Waste management reform – waste-derived materials

Waste-derived materials consist of waste that has undergone processing to enable it to be beneficially reused. Some examples include recovered materials used as fill for infrastructure developments, refuse-derived fuel, biosolids from human waste that treated and applied to the land as fertiliser, and reclaimed water from waste used for irrigation.

Guiding principles – waste-derived materials

Guiding principles have been developed that define the approach that will be consistently applied to determine acceptable methods for waste processing and for reuse standards. For further details see the Waste-derived materials - guiding principles for determining approval processes and product standards (31KB PDF).

Guidelines for waste-derived materials

While the EPA has guidelines available in relation to the disposal of waste, there is currently little advice available on the use of waste-derived products as a fuel source, as a fill or as a soil conditioner. As such, specific guidelines are being developed on each of these reuse options and will include information on the:

• minimum standards for the waste-derived product to be suitable for reuse in each area
   
• criteria guiding the EPA’s consideration of the appropriateness and approval requirements in each area.

Consultation on these documents is currently underway as follows:

• Draft Protocol for Refuse Derived Fuel (761KB PDF) Supporting Document (92KB PDF)
  Open for comment – Submissions close at 5pm on November 20, 2008.

Please provide your feedback using our online form, or via email or fax, or by forwarding your submission to:
 
Project Officer,
Waste Management Reform Project
Environment Protection Authority
GPO Box 2607
Adelaide SA 5001
 
Facsimile: (08) 8124 4674
Email: epainfo@epa.sa.gov.au

• Draft Guidelines for stockpile management (206KB PDF)
  Submissions have now closed
   
• Protocol for waste derived fill
  Consultation commencing soon
   
• Protocol for waste derived soil enhancer
  Consultation commencing soon

This page was last modified 05-11-2008