The Environment Agency, a government agency for the United Kingdom, announced that it is extended the end date for interim criteria for assessing whether or not waste from shredding end-of-life vehicles is hazardous.
The new deadline has been moved from Nov. 1, 2004 to Nov. 30, 2004. the extension is expected to allow completion on procedural work to test and sample waste before material is landfilled.
With changes to the rules for landfilling hazardous waste introduced this past July, discussions between the Environment Agency, the vehicle dismantling and recycling trades, the waste management industry, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Trade and Industry, led to agreement on a simplified approach to assessing whether residues from metal shredding should be treated as 'hazardous' waste or not.
Initially, the ELV regulations created a maelstrom of complaints from auto shredders in the country, a number of who opted to stop shredding automobiles as a protest against the policy.
Opponents of the policy stated that despite having the automobiles de-polluted, there were concerns that traces of hazardous materials that would contravene the Landfill Directive ban on hazardous waste co-disposal would show up.
The Environment Agency has been working with the shredders to develop tests for residues. But early indications have suggested some doubts as to the non-hazardous nature of the residues.
The agreed approach, set out in a statement issued in July and revised to include the new end date of 30 November states that: The Agency will in the following circumstances view waste as non hazardous for the purpose of the Duty of Care and the Landfill Regulations: where the waste is: (i) residue from the shredding of ELVs that have been depolluted (in accordance with the Dti/Defra depollution guidance) and other non- hazardous feedstock; or (ii) until 30 November 2004 residues from the shredding of ELV from which the following have been removed: lead acid batteries; components identified as containing mercury (eg switches); engine oils and oil filters; fuels and other non-hazardous feedstock; and b) where the person (the holder) passing the shredder residue to the landfill operator verifies that the residue satisfies 1(a) above and self certifies to that effect on a waste transfer note thereby creating an audit trail.
Landfill operators may rely on the transfer note from the shredder as sufficient evidence of the non-hazardous character of the waste but if concerns arise these should be addressed to the shredder and/or the Agency.
Where shredder residues do not satisfy 1 above (i.e. the feedstock has either not been depolluted or the holder is unable to demonstrate that this has taken place), it should be assumed that the shredder residue is hazardous waste, unless proved to be non-hazardous through the approved test. It should be handled and disposed of accordingly – i.e. identified as hazardous waste on the transfer note and sent to a hazardous waste landfill or suitable authorized incinerator.