The lowdown on TEEP and recycling
 
What is it?
 
TEEP equals technically, environmentally and economically practical and relates to the way in which your recyclable and non-recyclable waste is handled.
 
The legislation came into effect on the 1st January 2015 that governs separate collections for recycling where it is technically, environmentally and economically practical. The reason for this is to improve quality and life-cycle of recyclable materials. What this means for organisations is that you must consider the practicalities of separating the waste you produce.
 
Quick fact check

• Technically practical? Example: Do you have space to separate and store cardboard from other dry mixed recycling?
• Environmentally Practical? Example: What is the impact environmentally on having another container (more plastic production) and another collection (more fossil fuels and emissions). Does the volume of waste negate the environmental impact?
• Economically Practical? Example: What cost is involved in separating the waste? For instance, a food waste collection may not be viable for a small office.

Conclusion
 
Generally, if an organisation can demonstrate it has considered TEEP when segregating waste, the regulations are satisfied. However, it should be noted that high quality materials do have a value and the organisation might be missing the opportunity to obtain a rebate or engage with a circular economy if it chooses not to segregate certain materials.
 
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