Fortnightly Bulletin – 23rd September 2024

Guidance

Storing, treating and sterilising waste coir: RPS 303

This Regulatory Position Statement (RPS) applies to operators who store and treat waste coir (coconut fibre, waste code 02 01 03) by:

• screening,
• shredding,
• cutting,
• sorting,
• heat sterilisation.

This RPS does not change your legal requirement to have an environmental permit for a waste operation. However, the Environment Agency (EA) will not normally take enforcement action against you if you do not comply with this legal requirement provided that:

• your activity meets the description set out in this?RPS,
• you comply with the conditions set out in this?RPS.

In addition, your activity must not cause (or be likely to cause) pollution of the environment or harm to human health, and must not:

• cause a risk to water, air, soil, plants or animals,
• cause a nuisance through noise or odours,
• adversely affect the countryside or?places of special interest.

Source: Gov.uk

For the full guidance, click here.

Storing lead acid batteries, cable and gas cylinders at Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs): RPS 308

This RRPS applies to HWRCs accepting the following:

• Lead acid vehicle batteries coded 16 06 01* where the permit lists 20 01 33* as a waste that can be accepted.
• Pressurised gas cylinders coded 16 05 04* where the permit lists 16 05 05 as a waste that can be accepted.
• Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) cable coded 16 02 15* or 16 02 16, and waste electrical and telecommunications (non-WEEE) cable coded 17 04 10* or 17 04 11 – it does not allow any cables containing oils or coal tar.

This RPS does not change your legal requirement to have an environmental permit for a waste operation. However, the EA will not normally take enforcement action against you if you do not comply with this legal requirement provided that:

• your activity meets the description set out in this?RPS,
• you comply with the conditions set out in this?RPS.

In addition, your activity must not cause (or be likely to cause) pollution of the environment or harm to human health, and must not:

• cause a risk to water, air, soil, plants or animals,
• cause a nuisance through noise or odours,
• adversely affect the countryside or?places of special interest.

The EA intends to review this?RPS?by 30th of June 2027.

Source: Gov.uk

For the full guidance, click here.

Articles of Interest

Royal Mint Opens Factory to extract gold from e-waste

The Royal Mint has opened a new factory to extract gold from Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) found in everyday e-waste items, such as TVs, laptops and mobile phones.

The 3,700 square metre factory, located in south Wales, uses a “world-first” patented chemistry from Canadian clean tech company Excir to extract the gold.

The Royal Mint said recovering high-purity gold will reduce the dependence on traditional mining activity and encourage more sustainable industry practices.

The factory has scaled the technology from a laboratory to an industrial level for the first time and has the capacity to process up to 4,000 tonnes of PCBs from e-waste every year, the Royal Mint said.

For the full article, click here

Enforcement action

Operating Without or Other Than in Accordance with an Environmental Permit (Waste Activity)

Two people have been sentenced after pleading guilty to running an illegal waste site in Daventry, following an investigation by the EA.

The duo were running a waste tyre site without an environmental permit. Tyres were stored in an unsafe manner, creating a significant fire risk and therefore a high pollution risk.

Shipping records showed that large shipments of tyres were being sent to India on a regular basis, far exceeding the allowed limit. The investigation found the 40-tonne weekly limit for the storage or treatment of waste tyres was exceeded in 52 out of the 59 weeks analysed.

The case has been adjourned for consideration of the recovery of the proceeds of crime, as well as recovery of the EA’s costs.?

Source: Gov.UK

For the full article, click here

Events

Introduction to Landfill sites

27th September 2024 – Poplars Landfill – 09:00-11:30

This session will explore the landfill operations, including a visit to Poplars landfill followed by a “Introduction to Landfills” presentation

Source: CIWM

To register, click here