Posted By Kenneth Patrick Look up EWC codes from EA website. Graphite not hazardous waste. Very dusty materials need to be well wrapped or will cause health and visual concerns at landfill site. e.g. dump loose dust and it can appear that the tip is on fire.

Posted By Barrie (Badger) Etter Thanks Ken Just checked with Enviro Agency and they don't know what EWC code to givie it but said I need to have it sampled first to have a classification put on it. Does anyone else have thoughts on the subject? Badger

Posted By Kenneth Patrick Graphite 01 01 02 from EWC list on EA website

Posted By Heather Collins Badger I've always been told with the EWC codes that you avoid the XX XX 99 codes unless absolutely nothing else will fit. The "you must have it sampled" is rubbish if you know what it is and where it comes from. I get rid of liquid and solid process waste all the time and if we sampled every drum we'd be paying a fortune! What process exactly does it arise from and in what industry?

Posted By Heather Collins Coal dust isn't graphite. Some grades of coal contain bitumen and all sorts of nasties.

Posted By Heather Collins Badger I think this does highlight an issue that I've also had with the EWC codes. Sometimes the waste you want to classify doesn't seem to fit into any of the codes even though you know exactly what it is. I often find that although I can find a code that describes the waste perfectly, the code itself is in the wrong category for the process it arises from! I've had another look and I reckon you CAN consider your process to fall into category 01 - WASTES RESULTING FROM EXPLORATION, MINING, QUARRYING, AND PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL TREATMENT OF MINERALS. I agree that you are not quarrying, etc, but you are "physically treating" a mineral -graphite. Therefore it would fall into 01 04 "wastes from physical and chemical processing of non-metalliferous minerals" and specifically into 01 04 10 "dusty and powdery wastes other than those mentioned in 01 04 07" (01 04 07 are wastes containing dangerous substances. Provided you go on to describe the waste as graphite powder, I would think this fits the bill perfectly. In all this, the critical point is that the waste management company has sufficient information to make an informed choice about how and where to treat the waste.

Posted By Heather Collins Badger As it's solid non-hazardous waste (i.e. can be landfilled) I would have thought almost any waste management company would take it. Mind you in my experience prices vary widely and you will get charged more for a single drum due to transport costs than if you were able to store it and dispose of with other non-hazardous drummed waste (assuming you have any!) as a complete load.

Posted By Barrie (Badger) Etter Thanks Folks, As indicated earlier I've arranged for a lockable oil drum to be supplied to our contractor for storage purposes to contain the substance. Therefore it will be 'solid' and wait to see if we can ship it with other wastes. Badger

Posted By Barrie (Badger) Etter Heather / Jum, Just received the SDS from the states, in which it is given as a non eco hazardous and can be landfilled or incinerated. Next question is, as it is a non hazardous by product of our contractors operations do we need to obtain a licence for storage at either his or our site? Badger

Posted By Barrie (Badger) Etter Thx Heather, Thought that was the case. Badger P.S. It's December so, Merry Xmas everyone

Posted By Heather Collins Badger No. Only one set of transfer notes needs to be exchanged (copy for you, copy for them, copy for the disposal site, etc). Whether you produce it or the carrier/disposer produces it does not matter so long as it has all the correct details on (including the dreaded EWC code!) and is signed by both parties. We find that our regular waste management companies provide the documentation for us whereas the smaller ones rely on us to do it for them. You need to keep your copy on site for 3 years to comply with legislation.

Posted By Heather Collins Jay - no this doesn't fit, carbon isn't a metal, non-ferrous or otherwise. I think we'd already fixed on an EWC code in the 01 series.

Posted By Heather Collins Jay I agree that it is difficult to accurately categorise this waste without resorting to one of the "other" or 99 codes, which we were trying to avoid. My personal feeling is that graphite classified as a mineral (all be it one that has undergone some treatment) is more accurate than graphite classified as a plastic or metal, which it definitely is not. To be perfectly honest, as in this case the chemical and physical nature of the waste can be accurately described and it is most definitely non-hazardous, I'm not sure that the EWC code is all that critical. (I'm not saying it's not necessary, just that it wil not determine how the material is transported or treated) I have certainly come across the situation where the same material has been classified three ways by three people. Anyone care to venture a classification code for empty aerosol cans, which have contained a hi flam material and had a hi flam propellant?