Recycling the Greenway

 

THE LANDFILL DIRECTIVE
For many years we have disposed of much of our waste by landfilling it, both in the UK and to a lesser extent in Europe. The EU Landfill Directive's main aims are to classify landfill sites across the whole of Europe and to regulate them in a more coherent and consistent manner. Within the next few years, the way we dispose of our waste will have to change considerably. The EU Landfill Directive applies to all landfill sites that were accepting waste on or after 16th July 2001. The Landfill Directive requires banning the disposal of certain types of waste (clinical, liquid, explosive, corrosive, oxidising, flammable, highly flammable waste and tyres). The Landfill (England and Wales) Regulations 2002 came into force on 15 June 2002. These new regulations implement the Landfill Directive (Council Directive 1999/31/EC), which aims to prevent, or to reduce as far as possible, the negative environmental effects of landfill. The regulations will have a major impact on waste regulation and industry in the UK. In summary, the Directive requires that: Certain hazardous and other wastes, including liquids, will be prohibited from landfills.

THE POTENTIAL FOR RECYCLING
Each year, the UK uses around 600 million aerosols. On average that's 10 cans per person or 27 cans per household. Aerosols account for 4% of the metals packaging stream. We estimate that there are about 25,000 tonnes of tinplated steel and 4,500 tonnes of high grade aluminium available from recycling aerosol in the UK. Markets exist for the materials recovered: Detinning recovers tin and high grade steel. Steel scrap is essential in new steel production.

WHAT IS SPECIAL WASTE?
Special Waste is waste that is potentially hazardous or dangerous, which may require extra precautions during handling, storage, treatment or disposal. Controlled waste is defined as 'Special' if it is listed with a six digit code in Part 1 of Schedule 2 of the SWR, and contains substances at or above a threshold level giving the waste one or more of the 14 hazardous characteristics in the following list: Explosive, Infectious, Oxidising, Teratogenic (causes birth defects), Flammable and highly flammable, Mutagenic (causes genetic changes), Irritant, Ecotoxic, Harmful, Substances and preparations that; (a) release toxic or very toxic gases, (b) after disposal can produce a hazardous characteristic, Toxic, Carcinogenic & Corrosive. Note: Even if your waste stream is not identified in Part 1 of Schedule 2, you may still have Special Waste if the waste displays one of the hazardous properties listed below at concentrations above the given threshold, or in the case of highly flammable liquids, has a flash-point above 21°C.

“It is the Agency’s position that the aerosols returned from your customers would be controlled waste and that also the majority of them would fall within the definition of special waste due to the flammable nature of the propellants. It should be also noted that the other materials within the various formulations may also render the aerosol special waste due to their hazardous nature”

Environment Agency to Greenway Environmental, 12th October 2001
Environment Protection Act 1990

The Special Waste Regulations 1996 (SWR) as amended, apply in England, Wales and Scotland. Similar regulations, The Special Waste Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998 apply in Northern Ireland.

For further information see WM1: Special Waste available from the Stationery Office

The SWR apply to all producers of Special Wastes as listed above, with the exception of the following: Household waste (except asbestos and household waste produced by laboratories and hospitals), Explosives covered by the Explosives Act 1875, Agricultural waste, Mine and quarry waste, Radioactive waste.
In practice this means that most businesses are likely to produce some Special Wastes. The following is a list of example Special Wastes: asbestos, lead-acid batteries, used engine oils and oil filters, oily sludges, solvent-based paint and ink, solvents, chemical wastes and pesticides, flammable liquids and aerosols.
Ensure that Special Wastes are transported by a registered or exempt waste carrier and transferred to an authorised facility, holding a suitable licence or exemption in accordance with Waste Management Licensing (Waste Disposal Licences in Northern Ireland) or permit in accordance with Pollution Prevention and Control Legislation.

DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?
All businesses produce waste, therefore the Duty of Care will apply to you. You must ensure the proper and safe disposal of waste even after you have passed it on to another party such as a waste contractor, scrap merchant, recycler, local council or skip hire company. The Duty of Care has no time limit, and extends until the waste has either been disposed of or fully recovered.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ME?
The Duty of Care requires that you ensure all waste is stored and disposed of responsibly, that it is only handled or dealt with by individuals or companies that are authorised to deal with it and that a record is kept of all waste received or transferred through a system of signed Waste Transfer Notes (WTN).

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