Hibiscus Plc has been been manufacturing labels, and labelling software, for the hazardous waste industry for over 40 years.
The hazardous waste label is covered by various regulations in the UK. These regulations require that the producer of the waste disposes of it accordingly, ensuring that the correct labelling and paper work are completed prior to transferring the waste to an authorised waste contractor for transport, and eventual disposal to an authorised site.
What is hazardous waste
Hazardous waste is defined in the European Waste Catalogue and the List Of Waste Regulations. There are other ways a waste can be defined as hazardous (eg If the Secretary of State says it is, or if it is classified as hazardous in other legislation, such as that controlling asbestos disposal), but for the great majority of wastes we can rely on the List of Wastes and the European Waste Catalogue (EWC) and its appropriate codes.
Hazardous Waste Regulations
Legal requirements applicable to the classification, packaging, labelling, loading, stowage, placarding, documentation and transport of hazardous substances apply as much to hazardous wastes as they do to pure chemical substances.
The regulations covering hazardous waste in the UK are:
- The Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005
- The Hazardous Waste (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2005
- The Special Waste Regulations 1996.
The UK Hazardous Waste Regulations, which came into force in July 2005, set out the regime for the control and tracking of hazardous waste in the UK. Under these Regulations, a process of registration of hazardous waste producers and a new system for recording the movement of waste was introduced.
The European Waste Catalogue
The European Waste Catalogue (EWC) is a list of waste types, established by the European Commission.
The EWC is divided into 20 chapters that refer either to a process that produced the waste, or to specific waste types.
All waste must be described using a six-digit EWC code that classifies and describes the type of waste – the first two digits specify the chapter, the next two specify the subchapter, and the last two are specific to the waste type.
The EWC Codes are as specified in the List Of Waste Regulations.
Labelling Hazardous Waste
If you are a small, or large quantity generator, or transporter, of hazardous waste, you will need to comply with legal requirements—and an integral step in that process is ensuring that you properly mark and label all containers.
Adequate hazardous waste labelling is required by law and is necessary both to inform potential handlers of the risks and to ensure that non-compatible materials are not stored or transported together.
There is no standard hazardous waste marking format, but the UK waste regulations provide specific regulatory guidelines on this issue.
ADR
Under the ADR Regulations for Road. All hazardous waste must be classified and marked with the Hazard Class Warning Diamond label and the UN Number.
If the waste is liquid then Orientation Arrows must also be shown, either as part of the package/container, or as a separate label.
The EWC code does not have to appear on the label, but must be shown on the documentation.
IMDG
If the waste is to be transported overseas then it must be labelled with the Hazard Class Warning Diamond label, the UN Number, and the Proper Shipping Name (PSN).
If the waste is liquid then Orientation Arrows must also be shown, either as part of the package/container, or as a separate label.
A typical Hazardous waste label might also include the following, though this information is not mandatory:
- The type of material
- Its hazardous properties (HP Code)
- The EWC code
- The quantity
- The date that the waste was generated or placed in storage
- The producer’s contact details (name, telephone number, address, email etc)
Links to Relevant Legislation
- Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016
- Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2016
- Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011
- Environmental Civil Sanctions (Miscellaneous Amendments) (England) Regulations 2010
- Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2009
- Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations 2006
- Hazardous Waste Directive (England and Wales) Regulations 2005
- Hazardous Waste Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005
- Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2005
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
- Directive 2008/98/EC on waste
Hibiscus has been producing labels for hazardous substances for over 40 years. If you would like assistance with labelling and marking, or need further information, contact us on:
0113 242 4272 | Email: Enquiries@hibiscus-plc.com
If you’re looking to print your own hazardous waste labels, we can provide the best Hazardous Waste Labelling Software, Laser Sheet Labels and BS5609 Compliant Printers to enable you to print in-house and on-demand.
