Environmental consultancy Axion Consulting has launched a new Engineering Advisory Service to assist operators of waste facilities affected by fire, explosion or ‘other catastrophic events’ with their insurance claims.

The service will see engineers provide ‘rapid assessment’ and advice following damage claims for plant and equipment, business operation interruption and ‘consequential losswithin the recycling and waste reprocessing sector’.

It is hoped the service could help insurers, loss adjusters and solicitors to ‘determine solutions and associated costs for repair or replacement’ of affected machinery.

Axion Principal Engineer Simon Wilkinson, said: “While there are many professionals who can assess damage to buildings and structures, few can assess and accurately quantify damage to the actual process and equipment.

“The comprehensive service includes assessment of business interruption losses, evaluations of reinstatement proposals and estimating costs of any permanent or temporary reinstatement works.”

WRAP Cymru insurance survey

According to WRAP Cymru, the Welsh branch of the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), rising insurance costs are threatening waste management companies, and in some cases ‘[have] forced businesses to cease trading or led them to decide it is no longer worth trading’.

Part of the issues regarding waste site insurance cover has been attributed to the increasing number of waste site fires in the UK, as well as members of the public making 'bogus insurance claims'.

The number of insurers willing to offer insurance cover to waste companies has also, driving premiums higher.

As such, WRAP Cyrmu has launched a survey to help it ‘improve [its] understanding of the situation, to assess the impact on recycling infrastructure in Wales and to potentially provide evidence for intervention and additional support if needed’.

Find out more about Axion’s Engineering Advisory Service or the issues of insuring the waste sector.