The International Standards Organisation TC300 Appeals to Waste Operators : Call for Solid Recovered Fuels Evidence by Standards-Making Committee
A new investigation into the demand for standards for the recovery of wastes for re-purposing is being investigated by the International Standards Organisation (ISO) TC300 Solid Recovered Fuels.
Currently, the TC300 standard only covers non-hazardous wastes as inputs into energy conversion. However, the adhoc committee writing the report – and convened by the UK – believe this move may support the flexibility, economic value and re-use of materials currently considered purely for energy conversion.
The Committee said that it is therefore appealing to waste operators and innovators, to come forward with the evidence they believe will help shape fresh understanding and potentially the formation of new standards in the recovered non-hazardous waste marketplace.
As part of their deliberations, industry leaders from across the world gathered in Florence last Autumn and commenced an exploratory project, which seeks to add value to the utilisation of non-hazardous waste for societal benefit. TC300 believes that newly-devised standards could provide harmonised and holistic methodologies, greater confidence and trust in these resources, worldwide.
Groups in countries ranging from China to Canada are now working hard to uncover the data needed to take the assignment forward, but deeper insight into the UK’s (and other countries’) approaches to waste transformation is required.
Chair of the UK’s BSI mirror committee PTI/17 Gideon Richards and committee member Marcus Brew, managing director of UNTHA UK, are therefore urging industry professionals to share their voice and help make this programme happen.
A plethora of data is being sought including:
Market uses of recovered waste materials (whether turning Commercial & Industrial materials into a <30mm flock, plastics into oils, or anything in between)
Global reach of these markets
Details of varying output specifications for converted waste
The volume of input materials available, output materials required and a gap analysis of UK capacity
Evidence of ‘near-production’ recovered waste innovations that are yet to be commercialised
The varying terminology being given to these converted wastes and the processes involved
Examples of quality-driven best-practice.
The findings will be used to deliver a draft paper to the TC300 Secretariat in April, with a view to discussing with global TC300 colleagues in September 2019. When all of the data has been assimilated, the objective is to provide a number of pragmatic evidence-based options, which could then be taken to ISO for development.
“We strongly feel that there is a significant need for guidance, clarity and consistency, at a time when the resource agenda is pressing, yet the economic climate is turbulent. We hope that new standards will add depth, coherence and robustness between different parts of the ‘waste’ industry – especially those in their infancy – but we need help to uncover all of the data we require,” explained Gideon Richards from the standards-making committee.
“There may be others who have already begun this work – in which case I encourage them to get in touch so that we can share knowledge and collaborate, rather than duplicating effort,” he continued. “This isn’t about infringing on anyone’s intellectual property – it’s about setting out the parameters of best practice when it comes to quality, safety and the supply chain.”
Explaining why he chose to get involved, Marcus Brew, managing director of UNTHA UK said: “We’ve seen first-hand the difference it can make when a quality focus is given to the manufacture and trade of Solid Recovered Fuels – and standardisation will undoubtedly add value to the marketability of SRFs moving forward.
“Yet recovered waste material isn’t just about energy conversion of course.
“We know there’s enough waste out there, but perhaps we need to shake the tree to instigate change when it comes to converting it.”
Anyone interested in getting involved in the committee or sharing non-IP-protected data to help progress the project, should contact Gideon Richards via email gideon@cwp-ltd.com or telephone +44 (44) 7976 734603.
Read More
Triple ISO Recertification Win for Waste Shredding Equipment Firm UNTHA UK
Shredding equipment specialist for the waste and recycling industry, UNTHA UK, has secured a hat-trick of ISO recertifications, with zero major or minor non-conformances.
