Waste Acceptance Criteria

1
Waste Acceptance Criteria

• The Landfill (England and Wales) Regulations 2002
  (as amended)
• Three types of landfill hazardous,
  non-hazardous, inert
• Wastes can only be accepted at a landfill if they
  meet the waste acceptance criteria (WAC) for that
  type of landfill

2
Waste Acceptance Criteria

• WAC came into force -
• 16th July 2005 for all new landfills and existing
  hazwaste landfills (e.g. Blaydon, Port Clarence)
• From 16th July 2005 for existing landfills when
  permitted (e.g. Joint Stocks Phase II)

3
Waste Acceptance Criteria

• Three stages
• Basic characterisation a thorough
  determination, according to standardised analysis
  and behaviour testing methods, of the short and
  long term leaching behaviour and/or
  characteristic properties of the waste.
• Compliance testing periodical testing to
  determine whether a waste complies with permit
  conditions
• On-site verification rapid check methods to
  confirm that a waste is the same as is described
  on accompanying documents

4
Waste Acceptance Criteria

• Basic characterisation
• Source and origin of the waste
• Process producing the waste including a
  description of the process, its SIC code,
  characteristics of raw materials and products
• Treatment applied - or why it is not considered
  necessary
• Composition of the waste including, where
  relevant, an assessment of it against the
  relevant limit values
• Appearance of the waste (smell, colour,
  consistency, physical form)
• EWC code
• If hazardous, the relevant properties that make
  it hazardous
• Waste is not prohibited (flammable, corrosive,
  etc.)
• Landfill class at which the waste can be accepted
  (haz non-haz, inert)
• The likely behaviour of the waste in the landfill
  any additional precautions required
• Can the waste be recycled or recovered
• Identification of key variables for compliance
  testing

5
Waste Acceptance Criteria

• Government will amend Duty of Care to require
  inclusion of a,b,e,f,g,k
• Source and origin of the waste
• Process producing the waste
• Appearance of the waste (smell, colour,
  consistency, physical form)
• EWC code
• If hazardous, the relevant properties that make
  it hazardous
• Can the waste be recycled or recovered

6
Waste Acceptance Criteria

• Compliance testing regular testing of waste to
  ensure material quality is within limits set.
• Responsibility of the landfill operator may
  wish to put the burden back on to the producer
• EA recommends default period of 12 months for
  testing

7
Waste Acceptance Criteria

• On-site verification
• The site operator must visually inspect every
  load of waste delivered to landfill before and
  after unloading
• Ensure waste agrees with information supplied by
  the producer including the accompanying
  documentation

8
Waste Acceptance Criteria

• Hazardous Inert Landfills
• These require sampling and testing of all wastes
  before acceptance
• Certain inert wastes are exempt from testing
• The testing includes a specific leaching test for
  both inorganic and organic components.
• If the results exceed any of the limits then the
  waste cannot be accepted at that class of
  landfill
• Hazardous wastes must also demonstrate a loss on
  ignition of lt10 or a total organic carbon
  content of lt6
• Inert waste must also have a TOC of lt3

9
Waste Acceptance Criteria

• Non-hazardous landfills
• Sites cannot accept hazardous wastes unless in a
  separate cell for stable non-reactive hazardous
  waste
• Sites can accept
• municipal waste
• inert waste
• any non-hazardous waste which is not included on
  the hazardous waste list.
• no limit values for testing

10
Waste Acceptance Criteria

• Implications
• Information required for basic characterisation
  must be received before waste will be accepted.
• Changes to waste streams must be recorded and the
  landfill advised
• Organic hazwaste streams will not meet limits for
  landfilling