4. Waste storage, segregation and handling appropriate measures
These are the appropriate measures for waste storage, segregation and handling at regulated facilities with an environmental permit to mechanically treat metal waste in shredders.
1. You must store waste in locations that minimise the handling of waste. Waste handling must be carried out by competent staff using appropriate equipment.
2. You should design and operate your facility in a way that minimises waste handling.
3. You must store shredder non-metallic fractions under cover.
4. Where possible, you should locate storage areas away from watercourses and sensitive boundaries (for example, those close to public rights of way, housing or schools).
5. You must store all waste within the security protected area of your facility to prevent unauthorised access and vandalism.
1. You must clearly establish the maximum storage capacity of the site and the designated storage areas. You must not exceed these maximum capacities.
2. You must define capacity in pile sizes as well as tonnage. You must regularly monitor the quantity of stored waste on the site and within the designated areas to check against the allowed maximum capacity. You must also monitor the quantities and pile sizes against those set out in your fire prevention plan.
3. You must not accumulate waste. You must treat wastes, or remove them from the site, as soon as possible. Generally all wastes must be removed within a maximum of 6 months of receipt. If you have a shorter time period as a permit condition, you must comply with that condition for that waste.
4. You must store all waste in a way that allows easy inspection. You must maintain safe access between piles of wastes. There must be pedestrian and vehicular access (for example shovel loader, crane, grab loader) at all times to the whole of the storage area.
5. You must store and handle waste in a way that prevents pests and vermin, see our guidance on pest management plans. You must have specific measures and procedures in place to identify and manage any wastes that attract pests or vermin at your site.
6. You must inspect storage areas, containers and infrastructure daily. You must deal with any issues immediately. You must keep written records of the inspections. You must rectify and log any waste spillages.
7. You must not carry out activities that represent a clear fire risk within any storage area unless they are clear of waste. Examples include:
- grinding and cutting repairs within the storage area welding or brazing of metalwork within the storage area
- smoking
- parking of normal road vehicles except while unloading or loading
- recharging forklift truck or power tool batteries
1. You should assess areas of the site where explosive atmospheres could occur (for example, ELV depollution bays). Where appropriate, you must classify these into hazardous zones, following the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulation 2002 (DSEAR).
1. You must check for damage and the chemistry type of any batteries:
- produced through depollution activities on site
- accepted as discrete loads
You must do this before allocating them to the storage area.
2. You must isolate damaged batteries from other batteries.
3. You must store batteries in either appropriate weatherproof containers, or in appropriate containers within a building.
4. You must store:
- lead acid batteries upright with terminals taped off or capped in acid proof containers to prevent leaks and short circuits
- nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries in a way that will prevent them being damaged
5. You must not mix batteries of incompatible chemistries, for example lead acid batteries with Ni-MH batteries.
6. You must store Li-ion batteries from electric vehicles separately from other batteries. You must store them in a way that prevents them from:
- coming into contact with any liquids
- being damaged
- being exposed to high temperatures