New Tank Test to Aid England and Wales Landfill Directive
Compliance

The Landfill Regulations 2002, enforced by the Environment Agency in England and Wales, require all waste be classified into one of three categories – inert, stable non-reactive or hazardous – to determine the landfill where it can be disposed. 

A useful tool to determine the proper waste classification is the tank test, which classifies monolithic wastes such as concrete slabs or parts of concrete structures. Severn Trent Laboratories (STL) recently introduced a tank test to complement the company’s existing Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) testing. The results of the tank tests can be used to compare with the WAC and determine the class of landfill for disposal. Unlike standard tank tests reports which can be complex and often difficult to interpret, STL’s user-friendly analytical reports are easy to understand.

The STL tank test classifies monolithic wastes – waste that has been formed into blocks or monoliths – by analyzing leachates from the material for a number of standard pollutants. If the test shows leachable concentrations below prescribed WAC limits, the monolith can be classified and disposed of appropriately. Tank testing is suitable for a wide range of waste including existing monolithic structures.  Alternatively, granular waste that has been classified as hazardous or stable non-reactive can be purposely formed into monolithic structures, which can have a number of different binding materials such as cement, glass, rubber or plastic. If these monoliths meet the WAC tank test criteria, they can be disposed of more cost effectively as inert waste.

The STL analytical reports clearly and concisely display results in convenient sections for the customer, the landfill operator and the consultant. The report contains easy-to-use graphical representations and simple explanations of results, using terminology consistent with the tank test standard EA NEN 7375:2004. Phil Clark, principal scientist at STL, said, “It was important for STL to develop a report that was easy for our customers to understand.”

STL also has a dedicated WAC Laboratory that offers a full range of analysis -- including pH dependence testing, up-flow percolation and maximum availability testing -- designed to support the classification of waste for disposal to landfill.

For more information, e-mail info@severntrentservices.com.

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