Accept the right waste

How to inspect waste, check paperwork, and sample and test the waste you accept.

You must only accept the type of waste that your landfill site is permitted to accept.

Landfill classification by waste types

There are 3 classes of landfill, for:

  • inert waste
  • non-hazardous waste
  • hazardous waste

Your permit application for a landfill for non-hazardous waste can include separate cells for:

  • stable non-reactive hazardous waste (SNRHW)
  • construction materials containing asbestos (and other suitable material)
  • gypsum-based and other high sulphate bearing materials

Where your permit allows it, you must dispose of each of these waste types in separate cells designed for the purpose. For example, you must not deposit asbestos in a cell for stable non-reactive hazardous waste.

Where the Environment Agency approves your application, your permit will include the waste classification codes for the waste you can accept.

Separate cells

Any waste you deposit in a separate cell for SNRHW or gypsum-based and other high sulphate bearing material must meet the relevant waste acceptance criteria. Those include organic matter limits. Read the section on ‘asbestos’.

You must satisfy the Environment Agency that the base, side walls and cap will meet the Landfill Directive, annex 1 standards, where you want to develop separate cells for:

  • SNRHW
  • construction materials containing asbestos (and other suitable material)
  • gypsum-based and other high sulphate bearing material

Your design must be based on a risk assessment. Read the guidance, design and build your landfill site.

Where your risk assessment suggests you will need to collect leachate and landfill gas, the separate cell must normally have its own leachate and landfill gas collection and extraction systems.

You may treat leachate and landfill gas you collect from separate and adjacent cells in the same treatment plant. You must assess the risk posed by using the same treatment plant, for example from emitting asbestos fibres.

Where you separate these waste types from non-hazardous waste, the separation must prevent contact between the:

  • different types of waste
  • waste products, including leachate and landfill gas

Your application must show that the separation will remain effective and that the waste will remain undisturbed. 

The separation must not impede the management of the non-hazardous waste, landfill gas or leachate.

You must record the location of all hazardous waste you deposit on a plan or drawing.  You must keep this until you surrender your permit.

Asbestos

A producer does not need to test construction material containing asbestos (and other suitable materials) where you are permitted to accept it in:

  • a landfill that only accepts construction materials containing asbestos (and other suitable materials)
  • an an asbestos cell at a landfill for non-hazardous waste
  • a landfill for hazardous waste

You must deposit construction material containing asbestos (and other suitable materials) that contains other hazardous substances at a landfill for hazardous waste. You do not need to deposit it in a separate cell but you should deposit it in a dedicated area to avoid it being disturbed.

To prevent the uncontrolled release of asbestos fibres, you must:

  • only accept asbestos that is wrapped (contained) or spray the disposal area with water
  • cover the disposal area at the end of the working day - see the section on ‘landfill cover’
  • not drill through or disturb the waste in an asbestos disposal area

The final surface of the asbestos landfill or cell must be covered with at least 2 metres of suitable material. 

Where you propose to place non-hazardous waste above the asbestos waste, the separation layer must provide a stable foundation so that the separation layer remains effective.      

Your operating techniques must confirm how you will operate your asbestos landfill or cell to comply with the Council Decision annex, paragraph 2.3.3.

Waste acceptance criteria

You must only accept waste that meets the relevant waste acceptance criteria for your class of landfill. Your class of landfill is defined by the waste types your permit allows you to accept. The waste acceptance criteria for each class of landfill are in the Council Decision annex. This includes leaching limit values for:

  • inert waste (where it must be tested)
  • hazardous waste
  • stable non-reactive hazardous waste
  • non-hazardous waste you can accept in cells for stable non-reactive hazardous waste

Higher leaching limit values

You can only accept waste with leaching limit values higher than the published values where your permit allows it. The Council Decision annex, section 2, ‘Waste acceptance criteria’ describes how this applies and for which substances.

For hazardous waste, you can only apply for higher leaching limit values for air pollution control residues. The Environment Agency will only permit this in exceptional circumstances, for example where there is insufficient capacity elsewhere. You must explain why your application is exceptional to the Environment Agency.

Read the guidance on higher leaching limit values at landfills for inert waste.

Where the Environment Agency can permit higher leaching limit values, your permit will include the:

  • specified waste
  • substance
  • leaching limit value for that substance

Waste acceptance procedures

Your operating techniques must include the procedures you will use to ensure you only accept the waste your permit allows you to accept.

They must describe how you will:

  • confirm the waste’s classification (hazardous or non-hazardous)
  • obtain and assess the waste producer’s basic characterisation
  • carry out on-site verification
  • refuse to accept waste you must not accept

Pre-acceptance checks

Before agreeing to accept waste, you must check the nature and properties of the waste. The waste producer’s basic characterisation (level 1 assessment) must include this.

You must confirm both that the:

  • producer has classified their waste
  • waste complies with the waste acceptance criteria for your landfill

Which pre-acceptance checks you do will normally depend on:

  • the type, properties and consistency of the waste
  • if the waste producer is new or an existing customer

On-site verification

You must check the waste you receive. This is on-site verification - level 3 waste assessment.

Inspect the waste and check the paperwork

You must visually inspect every load of waste you receive and check the paperwork that accompanies it.

Paperwork

The waste producer prepares the paperwork for the waste. You must confirm it includes:

  • the waste classification (hazardous or non-hazardous)
  • a written description of the waste – see section 3.5 of the duty of care code of practice
  • the basic characterisation
  • the results of any waste composition, leaching behaviour or leaching compliance tests, as appropriate

Waste you must not accept

You must refuse to accept waste that:

  • your permit does not allow you to accept, including banned waste
  • is not accompanied by the correct paperwork for the waste or that paperwork does not include the required details
  • does not look like the waste described in the paperwork

You must tell the Environment Agency if you refuse to accept a waste load. Check how and when you need to notify the Environment Agency.

Sample and test the waste you accept

You must sample and test the principal, relevant characteristics to make sure the waste you accept is as described in the paperwork for the waste.

When you sample your waste, you must use the British Standard BS EN14899:2005 Characterisation of waste – sampling of waste materials.

You must test for the substances the producer identified in their basic characterisation. Check how waste producers carry out waste characterisation.

For homogeneous waste, you must sample and test each waste stream once a year. Homogenous means the waste generally contains the same or similar components.

For heterogeneous waste, you must sample and test each waste stream 3 times a year. Heterogeneous means the waste generally contains a wide range of different components.

Where you accept a new waste stream, you must test it at least 3 times for the first year whether it is heterogeneous or homogeneous.

You must keep the sample for at least one month. You must store it in conditions that minimise its degradation, for example in a refrigerator. You must ensure the Environment Agency has access to the sample. They may need it to support their compliance assessment activities.

You should keep any analysis reports to support your permit surrender application.

Failed waste samples

If you accept waste and your testing shows that you should not have accepted it, you must report this to the waste producer so that they can review and refine their basic characterisation.

You must notify the Environment Agency of failed samples. Where you intend to leave the waste at the site, you must explain to them what effect it will have on your site’s impact on the environment.

Check how and when you need to notify the Environment Agency.

Wherever possible, you must remove any unauthorised waste.