|
The Waste Management Licensing (England and Wales)
(Amendment and Related Provisions) Regulations 2005
The Government has amended the Waste Management Licensing Regulations relating to exemptions.
Land Treatment
The exemption rules in relation to land spreading have been enhanced with the aim of ensuring land treatment results in ecological or agricultural benefit. Many wastes can be spread on land beneficially: for instance, food processing wastes, lime and paper waste sludge provide valuable nutrients and help improve soil structure on farmland. However, inappropriate application may lead to soil contamination, water pollution and deterioration of soil structure.
Storage quantities have been restricted to 1250 tonnes provided no waste is stored within 0.3 metres of the top of an open storage container or within 0.75 metres of the top of an earthbank tank or lagoon and is stored at specified distances from watercourse and boreholes and for no longer than twelve months.
Reclamation and Improvement of Land
The exemption rules have been modified to clearly specify the types of waste permitted. The Government has listed over twenty categories of waste arising from specific processes that would be suitable land spreading. Spreading has also been limited to a depth of two metres, with the aim of ensuring that only ecologically or agriculturally beneficial material is spread.
Composting
Sites that bring waste on site and then take the resultant compost to a second location are currently required to have a waste management licence. The rules have been amended to allow waste material to be transported to a location for composting and to another location for use.
The Government has also adjusted the charges for exemptions with charges banded so that smaller sites pay a lower charge and those composting less than five tonnes of waste at any one time will not be required to pay a charge. The largest sites will continue to require a waste management licence.
Sewage Sludge
Storage requirements have been enhanced with the aim of preventing harm to humans or the environment. Quantities have been restricted to 1250 tonnes and storage times to less than six months.
Sewage Treatment Works
The limit for imported sewage has been increased from 10,000 tonnes to 100,000 tonnes. Only those importing above 100,000 tonnes need apply for a waste management licence, with lower quantities qualifying for an exemption.
Mobile Plant
The prescriptions for mobile plant been amended to allow mobile plant to be used in a wider range of waste management operations, such as dewatering of muds, sludges and dredgings; treatment of sludges by lime stabilisation and treatment of contaminated material for the purposes of remedial action. This will benefit operators remediating contaminated sites as operators need only apply for one mobile plant licence rather than having to apply for a site licence for each location at which the plant operates.
Dunnage
Wooden packaging material used on boats (dunnage) is sometimes required to be burned at ports to prevent the introduction of pests and diseases. This is currently carried out on an ad hoc basis but the revised exemption will allow Port Authorities to burn dunnage under general rules outlined in the Waste Management Licensing Regulations.
The regulation can be found at: http://www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2005/20050883.htm
Further Review
There will be a wider review of waste management licence exemptions beginning in 2006, which will look at extending exemptions further to assist low-risk waste recovery activities and the development of new technologies.
|
