Concerns emerging over the possible risk of contamination of animal feedstocks on the dockside is something the RDF industry should be aware of, according to Pandora Rene, senior advisor at the Environment Agency.
Speaking during the annual RDF Conference in London yesterday (24 November), Mrs Rene discussed some of the trends and challenges in regulating the refuse derived fuel sector.
Pandora Rene, senior advisor at the Environment Agency
Storage of refuse derived fuel (RDF) at the dockside for export featured heavily in Mrs Rene’s presentation. The Agency’s senior advisor said that one factor for the industry to be aware of is that concerns are starting to emerge over storing waste alongside animal feedstocks at docks.
Storage
She said the topic was one which the Food Standards Agency “are getting rather keen on”. She continued: “They’ve had several conferences and several discussions about this in the last couple of years. It’s particularly around storage of RDF.”
“Where this material has the potential to contaminate, cross contaminating sites where animal feedstocks are being stored. And, particularly on a site where there might be bays for waste and bays for animal feedstocks adjacent to each other.”
She also signalled an acceptance and understanding of RDF as a maturing industry. Mrs Rene said last year the UK exported around 3.5 million tonnes of RDF and, to date the UK has exported 2.7 million tonnes in 2017.
Addressing concerns over Brexit and the effect this would have on exports of RDF, Mrs Rene said: “There is some new UK capacity due, we know there are CHP plants in the pipeline there are CHP plants being commissioned, what we would like to see is CHP plants actually using the heat part of that CHP and not just the power.”
Permits
Discussing future trends in the sector more generally, Mrs Rene said in the future there could be a financial provision requirement for granting environmental permits. And, proof of competence could be extended, not just to operators, but also to other parts of the industry including carriers, brokers and dealers.
And, the Agency will continue its work to reduce waste crime. “We want to make sure that everyone can benefit and growth in this sector is not stilted or stopped because of waste crime, or illegitimate waste disposal,” she said.
Mrs Rene said that a recent development is that all new environmental permits will require a Fire Prevention Plan – with the aim of “mitigating risk”. Mrs Rene explained this is one factor that the industry is “getting to terms with”.
Challenges
Uncertainty surrounding China and the Circular Economy Package were some of the future challenges highlighted by Mrs Rene.
Trends and challenges in regulating the refuse derived fuel sector were discussed at this year’s RDF Conference
Mrs Rene said: “The circular economy package, what does that mean? How will it impact on RDF? How is that going to impact on all wastes? How much of that waste is going to be required to be treated and back to a recycling state?”
She questioned whether incineration would remain high on the waste hierarchy. “So will that take waste away from RDF? Potentially it will,” she warned.
Another influencing factor adding pressure on those in the industry is the value of the pound on export prices.
And, also, she explained with the secondary materials market – “We don’t know yet what the impact of the Chinese ban is going to have, whether it’s going to push down the recycling of the UK or whether we can improve the quality of the material produced. So they’re the challenges for the future.”
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
