South Australia’s Waste Reform Project: Environment Protection Authority Regulation & Management of Waste Derived Products 5 May 2010 ACLCA Presentation Amanda Lewis Principal Advisor Waste Management
Outline • Background to Waste Reform Project – Key Issues being addressed – Intended outcomes • Stockpiling Guideline • Waste Derived Product Standards – Refuse Derived Fuel; – Waste Derived Soil Enhancer; – Waste Derived Fill. • Questions
Background – Board Subcommittee • Subcommittee established May 2007 to consider key issues and strategies for regulating the waste and resource recovery industry. • Subcommittee report published October 2007 – to propose strategies to address the main problems and issues identified in waste management and its regulation.
Key Problems Identified by Report • Regulatory framework needs to be modelled on comprehensive support for: – Prevent or minimise the risk of environmental harm from waste and waste related products – Support the highest and best, safe available use of waste (waste hierarchy) – responsiveness to industry changes in recycling and reuse and associated technology. • Identified need for consistent framework, policy and procedures, and information to assist in better understanding of the regulatory processes
Waste to Resources • Maximise value while preventing adverse impact • Focus on process and demonstrating fit for purpose and distinguish resource recovery and reuse, from waste disposal • Specific guidelines and EPP to support the beneficial reuse of waste by providing a mechanism under which materials produced and used in accordance with the standard can be products rather than wastes.
Key Issues Identified In Report • Stockpiling – identified waste in stockpiles with unknown or undefined fate • Need for Recycled Product Specifications and Guidance – issues with deposition of waste to land not to any accepted standard • Unauthorised activities – addressing activities found to be operating without authorisation Other project components • Develop overarching documents – Objectives for Regulating Waste – Guiding Principles for waste reuse • Review Schedule 1 Waste Activities • Complete W2R EPP • Website, biosolids, definitions publication, etc
The Environment Protection Act 1993 • Receive, Store, Treat or Dispose Waste –Prescribed Activity of Environmental Significance 3(3) Authorisation • Waste is defined in Part 1 of the Act – Any discarded, rejected, abandoned, unwanted or surplus matter, whether or not intended for sale or for recycling, reprocessing, recovery or purification by a separate operation from that which produced the matter; or – Anything declared by regulation (after consultation under section 5A) or by an environment protection policy to be waste, whether of value or not.
Waste • Status of waste determined at generation & is not dependent on: – if the waste is wanted – if the waste is intended or capable of being reused, recycled or recovered – if the waste has value or may be sold or traded – if the recipient of the waste asserts that the waste is a resource. • So – to support waste reuse while ensuring appropriate practices & acceptable waste management outcomes – Standards developed to support the beneficial reuse in conjunction with the W2R EPP, which provide a mechanism under which suitable waste materials that meet all requirements of the Standard can be products rather than wastes. (currently mechanism 3(3)(i) Limited Purposes)
Waste to Resource • EPP clause 4 Certain material declared to be waste For the purposes of the definition of waste in section 3(1) of the Act, waste or material resulting from the treatment of waste continues to be waste except insofar as it constitutes a product (a) that meets specification or standards published or approved in writing by the Authority, or (b) if no relevant specification or standard under (a) applies, that is ready and intended for imminent use without the need for further treatment to prevent any environmental harm that might result from such use.
Guiding Principles 1. Support the waste hierarchy 2. Ensure a risk based approach 3. Maximise resource efficiency and require QA/QC Fill & Soil Enhancer 4. Consistent approach to regulation RDF http://www.epa.sa.gov.au/pdfs/waste_principles.pdf
Waste to Resource • Interstate/Overseas/National, eg – NSW classifications, Regulations and Exemptions DECC | Resource recovery exemptions http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/waste/RRecoveryExemptions.htm – EU – End of Waste Criteria http://susproc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/activities/waste/documents/Endofwastecriteriafinal.p df – EPHC: Contaminants in fertilisers; Reuse of industrial residues - EPHC - Industrial residues http://www.ephc.gov.au/sites/default/files/IR_Rpt__Guidance_for_Assessing_the_B eneficial_Reuse_Industrial_Residues_Land_Management_Applications_200609.pdf
EU – End of waste Certain specified waste shall cease to be waste when it has undergone a recovery operation and complies with specific criteria developed in accordance with a number of conditions. a) the substance or object is commonly used for specific purposes; b) a market or demand exists for such a substance or object; c) the substance or object fulfills the technical requirements for the specific purposes and meets the existing legislation and standards applicable to products; and d) the use of the substance or object will not lead to overall adverse environmental or human health impacts.
EU – End of waste • The EU then has Guiding principles and processes to establish end of waste on how to elaborate on this definition including: – Developing INPUT criteria – Developing PROCESSING criteria – Developing PRODUCT QUALITY criteria – Having an OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE guideline
Approach • RDF- E.U., ABC, NSW • WDF - NSW, Vic • WDSE – EPHC 2006: Guidance for Assessing the Beneficial Reuse of Industrial Residues to Land Management Applications - A National Approach – CSIRO Methodology for Conducting an Assessment of Contaminants and Ingredients in Fertilizers – Linked to existing guidance where relevant (e.g. Biosolids guidelines, WASTLOAD, winery and dairy guidelines etc.
Guideline for Stockpile Management Stockpiling waste and waste derived products
Stockpiling • Manage risks • Store temporarily • Implement appropriate environmental controls Manageable size, Undercover Sealed base Managing risks.
Large stockpile Poses risks Instability Contaminated runoff Segregated to ensure optimal waste management
Waste Derives Product Standards Format: • Part 1 – Introduction • Part 2 – Policy, Background, Principles • Part 3 – Suitability of wastes, Technical information, Approval Requirements
Key Principles Support for the waste hierarchy • It is a genuine beneficial recycling purpose rather than a means of disposal; segregate the waste at the source or processing facility to maximise the options for reuse or recycling of various components it is not driving the market down An immediate market • Demonstrate prior to moving the waste off site, the existence of a known customer or user with an available, suitable and beneficial use A risk-based approach • Ensure sound science is used to assess risk. Ensure the use has acceptable and manageable risks (short & long term). Ensure appropriate QA/QC.
Key Principles Prevention and minimised potential for harm • The proposal must not cause harm. No increased risk of causing harm as a result of using as a supplement or replacement product Demonstration of beneficial purposes • Acceptable and genuine benefit No dilution of waste or chemical substances • Must not be a means of diluting a waste. Components should not be added to WDF for the purpose of diluting the waste or chemical substances where, without dilution, the component would not be suitable for reuse. A consistent approach to regulation • Ensure appropriate approvals have been obtained prior to undertaking the activity.
• Approvals for waste derived materials – focus to ensure process is sound and any relevant standards are applied • a ‘Recovered Products Plan’ – waste derived products from licensed facilities – Requirement and detail for RPP depends on the level of risk or uncertainty • Site management plan and Auditor protocol • Not to shift a problem or create new ones
Standard for the Production and Use of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF)
Refuse Derived Fuel • Approved, consistent and fit for purpose • Calorific value • Replace standard fuel Supplement or replace traditional power in industrial process
Targetted waste for RDF Large amount of household rubbish Unlikely to be suitable for use in a RDF
Key aspects of RDF Standard Characteristics • Waste and other components of the RDF • Calorific value and combustion efficiency • Water content • Sulphur and chlorine content • Emissions, heavy metals and residual wastes • Physical properties
Recommend
More recommend
