Waste Management System. Battery recycling Corporate Procedure: CP-WMS 006 Authorised by: Charlotte Winnert Issue number: Three Date of issue: 6 th August 2010 Purpose To define the University of Sheffield s legal obligations and procedures associated with the collection of dry and wet cell batteries for recycling. Scope This procedure applies to all batteries generated by academic and administrative departments. Legal framework Directive 2006/66/EC (OJ:L266/1/2006) on batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators Environmental Protection Act 1990 Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 Controlled Waste Regulations SI 1992/588 Duty of Care Regulations SI 1991/2839 Landfill Regulations SI 2002/1559 Waste Management Licensing Regulations SI 1994/1056 Responsibilities Department and employees responsible for disposing of batteries in line with the University s policy and this procedure. Portering Services responsible for collecting dry cell batteries from departments and delivering them to the central collection point / WEEE store. Safety Services responsible for organising collections of wet cell batteries by a licensed waste contractor. Energy and Environment Team responsible for organising periodic collections of dry cell batteries by a licensed waste contractor; and for ensuring legal compliance and compliance to this procedure through regular audits at an organisational level.
Definitions Hazardous waste In some instances batteries are classed as hazardous waste. Waste is classed as hazardous if it has one or more of the following properties: H1: Explosive H2: Oxidising H3: Flammable and highly flammable H4: Irritant H5: Harmful H6: Toxic or very toxic H7: Carcinogenic H8: Corrosive H9: Infectious H10: Toxic for reproduction H11: Mutagenic H12: Releases toxic gases in contact with water, air or an acid H13: Substances capable, by any means after disposal, of yielding another substances e.g. a leachate which possess any of the characteristics listed above H14: Ecotoxic To determine if a waste is hazardous, reference must be made to the European Waste Catalogue (EWC), which lists many waste types, giving each one a six-digit code. Hazardous wastes (i.e. those with one or more of the properties listed above) are marked in red with an asterisk. The catalogue also identifies mirror entries. Mirror entries have the potential to be either hazardous or non-hazardous depending on their actual composition and the concentrations of dangerous substances within the waste. These are marked in blue. EWC coding for Batteries 16 06 Batteries and accumulators 16 06 01* Lead batteries 16 06 02* Ni-Cd batteries 16 06 03* Mercury containing batteries 16 06 04 Alkaline batteries (except 16 06 03) 16 06 05 Other batteries and accumulators 16 06 06* Separately collected electrolyte from batteries and accumulators 20 01 Separately collected fractions 20 01 33* Batteries and accumulators included in 16 06 01, 16 06 02 or 16 06 03 and unsorted batteries and accumulators containing these batteries 20 01 34 Batteries and accumulators other than those mentioned in 20 01 33 Duty of Care All waste is subject to a Duty of Care. The Duty of Care applies to anyone who produces, imports, carries, keeps, treats or disposes of controlled waste. In particular, waste holders have a duty a) to take steps to prevent offences involving waste; and to b) prevent other people from disposing, treating or storing the waste without a licence, in a manner likely to cause pollution or harm to health or breaching conditions of their licence. There are also particular requirements placed on those storing and transferring waste. Page 2 of 6
Storage of waste To comply with the Duty of Care Regulations the University must ensure that all waste is stored in such away as to prevent escape or leakage whilst on site, in transit or in storage. The University must act to keep stored waste safe against: 1. corrosion or wear of waste containers; 2. accidental spilling or leaking or inadvertent leaching from waste unprotected from rainfall; 3. accident or weather breaking contained waste open and allowing it to escape; 4. waste blowing away or falling while stored or transported; and 5. scavenging of waste by vandals, thieves, children, trespassers or animals. Transfer notes and written descriptions The Duty of Care regulations require written descriptions and transfer notes to be completed when waste is transferred between two parties. On the transfer of controlled waste, both the University and the waste carrier must complete and sign a transfer note, which must be kept for two years. The transfer note must contain the information given below. 1. the identification of the waste; and its quantity; whether it is loose or in a container; if it is in a container, the type of container; place and time of transfer; the appropriate six-figure code from the European Waste Catalogue. 2. the name and address of the transferor and transferee; 3. whether the transferor is the producer or importer of the waste; 4. if the transferee is authorised for transport purposes, which of those purposes apply; 5. the category of authorised person that the transferee (and the transferor, where applicable) comes under, or which exemption applies and why they are exempt. The description of the waste should mention any special problems and should include the type of premises or business from which the waste comes, the name of the substances, the process that produced the waste, and chemical and physical analysis. Hazardous waste and consignment notes Where hazardous waste is being produced it is a legal requirement for the premises to be notified to the Environment Agency. Upon registration the premises will be issued with a sixfigure premises code, which must be renewed every year. Holders of hazardous waste are also subject to the Duty of Care Regulations and a system of consignment notes. However, the consignment notes fulfil the Duty of Care requirement for a written description to accompany the transfer of waste. Consequently a consignment note is the only document that needs to be completed when hazardous waste is collected for disposal. The consignment note may be completed by the transporter of the waste, however the University must ensure that the waste has been consigned correctly. Page 3 of 6
A consignment note is divided into 5 sections, parts A to E. The University must complete section A of the note which should contain the following information: 1. consignment note code; 2. the address of where the waste was removed from; 3. the Premises Code; 4. details of where the waste will be taken to; and 5. the details of the waste producer was if different from 2. The University should also completes section B of the note which should contain the following information: 1. the process giving rise to the waste(s); 2. the SIC for the process giving rise to the waste; 3. a written description of the waste including: the appropriate six-figure code from the European Waste Catalogue; quantity (kg); the chemical/biological components of the waste and their concentrations are; the physical form of the waste (i.e. gas, liquid, solid, powder, sludge or mixed); the hazard code(s); the container type, number and size; the UN identification number(s); proper shipping name(s), UN Class(es); packing group(s); and details of any special handling requirements. Section C is completed by the waste carrier. This should include the following: 1. carrier name and address; 2. carrier registration number or details of exemption; 3. vehicle registration no (or mode of transport if not road); and 4. the carrier must also sign and date the consignment note. Section D is completed and signed by the University. By signing Part D the consignor is certifying that: all of Parts A, B and C are correct; the carrier is registered or exempt; the carrier was advised of any precautionary measures regarding the collection; all of the waste is packaged and labelled correctly and the carrier has been advised of any special handling requirements Part E is completed by the consignee. The consignee should complete section E and verify that the wastes listed in Part B match the wastes received. The consignee must provide a return to the University to confirm that the waste has reached its final destination. This can either be a copy of the completed consignment note or a copy of the quarterly returns (which waste managers must produce for the Environment Agency). Three copies of the consignment note should be completed one for the consignor i.e. the University, one for the carrier and one for consignee. Consignment notes and returns must be kept for three years. Page 4 of 6
To ensure that consignors provide hazardous waste returns, the University must also keep a Register of Hazardous Waste Consignment. Procedure 1. Waste Management Legislation 1.1 Legislation requires batteries to be recycled, under no circumstances should departments dispose of batteries in the general waste bins or skips located around the University. 1.2 Dry cell batteries are bulked up at North Campus, which has been registered as exempt from the Waste Management Licensing Regulations with the Environment Agency under S1 and S2. Dry cell batteries can only bulked up / stored at this location prior to collection for disposal by a specialist contractor. 1.3 Collections of batteries from departments can only be made by Portering Services who have a Waste Carrier s Licence (Number EAN/947266/CB). 2. Dry cell batteries 2.1 Departments can set up a departmental collection point and book a collection of dry cell batteries as required by emailing waste@sheffield.ac.uk. Smaller volumes of batteries can be sent to the Environment Officer via the internal mail. 2.2 Departments must ensure that leaking batteries are placed in a plastic bag (preferably a transparent one) and that any exposed terminals are be taped up before sending batteries for recycling. 2.3 Oxygen depletion senor units contain lead and electrolytes in order to create a current, so must be disposed as batteries. 2.4 Mixed dry cell batteries are stored centrally at North Campus. Batteries must be stored in a secure container - the volume of all waste stored at North Campus at any one time must not exceed 50 cubic meters. Batteries must not be stored for longer than three months. 2.5 Batteries must be stored in line with the Duty of Care Regulations see page 2. 2.6 Collections of batteries by a licensed waste contractor must be made at least once a year. 2.7 The Environment Officer is responsible for organising collections of dry cell batteries and ensuring that any waste contractors used are licensed. Page 5 of 6
3. Wet cell batteries 3.1 Departments should contact Safety Services to organise the collection and disposal of wet cell batteries as soon as they require disposal. 3.2 Departments must handle wet cell batteries with care prior to collection by Safety Services. Whilst awaiting collection, batteries must: Be stored undercover and in a secure area where nobody can tamper with them, trip over them or anything impact on them, Be positioned the right way up, Unless in original plastic outer containers, they must not be stacked on top of each other. In the event of accidental breakage, contact Safety Services for advice. 3.3 Where batteries are bulked up centrally for collection they must be stored in line with the Duty of Care Regulations see page 2. In addition wet cell batteries must be stored under cover in secure containers and no more that one cubic meter of wet cell batteries can be stored at any one time. 3.4 Safety Services are responsible for organising collections of wet cell batteries and ensuring that any waste contractors used are licensed. 4. Transfer of waste 4.1 Collections of batteries must be overseen by a member of University staff. All batteries removed form University premises must be accompanied by a hazardous waste consignment note / waste transfer note. Notes will be provided by the waste collectors and signed by a member of University staff. 4.2 Waste transfer / consignment notes and a copy of all relevant Waste Carriers Licences will be filed by the Environment Officer and Safety Services for a period of three years. Associated Documentation S1 and S2 Exemptions - Ref EPR/BE5830NA/A001 Appendices Hazardous waste premises codes spreadsheet Register of Hazardous Waste Consignment Hazardous Waste Consignment Note Waste Transfer Note Page 6 of 6