Hazardous Waste Regulations:
Hazardous waste for England & Wales regulations 2005 were implemented on 16th July 2005. Hazardous waste producers are required to pre-register before any hazardous waste can be collected from the premises. The regulations apply the European waste catalogue codes of hazardous waste that will affect a wider range of producers.
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It is an offence for hazardous waste to be collected from a site that has not been registered or is exempt.
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All non-exempt sites that produce hazardous waste must be registered.
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EA Guidance has clarified that it’s an offence to produce hazardous waste on site and not registered.
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Implementation of regulations for wastes (England) regulations 2005. More details can be found at www.hmso.gov.uk. This includes items such as, PC Monitors, fridges, TV’s, oily rags, fluorescent tubes will require collection under hazardous waste.
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The EA will accept postal registrations, registrations can be made on line via www.environment-agency.gov.uk
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Sites producing hazardous waste has to have a separate registration, although multiple sites can be registered on the same notification.
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Some sites are exempt if they expect to produce less than 200kgsof hazardous waste a year. However they would have to register if, part way through the year they went over their threshold , this also includes, agriculture premises, offices, shops where WEEE is collected. Dental, Veterinary , medical practices and ships. The EA indicates 200kgs is approximately 10 small TV’s, 500 Fluorescent tubes or 5 small domestic fridges.
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Domestic waste is excluded from hazardous regulations, If it’s separately collected or if it consists of asbestos. This also includes prescription only medicines (other than cytotoxic and cytostatic medicines) which would be hazardous waste.
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Each consignment will require a fee to be paid to the EA by the consignee with their quarterly returns to the agency, this will be charged back to the collector. A consignment might attract more than one consignment fee if, for instance, it goes through a transfer station and the collector would have to ensure this was considered the price.
Producer Responsibility:
The responsibility of production and supply has to take account of the overall environment impact of their products. The legislation is to ensure that discarded products are environmentally treated through recycling and recovery, rather than disposed to landfill.
Landfill Directive:
The 1999 EU landfill directive has varied requirements to site types, this depends on whether the site is existing, new, hazardous or non hazardous.
Environment Protection Act:
Environment Protection Act (EPA) 1990. This is one of the most important pieces of legislation. The legislation controls many aspects of how the environment is protected. The EPA 1990 (amended 1995) provides statuary framework in relation to waste:
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Defines Waste
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Functions of waste collection and disposal authorities in connection with the environment agency.
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Establish criminal offences in relation to waste
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Waste management licensing
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Establish duty of care in waste
Waste Offences:
Section 33(1) makes it an offence to:
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Deposit controlled waste
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Knowingly permit controlled waste to be deposited in or on land
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Keep, Treat or Dispose of controlled waste
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Knowingly cause or permit controlled waste to be kept, treated or disposed of unless in possession of a waste management licence or permit.
It is also an offence to keep or treat controlled waste in manner which can cause pollution, thus causing harm to the environment and human health (this applies even if waste management licence has been issued or not)
Landfill Regulations:
On the 16th July 2002, the new regulations came into force implementing the EC landfill directive in the UK. The aim of this is to reduce negative effects on the environment during the lifecycle of landfill.
Technical Requirements to Landfill Operations:
All land operators are required to have submitted site conditioning plans to the Environment Agency, thus enabling classifications, such as
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Hazardous
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Non hazardous
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Inert
Engineering & Operation:
Landfill regulations impose strict requirements for the location, design and operation of landfill sites. This includes control of gas, leachate and all types of waste which can be accepted. Landfill operators of all classes of landfill site must follow proceedings which enable them to understand the types of waste they are accepting.
Technical Requirements / Waste Acceptance Procedures (WAP):
All sites are governed by Waste Acceptance Procedures, this defines the particular controls and checks that have to be applied. Waste producers should liaise with their waste manager, making themselves aware of the requirements for each waste stream that they send to landfill.
Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC):
Hazardous and inert landfill sites are subject to strict limits on the behaviour of waste they accept. Laboratory tests are used to determine certain compounds that can be washed out, this is also known as LS10 LS8 and LS2 leachability tests. WAC limits does not apply at non hazardous sites.
Bans:
Landfill disposal bans came into force under the landfill regulations. Explosive, corrosive, oxidising, flammable infectious wastes and tyres. From 16th July 2002, liquid wastes were banned from hazardous landfill sites. From 31st October 2007 liquid wastes were banned from all classes of landfill. Liquid waste defined as:
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