The Landfill Tax Trommel Fines Debate is Loss on Ignition Testing the Solution?

Mick Balch, managing director of L&S Waste Management, explains his hesitance to embrace Loss on Ignition testing for trommel fines and asks if managing what goes into skips might offer a better solution. The trommel fines debate rages on with industry and Government at loggerheads as to a sensible solution to the issue of how to dispose of this troublesome waste stream. The flames have now been stoked further with suggestions of a potential new solution, which will see the introduction of Loss of Ignition (LOI) testing, to measure the biodegradable element of the waste in trommel fines. LOI testing was first announced by the Treasury in March as part of the landfill tax measures proposed in the Budget. The testing process will involve a sample of fines material sent to a laboratory, dried of its moisture content, then weighed and heated in an ‘ashing chamber’ furnace. The difference in weight before and after the fines material is measured indicates the presence of non-inert material, and whether it should be charged at the lower or higher rate of landfill tax. The lower rate currently stands at £2.50 per tonne and the higher rate (as of April 2014) is now £80 per tonne. Under the new testing regime, which would come into effect by April 2015, only fines that lose no more than 10% mass on ignition would be considered eligible for the lower rate of landfill tax. It comes as no surprise that the new testing regime is being backed by HMRC, as it is likely to generate millions of pounds in additional tax revenue. The initiative has also received support from United Resource Operators Consortium (UROC), which represents the skip hire industry and the Environmental Services Association (ESA). Despite the support from industry ‘representatives’, most people involved in the day to day running of the skip hire and waste management remain sceptical as to the benefits of LOI testing. Further questions have to be asked in terms of who will administer the tests? How long will the testing process take? How much will the testing cost? And how will consistency in the samples be ensured? These questions may well be irrelevant if landfill site operators continue to err on the side of caution and simply charge the higher rate of tax on trommel fines to cover their own backs. After all, it’s not worth them taking the risk of charging the lower rate of tax, only then to be charged at the higher rate by HMRC if, on later inspection, the waste is found to be anything other than ‘inert’. Few people will argue that action needs to be taken in the classification of inert waste, and the sustainable disposal of non-inert materials. However, the reality is that another layer of testing will simply serve to further complicate the process and only add to the cost implications of the legitimate disposal of this waste. Many waste firms have already invested heavily in expensive filtration machinery to separate trommel fines. However, the complex processes and expensive equipment required to treat trommel fines year round represents an unrealistic solution for most waste companies. That being said, the industry cannot continue to sweep the issue under the carpet. Trommel fines are increasingly coming under the spotlight and the issue is not going away any time soon. The only realistic solution has to be for the skip hire industry to adopt a radical new approach in managing what goes into skips at source. In the same way that asbestos and gypsum were allowed to be comingled in skip waste up until a few years ago, legislation now prevents this and people are happy to abide by the rules. The same solution must now be applied to soil in skips. This may sound easier said than done, but by and large, people are coming round to the idea of separating waste and are generally happy to do so if given the right tools and properly educated. Mick Balch is managing director of L&S Waste Management Read More Landfill Tax Hike for Trommel Fines... A Wake Up Call Dr. Richard Coulton explains how waste and recycling companies can minimise the impact of the change to landfill tax that will see charges for trommel fines rise to £80 per tonne. Recycling Industry Needs Standard for Eddy Current Separators Rob Jones, managing director of Eddy Current Separator manufacturer, Magnapower, explains why the industry needs a standard to measure performance… What Next for WEEE? Following a recast of the WEEE Directive for household and non-household WEEE collection, January 1, 2014 will see the UK adopt a ‘collection target and compliance fee’ system.