MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE HANDLING, CLASSIFICATION AND DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS WASTE DEPARTMENT OF WATER AFFAIRS AND FORESTRY Second Edition 1998 MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE HANDLING, CLASSIFICATION AND DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS WASTE Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Republic of South Africa Second Edition 1998 Published by Department of Water Affairs & Forestry Private Bag X313 PRETORIA 0001 Republic of South Africa Tel: (012) 338-7500 Printed and bound by CTP Book Printers, Cape Town First Edition 1994 Second Edition 1998 ISBN 0-620-22995-0 Copyright reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without full acknowledgement of the source This document should be cited as: Department of Water Affairs & Forestry, 1998. Waste Management Series. Minimum Requirements for the Handling, Classification and Disposal of Hazardous Waste. Project Manager: L. Bredenhann, Department of Water Affairs & Forestry Co-ordinated by: Dr H.O. Fourie, Ockie Fourie Toxicologists (Pty) Ltd Editor: Mrs K. Langmore I THE WASTE MANAGEMENT SERIES This document forms part of the Waste Management Series, produced by the Department of Water Affairs & Forestry. Thus far, the series comprises: Document 1: Minimum Requirements for the Handling, Classification and Disposal of Hazardous Waste. Document 2: Minimum Requirements for Waste Disposal by Landfill. Document 3: Minimum Requirements for the Monitoring of Water Quality at Waste Management Facilities. Document 1, Minimum Requirements for the Handling, Classification and Disposal of Hazardous Waste, sets out the waste classification system. In this, wastes are placed in two classes, General or Hazardous, according to their inherent toxicological properties. Hazardous wastes are further subdivided, according to the risk that they may pose at disposal, using a hazard rating. In this way, a less hazardous waste is distinguished from an extremely hazardous waste. Wastes with a hazard rating of 1 or 2 are very or extremely hazardous, while wastes with a hazard rating of 3 of 4 are of moderate or low hazard. The requirements for pre- treatment and disposal are appropriately set in accordance with the waste classification. Hazardous waste prevention and minimisation are briefly addressed, because of their importance, as is handling, transportation and storage. Document 2, Minimum Requirements for Waste Disposal by Landfill, addresses landfill classification, and the siting, investigation, design, operation and monitoring of landfill sites. In the landfill classification system, a landfill is classified in terms of waste class, size of operation, and potential for significant leachate generation, all of which influence the risk it poses to the environment. Graded requirements are then set for all aspects of landfilling, including public participation. Document 3, Minimum Requirements for the Monitoring of Water Quality at Waste Management Facilities, addresses the monitoring of water quality at and around waste disposal facilities. The Department intends extending the Waste Management Series. At the time of writing, the National Waste Management Strategy was being formulated, as a joint venture between the Department of Water Affairs & Forestry, the Department of Environment and Tourism, and DANCED. Initially, three baseline study documents were drafted by South African consultants to provide data regarding waste generation, community waste and litter, and waste disposal sites in South Africa. These will form part of the series. Further work being carried out by Danish and South African consultants, assisted by Departmental staff will generate strategy documents which will also form part of the series. Other documents envisaged for the series include Minimum Requirements for waste disposal site auditing, and training of operators and managers of waste management facilities. II PREFACE PREFACE The management of hazardous waste remains one The improvement of standards for waste disposal of the central environmental issues throughout the in South Africa will also rely on the co-operation world. With the Basel Convention the full title of of all participants. To this regard environmental which is the: “Basel Convention for the groups and certain waste generators have already transboundary movements of Hazardous wastes and demonstrated their commitment by respectively their disposal”, that came into force in South promoting and exercising good waste management Africa, this country has now become inseparably practices in South Africa and by contributing to the linked to international policy on hazardous waste. development of the minimum requirements. Nonetheless, the minimum requirements will also At present, regulating measures for hazardous be enforced by means of permits for waste disposal waste management in South Africa are still not on sites, the future registration of waste generators a par with international legislation. For this reason and transporters and a manifest system, in order to the department started the development of the address situations where good waste management Waste Management Series with the aim to upgrade practices have not been implemented. Costs that the standard of waste management in South Africa have in the past been externalised as social and and to provide a system whereby waste disposal environmental costs, because of the absence of can be regulated. To this end, the Minimum standards, will now be internalised in accordance Requirements for the Handling, Classification and with the “polluter pays” principle. Disposal of Hazardous Waste sets out a systematic framework for identifying a Hazardous Waste and It is accepted that improved standards will classifying it in accordance with the degree of risk inevitably result in increased costs. Consequently, that it poses. From the classification, requirements the Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) are set that will ensure Hazardous Waste is treated approach is adopted, in order to provide affordable and safely disposed of. These requirements environmental protection. This is achieved by the represent the lowest acceptable standard and are promotion of a waste management process. The therefore termed Minimum Requirements. process comprises three basic steps: waste avoidance, correct classification and minimum The aim is to ensure the sustained fitness for use of requirements for the safe handling, treatment and South Africa’s water resources and to protect both disposal of hazardous waste. the public and the environment from harmful effects of incorrect waste management, without Waste prevention, minimisation and recovery are impairing the essential economic development of not entirely within the scope of this document, South Africa. It follows that the application of the which deals primarily with classification and Minimum Requirements to the classification, disposal. Nonetheless, these issues are regarded as treatment and disposal of unavoidable hazardous important, especially in view of future trends and waste will contribute to a clean and healthy developments, and so they are briefly explained environment for all South Africans. In this way the and frequently referred to. Minimum Requirements project addresses an important aspect of the Government’s An Integrated Environmental Management Reconstruction and Development Programme. Approach has been adopted throughout and this implies advance planning for all aspects of waste This document addresses crucial aspects of the management. An Environmental Impact hazardous waste disposal process, so that cradle-to- Assessment will form an essential stage in this grave control can be instituted. This minimum planning process. This Environmental Impact requirements document thus provides a basic Assessment will be necessary before a landfill is national framework from waste management in issued with a permit to operate. South Africa. This must be expanded upon in the future. In addition, the minimum requirements are intended to facilitate conformity with international standards, required by future trading partners and by the Basel Convention. III PREFACE The Minimum Requirements for the Handling, Classification and Disposal of Hazardous Waste was first published in 1994. This edition has been revised in the light of use and comment. This will not be the final revision, however, and the document must be regarded as 'living'. Certain wastes may, with the development of new technologies, pose either a lesser or greater risk in the future. I expect the requirements to evolve with changing knowledge, expertise, political, social and economic circumstances in South Africa. I would therefore like to encourage you, and all other interested and affected parties, to submit written comment and input to the Department, so that your concerns can be addressed and your input included in future editions. PROFESSOR KADER ASMAL M.P. MINISTER OF WATER AFFAIRS AND FORESTRY IV SYNOPSIS SYNOPSIS In terms of Section 20 of the Environment • Disposal: the safe disposal of waste so Conservation Act, 1989 (Act 73 of 1989), waste that it will not pollute the environment or can only be disposed of at a waste disposal facility cause health hazards. that has a permit issued by the Minister of Water Affairs & Forestry. Such a facility must be sited, The Department strongly recommends that waste designed, operated and monitored strictly in be managed in accordance with the above accordance with the permit conditions. These principles. Waste prevention, minimisation and conditions will