Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations 2018: ​Proposed Standard Conditions for Registration level activities
1.2.13. Storage and treatment of less than, or equal to, 500 tonnes of segregated non-hazardous waste for recycling at any one time, except for activities to which the Code of Practice on Sampling and Reporting at Materials Facilities applies.
Standard conditions
Below is the list of core and activity-specific standard conditions for storage and treatment of less than, or equal to, 500 tonnes of segregated non-hazardous waste for recycling at any one time, except for activities to which the Code of Practice on Sampling and Reporting at Materials Facilities applies.
- The authorised person must have written management systems in place to ensure compliance with the conditions of this authorisation.
- Only segregated non-hazardous solid waste suitable and intended for recycling can be accepted at the Authorised Place.
- Waste tyres must not be accepted at the Authorised Place.
- Waste batteries must not be accepted at the Authorised Place.
- Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) must not be accepted at the Authorised Place.
- Mixed waste, including but not limited to mixed dry recyclable waste, mixed municipal waste, general refuse, general skip waste or refuse derived fuel, must not be accepted at the Authorised Place.
- All waste entering the Authorised Place must be inspected to ensure it meets the types and quantities authorised.
- Waste identified at the Authorised Place which is not authorised must be:
a. stored on an impermeable surface with a sealed drainage system;
b. stored separately from other waste; and
c. removed from the Authorised Place as soon as reasonably practicable.
- The Authorised Place must be secured to prevent unauthorised access to the waste.
- All waste storage areas must be clearly labelled to allow the identification of:
a. the waste type(s) being stored; and
b. the hazards presented by each waste type.
- All storage and treatment activities must be carried out on an impermeable surface that drains to a sealed drainage system.
- All waste must be stored and treated in a manner which maximises the quantity and quality of material sent for recycling.
- Measures must be taken to prevent, or where that is not practicable, minimise:
a. odour;
b. noise;
c. dust;
d. litter; and
e. the presence of vermin;
arising from the authorised activities.
- Offensive odours from the authorised activities as perceived by a SEPA Officer must not be emitted beyond the boundary of the Authorised Place.
- Noise from the authorised activities, which has a significant impact on the environment, people or property, must not be emitted beyond the boundary of the Authorised Place.
- Dust from the authorised activities, which has a significant impact on the environment, people or property, must not be emitted beyond the boundary of the Authorised Place.
- Litter from the authorised activities, which has a significant impact on the environment, people or property, must not be emitted beyond the boundary of the Authorised Place.
- Waste must not be burned at the Authorised Place.
- SEPA must be notified via its pollution hotline contact telephone number as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any case within 24 hours of identification of an event, of any of the following:
a. an event that has caused or could cause adverse impact to the environment or harm to human health;
b. an event that results, or could result, in an emission to the environment that is not authorised;
c. an event that has caused a breach of a condition of this authorisation.
In this condition, the meaning of ‘event’ is as defined in the Interpretation of Terms of this authorisation.
- All measures that are reasonably practicable must be taken to stop an event and to minimise its effect on the environment.
- Within 14 days of an event a report must be submitted to SEPA detailing:
a. the reason(s) for the event;
b. the action(s) taken to stop the event and minimise the impacts; and
c. the action(s) taken to prevent the event from recurring.
- All information recorded, kept or submitted to SEPA in accordance with a condition of this authorisation must be:
a. true and accurate;
b. kept for a minimum of six years; and
c. provided to SEPA upon request.
- The information detailed in Appendix 1 must be submitted to SEPA via email, in the excel spreadsheet supplied by SEPA, to waste.data@sepa.org.uk.
Interpretation of terms
| Term | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Environmental harm | (a) harm to the health of human beings or other living organisms. (b) harm to the quality of the environment, including: (i) harm to the quality of the environment taken as a whole, (ii) harm to the quality of air, water or land, and (iii) other impairment of, or interference with, ecosystems, (c) offence to the senses of human beings, (d) damage to property, or (e) impairment of, or interference with, amenities or other legitimate uses of the environment. |
| Event | (a) any accident which has caused or could cause environmental harm; or (b) any malfunction, breakdown or failure of plant, infrastructure or techniques which has caused or could cause environmental harm; or (c) force majeure or action taken to save human life or limb. |
| Hazardous waste | Has the same meaning as ‘special waste’ in Regulation 2 of The Special Waste Regulations 1996. |
| Impermeable surface | A surface constructed of concrete or a similar impermeable material to a standard sufficient to prevent the transmission of liquids beyond the surface and should be read in conjunction with the term “sealed drainage system”. |
| Recovery | Any operation, including storage, the principal result of which is waste serving a useful purpose by replacing other materials which would otherwise have been used to fulfil that function, in the plant or in the wider economy and includes, but is not limited to the activities listed in Annex II of the Waste Framework Directive. |
| Recycling | Any recovery operation by which waste materials are reprocessed into products, materials or substances whether for the original purpose or for other purposes, including reprocessing of organic materials, but excluding energy recovery and the reprocessing into materials that are to be used as fuels or for backfilling operations. |
| Sealed drainage system | In relation to an impermeable surface, a drainage system with impermeable components which does not leak and which will ensure that: (a) no liquid will run off the pavement otherwise than via the system; and (b) except where they may be lawfully discharged, all liquids entering the system are collected in a sealed sump. |
| SEPA Officer | Any person who is authorised in writing by SEPA under section 108 of the Environment Act 1995. |
| Storage | Storage, in relation to waste, includes the keeping, managing, and depositing of waste. |
| Treatment | Recovery or disposal operations, including preparation prior to recovery or disposal. |
| Unauthorised access | Access by any person who is not permitted to enter the Authorised Place. |
| Waste | Has the same meaning as in section 75 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. |
Rationale
This activity will apply to the storage and treatment of segregated non-hazardous waste for recycling.
No more than 500 tonnes of authorised waste types, in total, can be on site at any one time.
It will not include activities which are in scope of Scottish Government’s Code of Practice on Sampling and Reporting at Materials Facilities. These activities will only be authorised under a permit.
The authorised waste types will be limited to segregated non-hazardous wastes which are suitable for recycling.
Mixed wastes, as well as recyclable non-hazardous waste types with a history of environmental or human health issues, have been specifically excluded from this registration level activity.
To maximise potential for recycling, waste must be stored in a way which does not hinder this.
We consider the risks from any run-off from the authorised wastes can be managed by storing the waste on an impermeable surface with sealed drainage system.