Hazardous Waste

Why do I keep hearing about hazardous waste?

In July 2005, new controls on Hazardous Waste came into force. A number of waste streams not previously considered to be hazardous are now classified as such. Additionally, the Landfill Directive has set tighter standards on wastes that can go to landfill.

What is classed as hazardous waste?

Hazardous waste is anything that exhibits properties that make it harmful to human health or the environment. For instance, it could be an irritant, explosive, flammable, corrosive, oxidising or carcinogenic.

Just a few examples of items classed as hazardous include solvent-based paints, asbestos, batteries, pesticides, some prescription medicines, acids, waste oils, and electrical equipment such as televisions and computers (cathode ray tubes) and electronic chip devices.

Hazardous waste controls

New controls on Hazardous Waste came into force in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on July 16th, 2005. These replace the previous "Special Waste regime". In Scotland, "special waste" and "hazardous waste" have the same meaning.

A number of waste streams not previously considered to be hazardous, including televisions, computer monitors, fluorescent lighting and end-of-life vehicles are now classified as hazardous.

Since July 2005, most producers of hazardous waste in England and Wales have been required to notify their premises to the Environment Agency. Guidance on notification, including the on-line notification facility, can be found on the Environment Agency's hazardous waste pages. This registration requirement has replaced the need to pre-notify the Environment Agency of Special Waste movements.

The Environment Agency is reminding all businesses that produce hazardous waste, that they need to re-register their premises before their existing hazardous waste registration expires. The renewal system will be operating from 15 June 2006, and all businesses can renew their registration in the month before their registration expires.

In Northern Ireland and Scotland, there is no need to register, but pre-notification of Hazardous Waste movements is still required.

The Landfill Directive

The 2002 Landfill Directive has set tighter standards on wastes that can go to landfill. These standards are called Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) and applied to hazardous waste from July 2005.

The WAC set leaching and other limit values that components of the waste stream must meet in order to be accepted at landfill sites. This is in addition to the ban on 'co-disposal' of Hazardous Waste and Non-Hazardous Waste in landfill sites since July 2004. There is a significant reduction in the number of hazardous waste sites available for landfill within the UK. Current Environment Agency lists of landfill sites and transfer stations in England and Wales accepting hazardous waste illustrate this reduction.

The Environment Agency has noted a reduction in the amount of hazardous waste going to landfill as a result of the Landfill Directive and as such, the legislative framework is driving greater waste minimisation and recovery.