Material Quality

Andrew Sullivan

National Operations Waste Unit

Content

• Legislative duties

• Waste Hierarchy

• High Quality Recycling

• Material Quality Action Plan

• Transfrontier Shipment

Why is Quality Important

• UK recyclate quality is regarded as poor!

• Need to support UK manufacturing – recyclate imported.

• TFS issues increasing – more frequent ‘green list’ repatriations.

• MRF fines disappearing or mismanaged – illegal disposal.

• Opportunity to add value and contribute to sustainable economic growth.

Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2011 & 2012

• It shall be the duty of any person who produces or manages controlled waste… …to take all reasonable steps to;

• Apply the waste hierarchy.

• Ensure that the waste

is managed in a manner

that promotes high

quality recycling.

Waste Hierarchy

Waste Hierarchy & High Quality Recycling

• Statutory guidance will be consulted on in October.

• Provides the priority order for common waste streams and the evidence base.

• High quality recycling is closed loop recycling.

• Legal duty to design and operate collection and sorting systems in a manner which prioritise high quality recycling.

• High quality recycling tends to need high quality materials to be viable.

What are the Causes of Low Quality?

• Non-target materials placed in bins by waste producers.

• Co-mingling with unsuitable wastes.

• Over compaction in collection vehicles.

• Physical capability of MRFs to effectively separate materials.

• Poor operational practice within the MRF.

Material Quality Action Plan

• Systems designed to maximise high quality recycling.

• Reduce source contamination.

• Mandatory input/output sampling at MRFs

• Try to address PRN/PERN imbalance.

• Increased regulation of “green list” exports.

Source Segregation vs Co-Mingling

• WFD and Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012 prioritise full source segregation.

• Derogation for co-mingling provided quality of material is “not significantly lower” than if collected separately.

• Co-mingled systems which result in significant tonnage going to lower quality outcomes are unlikely to be compliant with the regulations.

• Need to be able to justify collection method in terms of derogation, waste hierarchy and the duty to promote high quality recycling.

Collections Hierarchy

Higher

Risk

Lower

Risk

Mandatory MRF Sampling

• Proposed to start from 2014.

• Implemented through WML/PPC

• Applies to “clean” and “dirty” MRFs over <1000 tonnes per annum.

• Does not apply to C&D MRFs or transfer stations.

• Quarterly reporting to SEPA.

• Data to be made publicly available

Transfrontier Shipment

• Most exports of MRF sorted material will be under “green list” procedures.

• Unsorted wastes can not be exported under “green list” procedures but must be notified.

• Highly contaminated materials can not be exported under “green list” procedures.

• MRF sorted material carries a higher risk of illegal export and will be the focus of SEPA’s activity.

• Liability for repatriation can come right back to a Local Authority.

The Good - Cardboard

The Good – Mixed Plastic Bottles

The Bad – Unsorted Material

The Ugly – Clinical Waste

The Ugly – Food waste

Conclusions

• Must apply the Hierarchy as a priority order and promote high quality recycling.

• High quality recycling is closed loop recycling.

• Systems which lose significant tonnage to low quality end-uses unlikely to comply with the regulations.

• Reduction of source contamination crucial.

• Mandatory MRF sampling from 2014.

• SEPA stepping up TFS activity on municipal waste.

Any Questions?