At Envirochem, we have been experiencing an increase in requests for soil and waste samples to be analysed to ascertain whether they can be disposed of at landfill, which requires adherence to certain Landfill Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC).
The Landfill Directive is an EU directive which is designed to regulate the use of landfill sites and, most importantly, what is dumped at each site. The Landfill Directive’s overall aim is “to prevent or reduce as far as possible negative effects on the environment, in particular the pollution of surface water, groundwater, soil and air, and on the global environment, including the greenhouse effect, as well as any resulting risk to human health, from the land filling of waste, during the whole life-cycle of the landfill”. For a landfill site to adhere to this directive, waste to be dumped at the site must have a certificate showing that it is not too contaminated. An example of a certificate would be a WAC certificate. Please note that some landfill sites require additional testing to a standard WAC suite, such as a digest for metals.
In addition to the Landfill Waste Acceptance Criteria test (WAC test or Leachate test), there are guidances, such as the WM3 guidance, to help in the classification process of hazardous waste and to inform individuals what analysis they will require.
The requirement for WAC testing can depend on a number of different factors such as sample type, location and history of the site; therefore it is common for different samples to have a slightly different scheme of analysis. Because of this, Envirochem offers a wide range of soil and waste tests which include, but are not limited to, metals content; anions; speciated TPH and PAH; BTEX; PCBs; and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which allows us to provide a bespoke scheme of analysis to meet the needs of clients from a vast range of industries.
We can do WAC testing on a turnaround of 7 days, 5 days or 3 days depending on your needs. (Cost apply faster turnarounds).
For more information please fill out the form or call us on 01329 287 777;