Chapter 5.2 Waste transport
Notes on this chapter
In industrialised and industrialising countries alike, raw materials must be transported to
facilities for processing, products sent to consumers and wastes transported for disposal.
Transport is a vital component of industry.
Hazardous materials are transported every day by road, rail, air and water, although the
majority of hazardous waste movements are by road. Vehicles carrying any type of
hazardous substance must be properly designed, engineered and maintained, and must be
suitable for their load. International controls for the transport of hazardous chemicals
have existed for many years, and were extended to hazardous wastes in the 1980s.
The shortage of hazardous wastes treatment and disposal facilities may necessitate the
transporting of wastes for long distances. Further, the costs of treatment and disposal may
be high, reflecting the investment needed. While there are strong financial incentives to
deliver the hazardous chemicals needed for manufacturing and other processes, the
removal and proper disposal of hazardous wastes incurs costs. It follows that there may
be strong financial incentives for wastes to be deposited illegally, either at a local site not
licensed to receive hazardous wastes or, worse, simply dumped at the roadside.
Many countries have introduced controls on the transport of hazardous waste to avoid
such practices.
This chapter deals with the different aspects of a waste transport system. Since each
country has a different system, the examples covered will not be exhaustive, and trainers
should add any additional examples of which they are aware. However, most of the
information in this chapter relates specifically to developed countries and has not been
adapted to developing economies. Trainers should be aware of that, and make any
necessary adjustments.
The chapter should be used in conjunction with Chapter 5.1 Waste handling and storage
and Chapter 5.3 Safe operations and safety management as well as Chapter 3.2
Transboundary movement control.
List of slides
Title slide
Slide 2 Responsibilities of waste generator
Slide 3 Transport controls
Slide 4 Transportation permits
Slide 5 Manifest systems 1: basic principles
Slide 6 Manifest systems 2: State of Victoria, Australia
Slide 7 Dangerous goods regulations: ADR
Slide 8 Other international regulations
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Slide 9 Labelling
Slide 10 Training and safety 1
Slide 11 Training and safety 2
Slide 12 Vehicle design
Slide 13 Tankers and waste compatibility
Slide 14 Behaviour of liquid wastes
Slide 15 Hazardous waste transport: tanks 1
Slide 16 Hazardous waste transport: tanks 2
Slide 17 Hazardous waste transport: container
Slide 18 Emergency response
Slide 19 Emergency actions
Slide 20 Emergency response: Hazchem code
Slide 21 Emergency response: UK Tremcard
Slide 22 Emergency response: HAMER system
Slide 23 Summary
Background notes
Safety
1 A very high percentage of hazardous waste accidents are transport-related. It is
important that handlers, loaders and drivers should be properly trained in the correct
procedures, and that safety practices are always observed.
2 Care must be taken to comply with the required packaging, labelling and manifest
procedures. Additionally, in some instances approval should be obtained from the
destination of the shipment prior to its transportation from the site where the waste was
generated or stored.
Regulatory control systems
3 Just as there are rules which apply to the handling and transport of hazardous
chemicals, all containers or tanks containing hazardous waste which is being transferred
from storage should be clearly labelled with the type of waste and its hazards. A chain of
custody system of paperwork, ie a manifest, should accompany the waste shipment
throughout, and provide a record of the waste’s movements from generator through all of
the intermediate stages to final treatment and disposal.
4 The marking, labelling and safety systems were developed for chemical substances.
When wastes are hazardous these systems are also applicable, but as the waste
composition may be a mixture of materials, the labelling system for pure substances
needs further adaptation.
5 Effective legislation to control hazardous waste collection and transportation is a vital
part of the overall hazardous waste management system. While the regulatory control
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systems for transport introduced in various countries differ in their detail, some essential
components are common to most. A manifest or trip ticket system is one such example.
6 In many countries, aspects such as labelling, vehicle design and construction standards,
and emergency response are not specifically covered by hazardous waste regulations but
by broader legislation controlling dangerous goods in transit.
7 Controls over the export and import of hazardous wastes are included in the national
implementation of parties to the Basel Convention on the control of transboundary
movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal. (See Chapter 3.2 Transboundary
movement control)
Costs
8 Cost factors must not be allowed to take precedence over safety. Where safety
considerations are outweighed by economic concerns, the risks of environmental harm or
damage to human health are greatly increased.
9 The public’s trust in the effectiveness of the waste management system may be
adversely affected by a failure properly to consider safety aspects, and that in turn could
have long term cost and environmental implications: public acceptance of hazardous
waste management facilities is dependent on their trust. (See also Chapter 2.4 Public
communication and education)
10 Public or private sector investment in conveniently located local or regional points to
provide temporary storage and bulking up facilities for hazardous wastes could enhance
the logistics of collection and transportation, and its economic performance. For example,
where small amounts of a single waste type are collected from a number of points eg
waste oils, this could be centrally collected for onward transportation by tanker vehicle to
the treatment facility. Different waste types may also be suitable for combining,
providing this is done under skilled supervision.
Sources of further information
Directive 94/55/EC [3] of 21 November 1994 extends to national domestic transport the
provisions laid down for international transport by the European agreement concerning
the international carriage of dangerous goods by road (ADR).
Batstone, R; Smith, JE & Wilson, DC editors (1989) The safe disposal of hazardous
wastes: The special needs and problems of developing countries World Bank,
Washington, Technical paper No 93 in 3 volumes ISBN 0-8213-1144-1 (available as pdf
files from www.worldbank.org/publications/)
Dean, RB & Wilson, DC (Editors) (1990) Adapting hazardous waste management to the
needs of developing countries, Waste Management & Research Vol 8 No 2
LaGrega, MD; Buckingham, PL; Evans, JC & ERM Group (1994) Hazardous Waste
Management McGraw Hill, New York ISBN 0-07-019552-8
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Robinson, B (1990) Hazardous waste management in Victoria, Australia Waste
Management & Research Vol 8 No 2
UNEP (1991) Hazardous waste policies and strategies – a training manual, Technical
report No 10 UNEP Industry & Environment Programme Activity Centre &
Environmental Education & Training Unit, Paris ISBN 92-807-1311-6
Web sites
The Basel Convention www.basel.int
International Solid Waste Association www.ISWA.org
United Nations Environment Programme, Division of Technology, Industry and
Economics www.uneptie.org
Hazard symbols www.tc.gc.ca/canutec/erg_gmu/en/placarae.htm
Handouts
1. Hazard classifications and symbols
2. Hazchem codes
3. ISWA emergency plan
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