00 Good Practice Guide Good Practice Guide Non-packaging plastics Environmental good practice guide for the collection of non-packaging plastics
The Waste Protocols Project is a joint Environment Agency and WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) initiative in collaboration with industry, funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as a business resource efficiency activity. This Good Practice Guide was produced to be used in conjunction with the Quality Protocol for the manufacture of secondary raw materials from waste non-packaging plastics. Contents 1 General information for collectors of all non-packaging plastics 01 1.1 What are non-packaging plastics? 01 1.2 Legal obligations for collectors 02 1.3 Key issues for collectors 02 2 Non-packaging plastics from agriculture 03 3 Non-packaging plastics from construction & demolition 05 4 Non-packaging plastics from end of life vehicles (ELVs) 07 5 Non-packaging plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) 09 Appendix: Sources of further information 11
Non-packaging plastics Good Practice Guide 01 General information for collectors of all non-packaging plastics What are non-packaging plastics? The term non-packaging plastics covers all plastics that do not fall under the definition of packaging as defined in the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 (as amended). Non-packaging plastics are recyclable and can be reprocessed to manufacture a diverse range of products with a whole range of potential end uses. There are two main sources of waste non-packaging plastics, which may be suitable for recycling: n process scrap such as polymers left from the production of non-packaging plastics, off cuts etc; and n post-consumer non-packaging plastics - drainpipes, guttering, broken children s toys etc. Key markets for recycled non-packaging plastics are: n construction and landscaping; n packaging; n automotive; and n closed loop recycling. In this Good Practice Guide, the Waste Protocols Project aims to set out the environmental legislation that collectors must comply with, and give advice on what measures producers should consider adopting to ensure that waste is handled and stored in such a way that it can be recycled.
02 Non-packaging plastics Good Practice Guide General information for collectors of all non-packaging plastics continued Legal obligations for collectors Anyone producing or carrying waste has a duty to make sure that it is handled safely and in accordance with the law. Under the Duty of Care Regulations, collectors of waste non-packaging plastics must: n package all waste appropriately and securely to prevent it escaping; n register with the Environment Agency as a waste carrier (unless you are carrying waste produced on your site). A copy of the registration certificate should be present in the carrier vehicle at all times. This way, customers can be sure you are a registered waste carrier (the certificate number or company registration can be checked online at http://www2.environment-agency.gov.uk/epr/index.asp); n use a waste transfer note with a written description (including the type of polymer where possible), to accompany each transfer of waste between the producer and collector. Collectors should be aware what types of polymers have been collected to ensure that the end user can process them; n ensure that the site the non-packaging plastics are taken to has either an environmental permit or exemption issued by the Environment Agency which allows them to accept the waste.this permit will have a unique identification number that can be verified by either checking the public register at http://www2.environment-agency.gov.uk/epr/index.asp or by contacting the Agency direct on 08708 506 506. Collectors should note that if they wish to transport waste back to an intermediate site for sorting, bailing or bulking, they may need to register an exemption or obtain an environmental permit from the Environment Agency. Sources of further information The Duty of Care More information on the Duty of Care can be found on the Environment Agency website at: www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/sectors/40047.aspx or the NetRegs website at: www.netregs.gov.uk/netregs/63199.aspx Key issues for collectors Collectors of non-packaging plastics should be aware of the following issues when sourcing and handling waste: Segregation of material It is very important that non-packaging plastics made of different polymers are separated and stored apart to maximise their value and range of end market use. Contamination levels Contamination must be kept to a minimum, as it devalues the material and thus limits the marketability of non-packaging plastics. In some cases (in agricultural plastics, for example) the additional weight of contaminants can also increase transport costs. Material handling requirements Customers may require the non-packaging plastic to be delivered in a certain way to facilitate handling, e.g. bagged, baled or shredded. Measures should be taken during such activities to prevent mixing polymer types. End use markets Ensure a legitimate end use market is guaranteed before collecting material. Environmental Permits Information on Environmental Permits can be found at the Environment Agency website at: www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ business/topics/permitting/default.aspx
This Good Practice Guide provides suggestions for meeting the project aims to stop materials being sent to landfill unnecessarily and to promote the use of waste as a valuable resource.
Non-packaging plastics Good Practice Guide 04 Non-packaging plastics from agriculture Agricultural non-packaging plastics are often bulky and dirty. Contaminating material such as water and soil can amount to over 40% of the total weight of the material collected. Rain does not affect the quality of plastics, but ultra violet (UV) radiation may alter the physical and chemical properties of the material, limiting its recyclability. The material may also be made up of a mixture of different polymers that can make identification, separation and securing an end market difficult. Collectors of non-packaging plastics from farms must introduce bio-security measures to minimise the risk of cross-contamination between farms as a result of the collection process. According to recommendations, the following should be adopted: n non-packaging agricultural plastics must be collected in sealed bags or containers rather than as loose material, where possible; n bio-security measures must be in place when travelling between farms on collection rounds; and n the use of centralised collection points with bio-security measures is preferable to travelling between farms. Additional storage advice for farmers producing agricultural non-packaging plastic waste: n remove silage wraps before transporting bales to feeding areas and store on concrete; n remove crop covers from the field in optimum dry conditions to minimise contamination; n separate and store non-packaging plastic waste undercover as soon as it is produced to protect the material from UV radiation and prevent it from being scattered by the wind and creating litter; n smoking should be prohibited in storage areas to minimise the risk of fire, and fire safety and prevention systems should be installed where possible; n compact or bale any non-packaging agricultural plastics where possible to reduce the speed at which fire would spread; and n keep storage times to a minimum. Collectors themselves can do little to limit contamination and improve segregation at the point of collection. Therefore to improve the quality of the material and ultimately, to reduce the risk of the material being rejected by the end user, collectors should communicate the above advice to farmers and refer them to the Good Practice information produced by the Agricultural Waste Plastics Collection and Recovery Programme, which can be accessed at www.agwasteplastics.org.uk/media_files/programme_docs/ awpgoodpracticeinfo_4pager.pdf Turning waste non-packaging plastics into valuable products benefits the environment and the consumer.
Training staff leads to greater awareness of important segregation and bio-security measures and facilitates collection and recovery.
Non-packaging plastics Good Practice Guide 06 Non-packaging plastics from construction & demolition Non-packaging plastic waste from construction and demolition fall in to three categories: n damaged materials and off cuts; n excess materials; and n demolition waste. As with other sources of non-packaging plastic waste, contamination and mixing of polymers should be minimised wherever possible to ensure the market for the material is not reduced and to maximise its value. In order to minimise the mixing of polymers from construction sources collectors should: n determine the needs of the plastics reprocessor - is it suitable for single polymer only or can a mix be tolerated? n communicate the importance of segregation to site managers and encourage staff training; and n place containers in easily accessed areas to maximise recovery rate. To minimise contamination levels in non-packaging plastics from construction sources collectors should: n communicate the importance of preventing contamination to the site manager and encourage staff training; n provide lockable containers and request that they are stored in a secure area; n mark the containers with descriptions of acceptable and non-acceptable waste; and n empty containers on a regular basis. Further information Recovinyl is a scheme that provides financial incentives to support the collection and recycling of PVC across the European Union from waste streams that are not currently covered under producer responsibility regulations. More information on the scheme and contact details for the UK can be found at www.recovinyl.com Removing the waste tag from non-packaging plastics makes them more marketable.
Compacting recovered plastic components on site maximises recovery rates and increases the volume of waste that can be transferred to reprocessing plants.
Non-packaging plastics Good Practice Guide 08 Non-packaging plastics from end of life vehicles (ELVs) Around 11% of the weight of an average car is made up of plastics that can potentially be recovered and recycled at the end of a vehicle s life. The End of Life Vehicle Regulations (2003) identify the requirements and minimum technical standards for sites that treat or store ELVs. To recover single polymer plastics from ELVs, collectors will need to work with vehicle dismantlers to provide guidance on the identification and recovery of non-packaging plastics from vehicles. Collectors can improve the separation of polymers and minimise contamination from vehicle dismantling sites by taking the following measures: n determine the needs of the plastics reprocessor - is it suitable for single polymer only or can a mix be tolerated? n n n n liaise with the vehicle dismantling site manager and encourage them to train their staff in the identification of polymers and the importance of minimising contamination; provide a guidance list of plastic components that are made of the polymer you wish to collect; place lockable containers in nearby and easily accessed areas to maximise the recovery; and clearly mark the containers with descriptions of acceptable and non-acceptable waste and empty them as often as possible. Non-packaging plastics recovered from vehicle dismantling sites are often large and bulky whilst being relatively light weight, for example bumpers and dashboards. This can create handling problems and reduce the efficiency of collection systems. Collectors should therefore consider shredding, chipping or compacting recovered plastic components on site to increase the volume that can be transported and delivered to the plastics reprocessor in one movement. Around 11% of the weight of an average car is made up of plastics that can potentially be recovered and recycled at the end of a vehicle s life.
Non-packaging plastics are recyclable and can be reprocessed to manufacture a diverse range of products with a whole range of potential end uses.
Non-packaging plastics Good Practice Guide 10 Non-packaging plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) The main sources of non-packaging plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) are: n single polymer streams from manual dismantling systems; and n mixed polymer streams from bulk shredding of WEEE. There are a number of potential problems with recycling non-packaging plastics that are recovered from WEEE. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2006, set out by the Waste Management Licensing for England and Wales (as amended), require that potentially hazardous brominated flame retardant (BFR), used as additives in some plastic products, be removed before recycling. Important note: It is difficult to identify materials containing BFR as they are rarely marked and specialist analytical equipment is required. It is therefore vital that the collector takes measures to identify whether or not it contains BFR and identify an end market for the material before collection. BFR is mainly found in WEEE plastics but may also be present in non-packaging plastics used in buildings and vehicles. Collectors should take the following measures to prevent the processing of polymers containing BFRs: n determine whether the non-packaging plastic contains BFR. If so, the waste must be treated to remove the BFR before it can be recycled; n n non-packaging plastics containing BFR are classified as hazardous waste and therefore the Hazardous Waste Regulations Directive 2005 will apply; and collectors of WEEE non-packaging plastics should identify an end market (such as a plastics reprocessor or a company operating a polymer separation facility) before undertaking the collection. At present much of the non-packaging plastics recovered from WEEE are produced by large scale, bulk shredding facilities, resulting in a mixed stream of polymers. These can be highly contaminated with non-plastic materials including dust, metal and glass and often need to be pre-treated to remove these materials before processing. Cleaner, single stream polymers are produced by manual dismantling systems but this is labour intensive. Sensible management of non-packaging plastic waste leads to positive environmental and economic impacts.
11 Non-packaging plastics Good Practice Guide Appendix: Sources of further information General guidance on recycling non-packaging plastics Recoup at www.recoup.org. Recoup has a searchable database of UK plastics reprocessors that can be found at www.recoup.org/business/default.asp Tel 01733 390 021 WRAP at www.wrap.org.uk Tel 01295 819900 The British Plastics Federation at www.bpf.co.uk Tel 020 7457 5000 Envirowise at www.envirowise.org.uk Tel 0800 585 794 Identifying plastics reprocessing companies Recoup at www.recoup.org/business/default.asp Lets Recycle Directory at www.letsrecycle.com/go/directory/ The Waste Directory for all Businesses at www.wasterecycling.org.uk/index.aspx Non-packaging plastics from agriculture Good Practice Information, Agricultural Waste Plastics Collection and Recovery Programme, (October 2007). Can be accessed at www.agwasteplastics.org.uk/media_files/programme_docs/ awpgoodpracticeinfo_4pager.pdf Waste Plastics Recycling and Good Practices Guide by and for local and regional authorities, Association of Cities and Regions for Recycling, www.ecvm.org/img/db/acrrreport.pdf (accessed April 2008). Non-packaging plastics from construction & demolition Recycling rigid & flexible PVC (sorting guide), Recovinyl, www.recovinyl.com/docs/english/sortingguide.pdf How to segregate, reuse and recycle plastics, WRAP, www.wrap. org.uk/downloads/cd_howto_2_plastics_low-res1.3e0d8b7c.pdf (accessed April 2008). Non-packaging plastics from end of life vehicles Motor Vehicle Dismantlers Association website at www.mvda.org.uk/recycling.aspx Further information on the definition of packaging can be found in The Agencies Interpretation of Packaging 2nd Edition at www.environment-agency. gov.uk/static/documents/business/ pr_edn2_518816.pdf Further information on the ELV Regulations can be found on the NetRegs website at www.netregs. gov.uk/netregs/63011.aspx and at the Environment Agency website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ business/regulation/31887.aspx Further information on the WEEE Regulations can be found on the NetRegs website at www.netregs.gov. uk/netregs/topics/weee/default.aspx and at the Environment Agency website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ business/regulation/31975.aspx Non-packaging plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment Waste plastics Separation Technologies, Defra Waste and Resources Evidence Programme (July 2007) www.defra.gov.uk/science/project_ Data/DocumentLibrary/WR0202/WR0202_6320_FRP.pdf Industry Council for Electronic Equipment Recycling (ICER), www.icer.org.uk/index.htm They also have a directory of WEEE recyclers and refurbishers at www.icer.org.uk/direct.htm
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