Waste
Management
System.
Battery recycling
Corporate Procedure: CP-WMS 006
Authorised by:
Charlotte Winnert
Issue number:
Date of issue:
13 June 2013
Five
Purpose
To define the University of Sheffield’s legal obligations and procedures associated with the
collection of dry and wet cell batteries for recycling.
Scope
This procedure applies to all batteries generated by academic and administrative departments.
Legal framework
Directive 2006/66/EC (OJ:L266/1/2006) on batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and
accumulators
Environmental Protection Act 1990
Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989
Controlled Waste Regulations SI 1992/588
Duty of Care Regulations SI 1991/2839
Landfill Regulations SI 2002/1559
Waste Management Licensing Regulations SI 1994/1056
Responsibilities
Department and employees – responsible for disposing of batteries in line with the University’s
policy and this procedure.
Portering Services – responsible for collecting dry cell batteries from departments and
delivering them to the central collection point / WEEE store.
Environment Officer – responsible for organising periodic collections of batteries by a licensed
waste contractor; and for ensuring legal compliance and compliance to this procedure through
regular audits at an organisational level.
Definitions
Hazardous waste
In some instances batteries are classed as hazardous waste. Waste is classed as hazardous if it
has one or more of the following properties:
H1:
H3:
H5:
H7:
H9:
H11:
Explosive
Flammable and highly flammable
Harmful
Carcinogenic
Infectious
Mutagenic
H2:
H4:
H6:
H8:
H10:
H12:
H13:
Substances capable, by any means after
disposal, of yielding another substances e.g.
a leachate which possess any of the
characteristics listed above
H14:
Oxidising
Irritant
Toxic or very toxic
Corrosive
Toxic for reproduction
Releases toxic gases in contact with water,
air or an acid
Ecotoxic
To determine if a waste is hazardous, reference must be made to the European Waste
Catalogue (EWC), which lists many waste types, giving each one a six-digit code. Hazardous
wastes (i.e. those with one or more of the properties listed above) are marked in red with an
asterisk. The catalogue also identifies “mirror entries”. Mirror entries have the potential to be
either hazardous or non-hazardous depending on their actual composition and the
concentrations of dangerous substances within the waste. These are marked in blue.
EWC coding for Batteries
16 06
16 06 01*
16 06 02*
16 06 03*
16 06 04
16 06 05
16 06 06*
20 01
20 01 33*
20 01 34
Batteries and accumulators
Lead batteries
Ni-Cd batteries
Mercury containing batteries
Alkaline batteries (except 16 06 03)
Other batteries and accumulators
Separately collected electrolyte from batteries and accumulators
Separately collected fractions
Batteries and accumulators included in 16 06 01, 16 06 02 or 16 06 03 and unsorted batteries
and accumulators containing these batteries
Batteries and accumulators other than those mentioned in 20 01 33
Duty of Care
All waste is subject to a Duty of Care. The Duty of Care applies to anyone who produces,
imports, carries, keeps, treats or disposes of controlled waste.
In particular, waste holders have a duty
a) to take steps to prevent offences involving waste; and to
b) prevent other people from disposing, treating or storing the waste without a licence, in a
manner likely to cause pollution or harm to health or breaching conditions of their
licence.
There are also particular requirements placed on those storing and transferring waste.
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Storage of waste
To comply with the Duty of Care Regulations the University must ensure that all waste is stored
in such away as to prevent escape or leakage whilst on site, in transit or in storage. The
University must act to keep stored waste safe against:
1. corrosion or wear of waste containers;
2. accidental spilling or leaking or inadvertent leaching from waste unprotected from
rainfall;
3. accident or weather breaking contained waste open and allowing it to escape;
4. waste blowing away or falling while stored or transported; and
5. scavenging of waste by vandals, thieves, children, trespassers or animals.
Transfer notes and written descriptions
The Duty of Care regulations require written descriptions and transfer notes to be completed
when waste is transferred between two parties.
On the transfer of controlled waste, both the University and the waste carrier must complete
and sign a transfer note, which must be kept for two years. The transfer note must contain the
information given below.
1. the identification of the waste; and
its quantity;
whether it is loose or in a container;
if it is in a container, the type of container;
place and time of transfer;
the appropriate six-figure code from the European Waste Catalogue.
2. the name and address of the transferor and transferee;
3. whether the transferor is the producer or importer of the waste;
4. if the transferee is authorised for transport purposes, which of those purposes apply;
5. the category of authorised person that the transferee (and the transferor, where applicable)
comes under, or which exemption applies and why they are exempt.
The description of the waste should mention any special problems and should include the type
of premises or business from which the waste comes, the name of the substances, the process
that produced the waste, and chemical and physical analysis.
Hazardous waste and consignment notes
Where hazardous waste is being produced it is a legal requirement for the premises to be
notified to the Environment Agency. Upon registration the premises will be issued with a sixfigure premises code, which must be renewed every year.
Holders of hazardous waste are also subject to the Duty of Care Regulations and a system of
consignment notes. However, the consignment notes fulfil the Duty of Care requirement for a
written description to accompany the transfer of waste. Consequently a consignment note is
the only document that needs to be completed when hazardous waste is collected for disposal.
The consignment note may be completed by the transporter of the waste, however the
University must ensure that the waste has been consigned correctly.
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A consignment note is divided into 5 sections, parts A to E.
The University must complete section A of the note which should contain the following
information:
1. consignment note code;
2. the address of where the waste was removed from;
3. the Premises Code;
4. details of where the waste will be taken to; and
5. the details of the waste producer was if different from 2.
The University should also completes section B of the note which should contain the
following information:
1. the process giving rise to the waste(s);
2. the SIC for the process giving rise to the waste;
3. a written description of the waste including:
 the appropriate six-figure code from the European Waste Catalogue;
 quantity (kg);
 the chemical/biological components of the waste and their concentrations are;
 the physical form of the waste (i.e. gas, liquid, solid, powder, sludge or mixed);
 the hazard code(s);
 the container type, number and size;
 the UN identification number(s);
 proper shipping name(s),
 UN Class(es);
 packing group(s); and
 details of any special handling requirements.
Section C is completed by the waste carrier. This should include the following:
1. carrier name and address;
2. carrier registration number or details of exemption;
3. vehicle registration no (or mode of transport if not road); and
4. the carrier must also sign and date the consignment note.
Section D is completed and signed by the University. By signing Part D the consignor is
certifying that:




all of Parts A, B and C are correct;
the carrier is registered or exempt;
the carrier was advised of any precautionary measures regarding the collection;
all of the waste is packaged and labelled correctly and the carrier has been advised of
any special handling requirements
Part E is completed by the consignee. The consignee should complete section E and verify that
the wastes listed in Part B match the wastes received.
The consignee must provide a return to the University to confirm that the waste has reached its
final destination. This can either be a copy of the completed consignment note or a copy of the
quarterly returns (which waste managers must produce for the Environment Agency).
Three copies of the consignment note should be completed – one for the consignor i.e. the
University, one for the carrier and one for consignee. Consignment notes and returns must be
kept for three years.
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To ensure that consignors provide hazardous waste returns, the University must also keep a
Register of Hazardous Waste Consignment.
Procedure
1.
Waste Management Legislation
1.1
Legislation requires batteries to be recycled, under no circumstances should
departments dispose of batteries in the general waste bins or skips located around the
University.
1.2
Dry cell batteries are bulked up at North Campus, which has been registered as exempt
from the Waste Management Licensing Regulations with the Environment Agency under S1 and
S2 . Dry cell batteries can only bulked up / stored at this location prior to collection for disposal
by a specialist contractor.
1.3
Collections of batteries from departments can only be made by Portering Services who
have a Waste Carrier’s Licence (Number CB/ZE5238ZH).
1.4
The Environment Officer is responsible for registering University premises as producers
of hazardous waste with the Environment Agency.
2.
Dry cell batteries
2.1
Departments can set up a departmental collection point and book a collection of dry cell
batteries as required by emailing waste@sheffield.ac.uk. Smaller volumes of batteries can be
sent to the Environment Officer via the internal mail.
2.2
Departments must ensure that leaking batteries are placed in a plastic bag (preferably a
transparent one) and that any exposed terminals are be taped up before sending batteries for
recycling.
2.3
Oxygen depletion senor units contain lead and electrolytes in order to create a current,
so must be disposed as batteries.
2.4
Mixed dry cell batteries are stored centrally at North Campus. Batteries must be stored
in a secure container - the volume of all waste stored at North Campus at any one time must not
exceed 50 cubic meters. Batteries must not be stored for longer than three months.
2.5
Batteries must be stored in line with the Duty of Care Regulations – see page 2.
2.6
year.
Collections of batteries by a licensed waste contractor must be made at least once a
2.7
The Environment Officer is responsible for organising collections of dry cell batteries
and ensuring that any waste contractors used are licensed.
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3.
Wet cell batteries
3.1
Wet cell batteries are disposed with the chemical and solvent waste. The collection and
disposal of solvents, chemicals and other hazardous waste is managed corporately by the
Environment Officer.
3.2
Collections are made by a specialist contractor approximately every two months – these
have been booked in advance with the contractor. Departments should book collections of
waste as required (using the booking sheet) no less than 8 days before the scheduled collection.
See CP-WMS 011 Procedure for the storage, collection and disposal of used chemicals, solvents
and other hazardous substances.
3.3
Departments must handle wet cell batteries with care prior to collection. Whilst
awaiting collection, batteries must:
 Be stored undercover and in a secure area where nobody can tamper with them, trip
over them or anything impact on them,
 Be positioned the right way up,
 Unless in original plastic outer containers, they must not be stacked on top of each
other.
Safety Services should be contacted for advice in the event of accidental breakage.
3.4
Where departments bulk up batteries a centrally for collection they must be stored in
line with the Duty of Care Regulations – see page 2. In addition wet cell batteries must be stored
under cover in secure containers and no more that one cubic meter of wet cell batteries can be
stored at any one time.
4.
UPSs
4.1
CICS are responsible for organising collections of batteries from the UPS and ensuring
that any waste contractors used are licensed.
4.2
The University has two UPSs, one in the datacentre behind Brunswick House and the
other in the Computer Centre on Hounsfield Road.
4.3
UPS batteries are replaced every five to seven years.
5.
Transfer of waste
5.1
Collections of batteries must be overseen by a member of University staff. All batteries
removed form University premises must be accompanied by a hazardous waste consignment
note / waste transfer note. Notes will be provided by the waste collectors and signed by a
member of University staff.
5.2
Waste transfer / consignment notes and a copy of all relevant Waste Carriers Licences
will be filed by the Environment Officer for a period of three years.
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Associated Documentation
S1 and S2 Exemptions - Ref EPR/BE5830NA/A001
CP-WMS 011 Procedure for the storage, collection and disposal of used chemicals, solvents and
other hazardous substances
Appendices
AX04 Solvent and chemical disposal booking form
Hazardous waste premises codes spreadsheet
Register of Hazardous Waste Consignment
Hazardous Waste Consignment Note
Waste Transfer Note
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