Environmental Services | Local Services

If you are looking for the services of a local gardener to maintain your lawn or if your business requires a licensed environmental services company to help you with the safe disposal of your waste, here is some general information to help you and/or your business decide on the services which suit will your needs and help you keep within your budget.

Different Types of Services on Offer

Gardening Services

Depending on the type of gardening work you require, there are various types of gardeners you can choose from and use. If you are simply in need of a regular lawn-mowing service, you can approach a local gardener or handyman who will be able to carry out this basic task for you. Other general maintenance services which can be undertaken by such a gardener include weeding and pruning, planting, selecting and placing plants and flowers, developing borders, clearing paths and driveways. A gardener may also be able to carry out minor pruning work on trees. However, certain types of tree work may require the expertise of a qualified tree surgeon.

If you are in need of a complete garden re-design or if you want your garden totally transformed, you may need to use the services of a professional gardening firm. They will be able to carry out hard landscaping jobs such as installing decking, building brick walls and pathways, installing water features, constructing patios and ponds.

Waste and Environmental Services

There are many different types of waste collection services on offer all across the UK from one-off collections in the form of skips to daily waste collection services such as bag collections, wheeled bins and larger types of containers such as front-end loaders and rear-end loaders. Waste management companies deal with both residential and business clients.

Waste management and environmental services companies range from small outfits that carry out all forms of domestic and residential clearance work such as clearing up gardens, lofts, houses and garages through to larger waste management and environmental services companies that carry out more specialised collection and disposal of materials including commercial waste, industrial waste and construction waste. More specifically, they will legally and safely collect and dispose of materials such as asbestos, compost, clinical waste, household waste, liquid waste, sewage, waste oil, wood, tyres, white goods such as refrigerators and washing machines and any hazardous waste.

Many of these waste management and environmental services companies may also provide recycling services where they will recycle wood, paper, glass, cardboard, ink cartridges and more. Other environmental services on offer may include street cleaning and incineration. Larger waste management and environmental services companies tend to have their own recycling and sorting facilities as well as their own fleet of specialist vehicles to carry out the job efficiently.

More recently, some companies are starting to offer a specialised Lamp Recycling Service that allows their customers to dispose of all types of fluorescent and strip lighting correctly in order to minimise the amount of harmful waste being disposed of at landfills across the country. Another specialised service is the collection of Confidential Waste. This service has been increasing in popularity as identity theft becomes worryingly widespread. Businesses are particularly concerned as they have to keep the company's data and those of its customers secure at all times.

How To Find Gardening, Waste and Environmental Services

Gardening Services -- the best way to locate a good and reliable local gardener for your residential garden is by word of mouth. A good recommendation from neighbours, friends and/or family is worth its weight in gold! You can also find a local gardener or a company which offers gardening services by looking through the local newspapers or directories. There are now even comparison websites where you can compare quotes and types of services provided by different gardeners in your area. If appropriate, always ask to see references from previous clients.

Waste and Environmental Services -- as waste disposal and many environmental services are fraught with complicated legislation, it is vital to use the services of a professional licensed firm. There are a number of large and established nationwide firms that have a good reputation. You can find information about them using the website or any business directory.

Some Important Considerations
Try to choose a waste management and environmental services company that will dispose of your waste in the most economical and environmentally friendly way. It is essential to choose one that has a thorough knowledge of the ever changing legal requirements of waste management. This will mean that you as a customer can concentrate on the successful management of your own business instead of worrying about the complexities of waste disposal.

However, if you have concerns, you can contact NetRegs. They are an organisation which provides free environmental guidance for small businesses in the UK. They aim to help small businesses understand what they need to do to comply with environmental legislation and protect the environment. It may be worthwhile as it could save you money by showing you new ways of using your resources more efficiently.

The following organisations and industry bodies can provide you with information and advice surrounding any of the issues of gardening, waste disposal and environmental services in the UK:

Gardening Services -- National Gardening Association, The Society of Garden Designers

Waste Disposal and Environmental Services -- Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), The Environment Agency, The Department for Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Environmental Services Association (ESA), NetRegs, Chartered Institute of Waste Management (IWM), The British Safety Council.