NZQA registered unit standard
23334 version 2
Page 1 of 4
Title
Define and identify hazardous and special wastes and explain safe
handling procedures
Level
3
Purpose
Credits
5
This unit standard is for people working in the waste handling
industry.
People credited with this unit standard are able to: define
hazardous waste and outline characteristics of hazardous and
special wastes; and identify hazardous and special wastes and
explain safe handling procedures.
Classification
Solid Waste > Hazardous and Special Waste Management
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
References relevant to this unit standard include:
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO Act);
Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992;
Hazardous Substances (Tracking) Regulations 2001;
NZS 5433:1999 Transport of Dangerous Goods on Land, available at
http://www.standards.co.nz;
Thresholds and Classifications Under the Hazardous Substances and New
Organisms Act 1996 2012 available at http://www.epa.govt.nz;
Liquid and Hazardous Wastes Code of Practice 2012, WasteMINZ, available at
http://www.wasteminz.org.nz;
definitions for hazardous waste (Ministry for the Environment guidelines) available at
http://www.mfe.govt.nz;
information on radioactive substances available at http://www.health.govt.nz/.
2
Hazard controls, safety procedures, and personal protective equipment must be used
throughout operations in accordance with company procedures.
The personal protective equipment worn must be the handler’s personal set.
3
Definitions
Company procedures mean the documented methods for performing work activities
and includes health and safety, environmental, and quality management
requirements. They may refer to manuals, codes of practice, or policy statements.
NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation
(Incorporated) (MITO)
SSB Code 101542
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
23334 version 2
Page 2 of 4
Hazardous waste is any waste that:
contains hazardous substances at sufficient concentrations to exceed the minimum
degrees of hazard specified by Hazardous Substances (Minimum Degrees of
Hazard) Regulations 2001, or
meets the definition for infectious substances included in the Land Transport Rule:
Dangerous Goods 2005 and NZS 5433: 1999 Transport of Dangerous Goods on
Land, or
meets the definition for radioactive material included in the Radiation Protection Act
1965 and Radiation Protection Regulations 1982.
Special wastes refers to wastes defined in a solid waste industry workplace context
as requiring special attention, and waste substances targeted by the Ministry for the
Environment to ensure their disposal is environmentally safe, such as spent
batteries, end-of-life tyres, agrichemical waste, and electronic waste.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Define hazardous waste and outline the characteristics of hazardous and special wastes.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Hazardous waste is defined in accordance with Ministry for the Environment
guidelines.
1.2
Hazardous substances are defined in accordance with Thresholds and
Classifications Under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act
1996.
Range
1.3
Types of special wastes are described and their controls are stated in
accordance with company procedures.
Range
1.4
definition includes – numbered class, numbered subclass, lettered
category, concentration threshold, contact with water or air;
evidence is required of substances from four classes relevant to
the candidate’s workplace.
may include but is not limited to – medicine, food, pressurised
container;
evidence is required of two substances.
Hazardous wastes are described and their controls are stated in accordance
with company procedures.
Outcome 2
Identify hazardous and special wastes, and explain safe handling procedures.
Evidence requirements
NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation
(Incorporated) (MITO)
SSB Code 101542
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
2.1
Substances classified as hazardous under the HSNO Act are identified by label,
and requirements for their safe handling are explained in accordance with
company procedures.
Range
2.2
23334 version 2
Page 3 of 4
evidence is required of substances from four classes relevant to
the candidate’s workplace;
safe handling includes but is not limited to – personal protective
equipment, tracking documentation.
Hazardous substances that may be found in household waste are identified and
precautions for handling them are explained in accordance with company
procedures.
may include but is not limited to – chemicals (pool, workshop,
household, garden), aerosol cans, batteries, paints, automotive
products, explosives.
Range
2.3
Precautions for handling unlabelled or incorrectly labelled containers that may
hold hazardous substances are explained in accordance with company
procedures.
2.4
Special wastes are identified and safe handling procedures are explained in
accordance with company procedures.
Range
evidence is required of two special wastes.
Planned review date
31 December 2019
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
25 October 2007
31 December 2017
Review
2
16 April 2015
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0114
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA,
before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses
of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation
(Incorporated) (MITO)
SSB Code 101542
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
23334 version 2
Page 4 of 4
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies
to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation (Incorporated) (MITO)
info@mito.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation
(Incorporated) (MITO)
SSB Code 101542
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016