4. Waste storage
These are appropriate measures for waste storage at a regulated facility permitted to store, treat or transfer (or both) non-hazardous and inert waste.
1. You must have waste storage and handling procedures. You must store and handle waste in a way that makes sure you prevent and minimise pollution risks by using appropriate measures.
2. You must store waste in locations that minimise the unnecessary handling of waste.
3. Waste handling must be carried out by competent staff using appropriate equipment. You must use mechanical unloading technologies where it is possible, safe and practicable to do so.
4. Where possible, you should locate storage areas away from watercourses and sensitive perimeters, for example those close to public rights of way, housing or schools. You must store all waste within the security protected area of your facility to prevent unauthorised access and vandalism.
5. You must clearly document in your management system the maximum storage capacity of your facility and its designated storage areas. You must regularly monitor the quantity of stored waste against the allowed maximum capacities, and not exceed them. You must define capacity in terms of, for example:
- cubic metres or tonnage
- numbers of skips or other containers
- maximum tank or vessel capacities
6. You should clearly mark all waste storage areas and provide signs indicating the type of waste stored there.
7. You must not accumulate wastes. You must treat wastes or remove them from the site as soon as possible. You must prioritise the treatment or off-site transfer of waste based on:
- its type
- its age on arrival
- the date of arrival
- the duration of storage on site
8. Except for inert waste, you must follow the first-in-first-out principle, unless you need to prioritise more recently received wastes because they pose a higher risk of pollution.
9. You must minimise refuse derived fuel (RDF) and solid recovered fuel (SRF) storage durations. You must implement an auditable bale identification system so that you can remove bales in date order.
10. You must securely wrap bales of RDF and SRF with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) membrane or equivalent. This is to prevent water entering, access by pests and odour release. You should inspect bales regularly and rewrap any that are damaged. If they are wrapped securely, you can store them outside (unless your permit forbids this). If you store bales outside, your fire prevention plan must manage the risks from solar heating during hot weather.
11. You must thoroughly clean storage bays and containers on a regular basis to prevent the build-up of aging waste, which will be a source of odour and attract vermin.
12. All waste containers must be fit for purpose, that is:
- in sound condition
- not corroded, if metal
- have well-fitting lids
- suitable for the contents
- with caps, valves and bungs in place and secure
- within the manufacturer’s designed lifespan, particularly for plastic containers
13. You must inspect storage areas, containers and infrastructure regularly to make sure there is no loss of containment. You must deal with any issues immediately. You must keep written records of the inspections. You must clean up and log any spillages of waste.
1. You should keep different types of waste segregated if contamination would inhibit the recovery of the waste.
2. Where paper, plastic, metal or glass have been collected separately, they must not be mixed with other waste or material. This duty applies where you are required to keep wastes separate and to help with or improve waste recovery.