Can different types of Hazardous waste be mixed before collection?
Mixing Hazardous waste can be harmful to the environment and discourages the recycling of some materials. The regulation prohibit the mixing of different categories of hazardous waste or mixing hazardous waste with non-hazardous waste/substances/materials.

Do you need to provide a suitably bunded flooring area for your drummed waste?
The Environment Agency states that waste should be stored in a dedicated bunded area, with a specification to contain at least 110% of the volume of the largest tank or 25% of the total volume likely to be stored, whichever is the greater. This does not apply to waste stored inside the building.

How often, according to EA guidance, should your interceptor be cleaned?
Interceptors are only designed to remove some oils and fuels from water. They do not remove other pollutants, such as heavy fuel oils, chemicals or dust. Regularly maintain all the interceptors on your site. Maintenance should include inspection and removal of the accumulated oil and removal of the sludge from the bottom of the tank. Advice from the EA has prompted us to recommend your interceptor be cleaned on a 6 monthly basis.
An example of consequences from not maintaining your interceptor;

Two Gateshead companies were today fined a total £28,000, after pleading guilty to causing an oil slick on the River Tyne.

27.02.2007
Brett Oils Limited and Brett Oils Business Services Limited of Pipewellgate, Gateshead, were each fined £14,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,100 each to the Environment Agency, which brought the case at Gateshead Magistrates Court.

Trevor Cooper, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, told the court how on 16 March 2006, the Environment Agency received a report that there was a large oil slick on the River Tyne.

Over four kilometres of the River Tyne was affected by the pollution, which could potentially have caused harm to birds and fish.

Do you need to receive a consignment note with every collection of Hazardous waste?
In accordance with the hazardous waste regulations and your duty of care, you must receive a consignment note for all controlled/hazardous waste collected from your site. This paperwork must state your hazardous waste producer’s code, type/quantity of waste, where the waste is being taken and who by. This must be retained on site for 3 years for Hazardous waste and 2 years for controlled waste.

Can you put fluorescent tubes in your general waste bins?
As of July 2005, fluorescent tubes have been classed as hazardous waste, therefore they must be stored/collected/transported and disposed of under the hazardous waste regulations, and therefore must not go into your general waste

What is your Hazardous waste producer’s code, as provided by the EA?
Your hazardous waste producers code is issued by the environment agency, once you register your company details as a haz waste producer, this code will be present on all consignment notes related to hazardous waste.
If you are unsure of your hazardous waste producers code please contact me at Terri.Davison@credenv.com, or on 01325 379034.

Under the WEEE Directive are you allowed to dispose of electrical equipment as general waste?
The WEEE directive, which came into force as of 2nd January 2007 states “You must store, collect, treat, recycle and dispose of WEEE separately from your other waste.” Also you must obtain and keep proof that your WEEE was given to a waste management company, and was treated and disposed of in an environmentally sound way.

What type of drum is used to store Oil Filters? Clue - Bung Top or Clip Top?
In order for hazardous waste to be suitable for transit, we must adhere to certain guidelines i.e. Ensure you adequately contain wastes in your control and don’t allow waste to escape from containers. We dispatch and label clip top drums for oil filters. Generally you are supplied bung top drums for liquid waste.

Is the solvent removed from your Parts Washers and Brake Cleaners classed as;
A ~ Non Hazardous
B ~ Controlled
C ~ Hazardous
The waste removed from your capital equipment is classed as hazardous under the following classifications;
Brake Cleaner - 12.03.01*- Aqueous Washing Liquids Parts Washer – 14.06.03* - Solvents and Solvent Mixtures

As from October 2007 your general waste must undergo pre-treatment, please name two methods of pre-treating your waste.

The criteria for pre-treating your waste is that is must go through a physical, thermal, chemical or biological process including sorting. This process must change the characteristics of the waste and reduce its volume, facilitate its handling and enhance its recovery. The main methods of treatment on your site would be sorting/segregating and re-using.

Could you be spot fined by the Environment Agency for being unable to provide consignment notes for con trolled/Hazardous waste collected from site?

From 2 April 2007 the Environment Agency will implement its powers to issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for certain environmental offences under the Hazardous Waste Regulations and enabled by the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.

The consignment note is your record of the nature and quantity of waste you transferred, how it was packaged, when you transferred it, where it should go and who you transferred it to - all requirements of the Duty of Care. You must keep copies of all consignment notes for at least 3 years. Failure to comply with your Duty of Care will be subject to the fine process.

Answers to the subjects covered above have come via the reference points listed below;

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk
http://www.netregs.gov.uk/netregs
http://www.nesa.co.uk

The European Waste Catalogue, which can be found via the following link
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commondata/acrobat/2_haz_waste_app_a.pdf