Yorkshire and the Humber Region
Hazardous waste production and disposal 1998 to 2007
1.0
Background
At the present time the UK is facing profound changes in the way it manages its waste and, driven by the Landfill
Directive, is moving from a landfill-based to a treatment-based system. This has had an impact on all processes
that deal with the production or management of hazardous waste. The rigorous standards prescribed by the
Landfill Directive are aimed at reducing reliance on landfill, and there has been a significant reduction in the
number of landfill sites licensed to accept hazardous waste in this region since 2004. As a result, hazardous
waste has had to be transported much further. At the same time, there is likely to be an increasing need for
additional facilities to treat hazardous waste.
This report provides information about hazardous waste in the region in 2007, and trends over the last nine years.
The region is relatively industrialised and produced ½ million tonnes in 2007. There is now a marked reduction in
reliance on landfill and more transfer and recovery.
2.0
Key issues
Landfill and the ban on co-disposal The Landfill Directive led to a dramatic drop in the number of landfills
accepting hazardous waste. In 2003 there were over 200 sites across England and Wales able to take hazardous
waste, however, following the ban on co-disposal, the majority of those sites elected to be non-hazardous
landfills. There is, however, provision in the regulations for the operation of ‘mono-cells’ on non-hazardous
landfills for certain stable non-reactive wastes, like asbestos.
Pre-treatment. Since July 2004 all hazardous waste has to be pre-treated to reduce its quantity and hazard
before it is sent to landfill. Pre-treatment may take place ‘in-house’ or it may require specialist treatment at
merchant facilities.
Waste Acceptance Criteria. Since July 2005 all waste destined for landfill has to meet EU-wide waste
acceptance criteria (WAC), which involve standard tests and procedures to determine 'leachability' of specific
substances. This has meant that some waste streams produced in the region could not meet WAC without further
treatment.
Hazardous waste regulations. These came into force in July 2005 and replaced the old Special Waste
Regulations. They introduced revised and more streamlined procedures for monitoring movements of hazardous
waste. In addition, more wastes are classed as hazardous than were special, including a number of everyday
items such as fluorescent tubes, television monitors and disposable cameras. This means that many small
businesses are now hazardous waste producers.
Agricultural Waste Regulation. The new Agricultural Waste Regulations, which came into force in May 2006,
brought approximately 180,000 farms within the waste management regime. Most farmers give rise to pesticides,
pharmaceuticals, batteries, oil, etc. and are now, therefore, hazardous waste producers.
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) legislation and Restriction of hazardous substances
(RoHS) legislation. Regulations to encourage the re-use, recycling and recovery of WEEE came into force on 1 st
July 2007. These affect producers, sellers and recyclers of electrical and electronic equipment. Sites are required
for storage of WEEE (designated collection facilities) and treatment of WEEE (authorised treatment facilities).
Waste oil directive Regulations include a series of measures to ensure the safe management of waste
lubricating oils. There is a need for a range of recovery routes for waste oil in the UK, and regeneration has an
important role to play.
3.0
Scope of this report
This report provides information on:

Trends in total hazardous waste produced and disposed of 1998-2007

Detailed information on hazardous waste produced and disposed of in the Region 2007

Trends in disposal methods 1998-2007.

Movements of hazardous waste

Hazardous waste capacity
Environment Agency
April 2009
4.0
Trends in hazardous waste production and deposit 1998 to 2007
The quantity of hazardous waste generated and disposed of in the Region has dropped significantly since the
new hazardous waste regulations came into force in 2005, to around ½ million tonnes. This is probably because,
driven by limited facilities and higher costs, producers are more careful about what they classify as hazardous.
Yorkshire and Humber hazardous waste
arisings and deposits (000tonnes)
850
800
750
700
no data due
to change in
legislation
650
600
550
500
450
400
1998/9
2000
2001
2002
2003
Y and H arising
2004
2005
2006
2007
Y and H deposit
Figure 1 Yorkshire and Humber hazardous waste arisings and deposits 1998 to 2007
5.0
Types of hazardous waste produced and disposed of 2007

The four main waste types produced in the region are waste/water treatment wastes, oil wastes, waste from
organic processes and construction/demolition wastes. The construction/demolition wastes arise largely from
one-off sources, whereas the others are usually regular arisings.
More oily wastes are deposited than produced, meaning there is a net import of these materials. Conversely,
arisings of organic chemical and C/D waste are higher then deposits, meaning there is a net export.

Yorkshire and Humber arisings and deposits
by waste type (000tonnes)
120
100
Arising Tonnage
Deposit Tonnage
80
60
40
20
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Figure 2 Yorkshire and Humber arisings and deposits by waste type (000’s tonnes) 2007
Environment Agency
April 2009
6.0
Location of hazardous waste production and disposal 2007
The region produced ½ million tonnes of hazardous waste in 2007, and disposed of ½ million tonnes. There was,
however, movement around the region and between other regions, depending on the location of specialist
facilities.
Table 1 Hazardous waste production and disposal by sub-region 2007
Region/sub-region
Humber
North Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
Yorkshire and Humber Total
Tonnes produced
112,602
41,541
175,801
169,839
499,783
Tonnes disposed
115,524
30,468
149,883
203,881
499,756
A more detailed analysis by district is shown in Figure 3 below.
Yorkshire and Humber arisings and deposits
by district (000tonnes)
140
120
Arising Tonnage
Deposit Tonnage
100
80
60
40
20
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Figure 3 Yorkshire and Humber arisings and deposits by district (000’s tonnes) 2007


Sheffield and Leeds produce most hazardous waste, and they are also net importers.
North Lincolnshire has a large hazardous waste landfill which serves the region and further afield, hence it is
a net importer. Wakefield also imports large amounts of waste for recycling and re-use.
7.0
Disposal/recovery methods
Fate of Yorkshire and Humber hazardous waste deposits
(000 tonnes)
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Incineration
with energy
recovery
Incineration
without
energy
recovery
Landfill
Long term
storage
Recycling /
reuse
Other
(rejected)
Transfer (D) Transfer (R)
Figure 4 Fate of Yorkshire and Humber hazardous waste deposits (000’s tonnes) 2007
Environment Agency
April 2009
Treatment
Figure 4 above shows the fate of wastes deposited at sites in the region in 2007. Most waste is treated,
landfilled or recycled. Trends in fate over the last nine years are shown in Figure 5 below.
Yorkshire and Humber hazardous waste deposits by fate 1998 to 2007
100%
90%
80%
% of total deposits
70%
60%
no data due to
change in
legislation
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
1998/9
2000
2001
Landfill
Recycling / reuse
2002
2003
2004
Incineration with energy recovery
Transfer (Short term)
2005
2006
2007
Incineration without energy recovery
Treatment
Figure 5 Trends in disposal/recovery methods for hazardous waste1998 to 2007


There is a noticeable drop in landfill and an increase in use of transfer facilities.
There are encouraging signs of increased recycling, re-use and incineration with energy recovery.
8.0
Movements within the Region
60
50
Thousands of tonnes
Origin of waste
Former Humberside
North Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
40
30
20
10
0
Former Humberside
deposits
North Yorkshire
deposits
South Yorkshire
deposits
West Yorkshire
deposits
Figure 6 Movement of waste between sub-regions 2007



Former Humberside imports significant amounts from South and West Yorkshire – hazardous waste
going to landfill.
West Yorkshire imports material from Former Humberside and South Yorkshire for recovery and re-use
South Yorkshire imports material from West Yorkshire for treatment and recovery.
Environment Agency
April 2009
Movement of hazardous waste – imports and exports
9.0
Hazardous waste often requires specialist treatment, landfill and recovery provided at regional and supra-regional facilities. Figures 7a, 7b, 7c and 7d below show imports and exports for each
region for landfill, incineration, recycling/re-use and treatment. Note that the data for exports is very incomplete, and the amounts shown should be regarded as minimum tonnages.
140
80
70
120
60
Thousands of tonnes
Thousands of tonnes
100
80
60
50
40
30
40
20
20
10
0
0
North East North West
Yorks &
Humber
East
Midlands
West
Midlands
Total imports
East of
England
London
South East
South
West
Wales
North East North West
Yorks &
Humber
Total exports
East
Midlands
West
Midlands
Total imports
Figure 7a Landfill – imports and exports
East of
England
London
South East South West
Wales
South East
Wales
Total exports
Figure 7b Incineration – imports and exports
250
100
90
200
70
150
Thousands of tonnes
Thousands of tonnes
80
100
60
50
40
30
50
20
10
0
North East North West
Yorks &
Humber
East
Midlands
West
Midlands
Total imports
East of
England
London
Total exports
South East
South
West
Wales
0
North East North West
Yorks &
Humber
East
Midlands
West
Midlands
Total imports
Figure 7c Recycle /reuse – imports and exports
Environment Agency
April 2009
Figure 7d Treatment – imports and exports
East of
England
London
Total exports
South
West
10.0
Hazardous waste capacity
Yorkshire and Humber has very limited hazardous landfill capacity:



There are 16 merchant landfills for hazardous waste in England and Walse. Only one of these is in
Yorkshire and Humber, and it is on the South bank of the Humber estuary, a long way from centres of
population and industry
There are seven restricted-use landfills in England and Wales and none of these is in Yorkshire and
Humber.
There are 48 cells for stable non-reactive hazardous waste, and only three lie in Yorkshire and Humber.
Two of these can take asbestos and the third takes gypsum.
There are two merchant landfills on Teeside, close to the northern boundary of the region
We do not have a comprehensive picture of hazardous waste capacity at treatment and recovery sites. This
is because these sites often take both hazardous and non-hazardous materials. It is, therefore, difficult to
estimate that tonnage available for hazardous materials
11.0
Issues raised
Need for a sustained effort to reduce, re-use and recycle more. There has been a big drop in hazardous
waste production since 2005, likely in part due to better segregation of hazardous from non-hazardous
wastes. We still, however, produce ½ million tonnes per year, and need to continue efforts to reduce this
further.
Need for hazardous landfills to serve the region. Most of the hazardous waste generated within the
region, and currently landfilled, arises from the more industrialised sub-regions of South Yorkshire and West
Yorkshire. Hazardous waste now has to travel much further for landfill, around 100 miles rather than 10
miles. Provision of additional appropriately located hazardous landfills to serve industries within the region
should be considered.
Need for facilities to store/bulk-up small quantities of hazardous waste
The new hazardous waste regulations mean that many small businesses, including most agricultural
holdings, are hazardous waste producers. Many of these produce very small amounts of hazardous waste.
The need for facilities for the bulking up of wastes prior to recycling, reprocessing and landfill should be
considered.
Need for treatment facilities
Targets for the diversion of waste from landfill, and the need for pre-treatment of waste prior to landfill, are
likely to mean that additional treatment capacity is required within the region. Treatment may take place at
the site of waste production, as 'front-end' treatment at a landfill or at a different location.
Consideration of remediation/encapsulation of contaminated soils, etc
A substantial proportion of waste arisings comprise contaminated land and other site clearance materials
which in the past have been removed off-site and landfilled. Increased haulage distances, the need for pretreatment and higher costs means that remediation or encapsulation of these materials on site may well
provide a cheaper and more environmentally sound option.
12.0
Additional information
Detailed information on hazardous waste is provided on our web-site (www.environment-agency.gov.uk). In
addition, we have produced a Hazardous Waste Interrogator 2007 on CD. This is designed to make the data
available from our hazardous waste movements database more accessible. You can use it to self-build
queries to generate reports on waste movements, types and quantities. Copies are available free of charge
from the publications catalogue on our web-site.
Environment Agency
April 2009