From this summer, changes to the classification of certain wastes could potentially prevent their reuse or result in the requirement for greater pre-treatment.
The reuse of waste materials is a frequent practice in several industries, for example, reusing excavated soil and rock at construction sites has known environmental, economic and social advantages. This reuse of materials is affected by its classification as hazardous or non-hazardous and, the interpretation of the analytical results can be tricky.
On 8th June 2017 Council Regulation (EU) 2017/997 was released amending Annex III to Directive 2008/98/EC which lists properties of waste which render it hazardous. The change involves the classification of wastes as ecotoxic (hazardous property 14, or HP14) i.e. waste that presents immediate or delayed risks to the ecosystem.
The regulation lays out the calculations to be used to interpret analytical results when assessing this hazardous property of waste. Whilst the aim is to harmonise the classification within the EU, the regulation may mean that some waste that was previously classified non-hazardous is now considered hazardous and therefore can no longer be reused without further treatment.
This Regulation will apply from 5th July 2018. For more information or to find out if this applies to you, please contact Andrea Petrolati on 01480 462 232.
