LFT1070 - Introduction: Glossary

Term

Explanation

Biodegradable waste

This is the general term for household waste and other wastes usually of organic nature which will undergo biological reactions when placed in a landfill site. Such wastes can produce both leachate and landfill gas during these reactions and special measures are normally required to control these by-products.

Controlled waste

Controlled wastes are so called because they are controlled by legislation - storage handling, transport and disposal must meet certain legal requirements. Controlled waste is any waste which comes within the scope of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (Section 75). Controlled waste falls into three categories: Household, Commercial and Industrial. Radioactive waste, except where it is classified as a special waste, is not a controlled waste.

Daily cover

At most sites, other than ‘inert only’ sites, it is a planning, licence or permit requirement to cover the waste with a layer of inert material at the end of each day’s work. This inert material may often be waste delivered to the site.

Duty of care

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires anybody who produces, imports, brokers, transports, manages, stores, treats, processes, recycles or disposes of controlled waste from business or industry to have a Duty of Care in respect of that waste and to ensure that it is dealt within an appropriate manner. The Duty of Care requirements are given in Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and in a Code of Practice. In brief anyone holding controlled waste must:

1. Identify and describe the waste.
2. Keep the waste safely.
3. Transfer the waste only to an authorised transporter or disposer.
4. Receive wastes only from persons complying with the Duty of Care.
5. Check that any waste received is fully and correctly described and is accompanied by the correct paperwork.
6. Seek expert help and advice if unsure how to discharge the Duty of Care. 

Inert Waste

Wastes that do not undergo any significant physical, chemical or biological changes and will not dissolve, burn, or otherwise physically or chemically react, biodegrade or adversely affect other matter which they come into contact with in a way likely to harm the environment or human health.

Leachate

Liquid that has percolated through waste deposits, causing it to emerge containing varying degrees of toxicity.

Site engineering

The general term used to describe the preparation of the site to accept waste, the laying of pipework for leachate collection and landfill gas extraction, cell construction, path and road making and restoration of the site upon completion of the waste disposal.

Waste transfer notes

A waste transfer note is a document which must accompany any transfer of controlled waste between different holders and contain enough information about the waste to enable anyone coming into contact with it to handle it safely and properly. The transfer documentation for hazardous/special waste is called a 'consignment note'. Both the waste transfer note or consignment note must also show the appropriate code for that waste taken from the European Waste Catalogue (EWC) or, where the EWC has been transposed into national legislation, the national code.