For larger quantities of industrial chemicals or specific hazardous waste, specialist licensed disposal companies are the appropriate solution.
- Responsible Consumption: Consider purchasing only the quantity of hazardous materials needed for a task to minimise leftover waste.
Working with Storage and Removals Providers
When planning a move involving storage, it is crucial to be transparent with providers about all items intended for transport or storage. They can advise on what is permissible and what needs alternative arrangements. Professional movers, like storage facilities, operate under similar restrictions for safety and compliance. When considering most storage facilities, customers should familiarise themselves with the specific terms and conditions regarding prohibited items. Knowing how to pack items for long-term storage generally helps ensure everything else is ready for the unit.