The Environment Agency has published new guidance in relation to the assessment and consignment of hazardous waste. This guide reflects new duties in terms of hazardous waste that come into practice in Spring 2011 in a voluntary capacity, but then are compulsory from Autumn 2011. The guide provides information on how to use and complete consignment notes when hazardous waste is moved to or from England and Wales. All movements of hazardous waste between one site and another require to have a consignment note – this acts as a receipt (paper or electronic) that tracks the movements of all hazardous waste.
The new guide includes the new requirement that anyone who produces, handles or manages hazardous waste must take all reasonable measures to apply the waste hierarchy when they transfer waste. The waste hierarchy is a system that sets out an approach to dealing with waste in a set order of preference:
This additional responsibility is reflected in Part D of the new consignment note. Waste producers, handlers and managers must record in Part D that they have considered the waste hierarchy.
All hazardous waste requires to be categorised on the consignment note, and the new regulations prescribe a new category of hazardous waste known as sensitizing. This is identified as H13 (Sensitizing) in the consignment note, and the former H13 is now H15 (waste capable by any means of yielding another substance which possesses any of the H1 to H14 hazardous properties. An example of this is leachate).
Also as a result of the new regulations, consignment notes can now be used for both standard and multiple collections. Each collection must be readily identified, however, with their round number and the number of collection sites.
The guide is split into six sections, covering the various ways of consigning hazardous waste.
Section A : describes the standard consignment note procedure covering the simple movement of waste from one site (not a ship) to another (not via pipeline), in England and Wales.
Section B : Information on what to do in the case of consignment notes in relation to multiple collections.
Section C : covers movements of hazardous wastes from ships, and within pipelines.
Section D : covers the movement of hazardous wastes across borders.
Section E : provides a schedule of carriers.
Section F : covers rejected loads – this is where the consignee refuses to accept the receipt of the hazardous waste.
This guide can be viewed on the Environment Agency website at:
http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/pdf/GEHO0311BTPW-e-e.pdf
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