Defra unveils plans to cut hazardous waste red tape

This would widen the existing exemption from notification, which currently only applies to sites producing less than 200 kilograms of hazardous waste a year.

With an estimated 72,600 fewer operators being required to notify the Agency, Defra believes that – with the cost of each notification between £18 and £20 – it would save producers between £1.6 million and £2.8 million a year.

The Hazardous Waste Regulations were originally introduced in July 2005, as the UK's means of enforcing the EU Hazardous Waste Directive.

But, in the consultation document, Defra states that: “We are aware that some provisions in the Regulations are not working as we had originally intended and hence are proposing a few relatively minor amendments to address these.

“The changes seek to clarify the intention of the regulations and minimise the burden on operators,” they added.

Domestic

The 12-week public consultation also aims to clarify the situation with regards hazardous waste within domestic waste.

While domestic waste is exempt from the requirements of the EU Hazardous Waste Directive, and therefore the regulations, the consultation stresses that this only applies to mixed household waste.

As such, it states that “the Regulations are intended to apply to separated fractions of domestic waste which are hazardous waste”, citing an example of a TV placed separately for collection or delivered to a civic amenity site as being covered by the regulations.

While emphasising that the regulations do not apply to a householder, but only from when the waste is accepted at other premises, the amendments aim to “clarify on whom the obligations lie and at what times”.

The situation with regards asbestos in domestic waste is also addressed in the consultation, with the aim of clarifying that “occupiers of domestic premises are not subject to the Regulations, but that contractors dealing with the asbestos waste at such premises are.”

Other proposed changes relate to the Environment Agency only needing to be given information about an operator's individual sites producing hazardous waste, and not information about the actual notifier; and changes to the paperwork used for multiple collections of hazardous waste to make it “easier to use”.

Responses to the consultation can be submitted until Friday February 6 2009, with the aim of bringing in the amended regulations in two stages – on April 6 and October 1 2009.