Manchester Hazardous Waste

We collect hazardous waste from across Manchester — helping our clients to fully comply with all of their legal requirements. Call our local team today for a quote on our services.

What Is Hazardous Waste? What Computer Waste is Dangerous?

Background

Landfill laws ties into the Hazardous Waste regulations throughout the use of the Waste Acceptance Criteria (referred to as WAC). The waste Acceptance criteria likewise follows on from the need to control wastes sent to Landfill, thus fulfilling current EU legislation, reducing our reliance upon landfill and ensuring pre — treatment (segregation & application of the Waste Hierarchy) to our wastes.

The UK now operates four types of landfill sites, each capable of accepting specific forms of waste and just a few are able to accept Hazardous Wastes. The application of the “list of Wastes Regulations (2005) and it is derivative codes, aims to ensure that wastes are sent to the right spot for disposal. Note: that the European Waste Catalogue (EU Commission decision 94/3/EC) was introduced into the UK via the The List of Wastes (England) Regulations 2005 via Statutory Instrument 2005 no. 895.

But, the small Regulations and similar Producer Responsibility Regulations including the Batteries and Accumulators Regulations and Packaging Regulations all objective to further enrich the Landfill Directive and fulfill our duties as a European Member state by diverting wastes away from final disposal in Landfill sites. Deemed recoverable wastes, they require treatment and recovery, as opposed to final disposal. Note: The tiny regulations, such as the Producer Responsibility Regulations are derived from the United Kingdom ‘s interpretation and adoption of the Broader EU Directives. Member states are permitted to interpret such Directives into their very own Laws and the UK introduces such Directives via laws. The UK’s interpretation of small laws shouldn’t be required to be a duplicate of the EU directive.

Tied in with the record of Wastes, waste regulations including the Duty of Care and Hazardous Waste regs both necessitate using appropriate transfer notes (managed waste and Hazardous Waste) for the movement of wastes throughout the UK. The notes apply the List as a means to definitely define the kind of waste being transferred- this reflects the more comprehensive Pan European model, in which EWC codes throughout participant states can be readily interpreted.

Derogations relating to both nonhazardous and Complete hazardous are clearly defined within the list, denoting whether a waste ought to be considered hazardous or not (in the shape of a six digit number). In effect using a definition to the waste, it ought to be applied in the point of transfer of the waste from holder/company to waste carrier. The last disposal route ought to be determined upon depending on the kind of waste removed and might require pre — treatment (i.e. segregation) prior to final disposal. Nevertheless, it should be noted that Producer Responsibility Directives such as the WEEE directive definitely need the separate collection of small “as a pre — needed to it is successful restoration”.

How Hazardous Waste is Defined?

File HWR01 refers to the definition of Hazardous Wastes, with the application of Both “Complete hazardous” and “Mirror Hazardous” as terms applied to the codes in the list (EWC). Complete hazardous implies that by their very nature a waste is hazardous. In the list (EWC), 16 02 13* refers to dangerous electronic equipment and 16 02 14 as nonhazardous. There is no mirror entry for either (a mirror entry is the point where the same waste may contain either hazardous or nonhazardous parts) and both entries are extremely generic, covering a wide range of equipment.

The Hazardous Waste Regulations (2007) offer a means to interpret the hazardous nature of a waste, with Annex 1(A and B) giving direct reference to known hazardous wastes. Annex II and III of the same regulations allow for additional evaluation of the properties of a waste. Like Appendix A of HWR01, the possible effects of the waste on the environment and people can be viewed by assessing the possible harm, plus the contents/ components of the waste. Annex II of the Hazardous Waste Directive makes reference to known materials/ compounds which are hazardous. Annex III supplies reference to the possible harms a waste may give rise to. Listed H1 through to H15, they ought to be applied to a waste to decide whether it is hazardous in the very first place. Although a subjective or prescriptive descriptor, it is our professional belief that stuff featured in some computer equipment we recycle meets H5 as we can apply the following description: “”Harmful”: substances and preparations which, if they are inhaled or ingested or if they penetrate the skin, may involve limited health risks.”

Naturally , this subjective description is applied to specific computer wastes after referring to an MSDS or after evaluation of it is parts. But, we are certain that the following can be considered hazardous wastes under the overall group of 16 02 13* on the following grounds:

CRT monitors and Televisions: Presence of Lead, possible for Poly-chlorinated Biphenyls, presence of Phosphor. Lead is a heavy metal, causing long term damage to the body.
TFT screens in computer screens, TVs and Notebooks. Flat Bed Scanners: Presence of Mercury bearing Back lights. Potential for Leaded Solder. Mercury causes neurological damage after long term exposure.- Direct reference to Annex 1A of the Regulations.

Notebooks: Potential for Cadmium, Lithium, Nickel and Zinc in Batteries. Cadmium is a heavy metal and is poisonous in large quantities.- Direct reference to Annex 1B of the Regulations.
Uninterruptible Power Supplies: Comprise large quantities of Lead as well as comprise Sulphuric Acid. Similar to Car Batteries. Sulphuric acid causes burns.
Battery Used equipment: Presence of Batteries comprising Nickel, Cadmium and Zinc.- Direct reference to Annex 1B of the Regulations.

Yet, it is claimed, much of our waste equipment can be viewed as hazardous. Even if there isn’t immediate danger to the surroundings or human well-being, other classes provide a similar consequence, requiring the application of the term “Absolute Hazardous” to the above wastes. Included in these are:
Category H6: Toxic: Connects to the waste (or it’s contents). It doesn’t infer a limitation, although Page 5 of HWR01 does refer to “Suitable thresholds”. Yet, there’s no maximum to volumes of the above that may be wrongly treated.

Classification H8: Corrosive: Sulphuric Acid, by it’s very nature is corrosive.
Category H14: Noxious: The eventual breakdown of waste electronic equipment would lead to the release and concentration of the compounds noted above in a small space. Their release would be toxic to the local environment through “Delayed Discharge”.