About Waste Collection Permits

• All persons involved in the transportation of waste are required to hold a valid Waste Collection Permit. Waste Collection Permits are issued by 10 lead Local Authorities.

• The Waste Collection Permit must be valid for the county in which the waste is picked up (not, for example, just in the county where the head office of the waste contractor is located).

• The Waste Collection Permit will usually list the waste types which the waste contractor is permitted to collect. The Waste Collection Permit lists the vehicle registration number of each of the vehicles permitted to transport waste. Any additional vehicles added to your waste contractor's fleet must be added to the Waste Collection Permit.

• Some Local Authorities make Waste Collection Permits available on-line, e.g. Dublin City Council, which issues permits for Dublin, Fingal, South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown. Websites of all the Local Authorities in Ireland are available here.

• In addition, the EPA provides a nation-wide database of permitted waste collectors on their website, but please be advised that this is not always current; Local Authorities will keep the most up-to-date information on Waste Collection Permits.

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Lead Local Authorities for Issuing Waste Collection Permits (for transporting waste)

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Contact Details for Local Authorities in Ireland

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Applying for a Waste Collection Permit

• An application form for a Waste Collection Permit can be obtained from the lead local authority for the region

• The permit application process requires the applicant to publish a newspaper notice two weeks prior to the making of the application. The newspaper chosen must be one which is circulating in the area in which the waste is to be collected.

• The application itself must contain the information required by the Collection Permit Regulations. All declarations must be witnessed by a solicitor, commissioner of oaths, notary public, peace commissioner or member of An Garda Síochána. The application should be accompanied by:
  • A fee for €1,200
  • A copy of the page containing relevant newspaper notice
  • A copy of your current Tax Clearance/C2 Certificate
  • A copy of Certificate of Registration of Trade Name
  • Evidence of vehicle insurance
  • Evidence of public liability insurance

• Members of the public may submit objections to the application within a period of six weeks. Applications are typically processed within a 12-week period.

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Waste Facility Permits & Licences

• The facility to which your waste is delivered must hold a Waste Licence or a Waste Permit. You should find out from your waste collector where your waste is being delivered to and retain a copy of the Waste Licence/Waste Permit at your site.

• Waste Licences are issued and regulated by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). A Waste Licence is generally required for all waste-related activities involving large volumes of material and which impose a significant risk to the environment. Waste contractors involved in the handling and disposal of significant volumes (>5,000 tonnes per annum for disposal) are required to be licensed.

• Your waste contractor's Waste Licence can be viewed on the EPA website at the following address: http://www.epa.ie/Licensing/WasteLicensing/

• Waste Permits are issued and regulated by local authorities. Waste Permits generally apply to activities with lower waste volumes and which are considered to pose low risk to the environment. A Waste Permit is required for:

  • Private operators carrying out 100% recovery activities, e.g. concrete crushing or land restoration (land raising by 1-2 metres with clean soil & stones)
  • Private operators handling <5,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste per annum, i.e. small waste operators
  • Private operators handling >1,000m3 of compost and waste on site at any one time

• The EPA provides a nationwide database of permitted sites on their website, but please be advised that this is not always current; Local Authorities will keep the most up-to-date information on Waste Permits. Alternatively, request a copy of your waste contractor's Waste Permit directly from your waste contractor.

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Types of C&D Waste

• Waste may be classified into three broad categories:

  Inert Waste means waste that does not undergo any significant physical, chemical or biological transformations nor will it dissolve, burn or otherwise physically or chemically react, biodegrade or adversely affect other matter with which it comes into contact in a way likely to give rise to environmental pollution or harm human health. Inert waste will include C&D materials such as clean soil and stones, concrete, bricks and tiles & ceramics.

  Non-hazardous Waste means waste which does not fall under the "hazardous waste" classification. This waste type will biodegrade (decompose) over time and needs to be disposed of in an engineered landfill. Non-hazardous waste includes municipal solid waste, household waste, commercial/office waste and food/canteen waste.

  Hazardous Waste is waste listed as hazardous on the European Waste Catalogue (EWC) and marked with an asterix (*). 'Hazardous' or 'special' C&D waste is waste generated from C&D activities that may have particular health, safety and environmental concerns. Hazardous C&D wastes may include things like asbestos-containing materials, oil, chemicals, paints and materials with lead-based coatings, electrical components, appliances and other equipment.

• The waste types which a waste contractor is permitted to handle may be specified in the Waste Collection Permit (for transportation) or Waste Permit/Licence (for processing, recovery and disposal).

• The European Waste Catalogue (EWC) is a European-wide detailed listing of a range of wastes produced by various sectors, with a unique reference number for each waste type. Chapter 17 is Construction and Demolition waste:

  17 01 Concrete, bricks, tiles, ceramics
  17 01 01 Concrete
  17 01 02 Bricks
  17 01 03 Tiles and ceramics
  17 01 06* Mixtures of, or separate fractions of concrete, bricks, tiles and ceramics containing dangerous substances
  17 01 07 Mixture of concrete, bricks, tiles and ceramics other than those mentioned in 17 01 06

  17 02 Wood, glass and plastic
  17 02 01 Wood
  17 02 02 Glass
  17 02 03 Plastic
  17 02 04* Glass, plastic and wood containing or contaminated with dangerous substances
  

  17 03 Bituminous mixtures, coal tar and tarred products
  17 03 01* Bituminous mixtures containing coal tar
  17 03 02 Bituminous mixtures containing other than those mentioned in 17 03 01
  17 03 03* Coal tar and tarred products
  

  17 04 Metals (including their alloys)
  17 04 01 Copper, bronze, brass
  17 04 02 Aluminium
  17 04 03 Lead
  17 04 04 Zinc
  17 04 05 Iron and steel
  17 04 06 Tin
  17 04 07 Mixed metals
  17 04 09* Metal waste contaminated with dangerous substances
  17 04 10* Cables containing oil, coat tar and other dangerous substances
  17 04 11 Cables other than those mentioned in 17 04 10
  

  17 05 Soil (including excavated soil from contaminated sites), stones and dredging spoil
  17 05 03* Soil and stones containing dangerous substances
  17 05 04 Soil and stones other than those mentioned in 17 05 03
  17 05 05* Dredging spoil containing dangerous substances
  17 05 06 Dredging spoil other than those mentioned in 17 05 05
  17 05 07* Track ballast containing dangerous substances
  17 05 08 Track ballast other than those mentioned in 17 05 07
  

  17 06 Insulation materials and asbestos-containing construction materials
  17 06 01* Insulation materials containing asbestos
  17 06 03* Other insulation materials consisting of or containing dangerous substances
  17 06 04 Insulation materials other than those mentioned in 17 06 01 and 17 06 03
  17 06 05* Construction materials containing asbestos
  

  17 08 Gypsum-based construction material
  17 08 01* Gypsum-based construction materials contaminated with dangerous substances
  17 08 02 Gypsum-based construction materials other than those mentioned in 17 08 01
  

  17 09 Other construction and demolition waste
  17 09 01* Construction and demolition wastes containing mercury
  17 09 02* Construction and demolition wastes containing PCB
  17 09 03* Other construction and demolition wastes (including mixed wastes) containing dangerous substances
  17 09 04 Mixed construction and demolition wastes other than those mentioned in 17 09 01, 17 09 02 and 17 09 03

  * Any waste marked with an asterisk (*) is considered as a hazardous waste

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Setting up a Segregation Scheme On-site

• Generate a brief Waste Policy for the site or business.

• Find out what storage containers are to be used for the different wastes and label them clearly. A facility to produce standardised colour-coded signs for waste containers is available at http://www.wasteawareconstruction.org.uk/poster.asp

• Labels should be neat, waterproof, reusable and large.

• Inform all site personnel of waste segregation requirements, including a written memo to sub-contractors, when signing them up.

• Separate wastes as you produce them - don't allow them to be mixed and contaminated at any stage by other waste types.

• Keep a reasonable level of control over the waste compound or yard.

• Make sure that skips always leave the site covered.

• Ensure that adequate safety measures are in place, e.g. protective equipment is available.

• Never overload skips.

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Comparing Costs of Segregated vs. Mixed Waste

• It is important to compare the cost of segregated C&D waste with the cost of mixed C&D waste to determine if segregation is feasible and the best economic option. Costs can vary significantly over time so it is important to track your costs, and hence any savings or increases over time will be identified; this will help determine the cost-effectiveness of segregating on future projects.

• You could save up to 50% on your waste disposal costs if you segregate your waste on-site before collection by your waste contractor.

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Skips and Bins for C&D Waste

There are a range of standard sizes and types of skips and bins which can be used for C&D waste management. Check with local waste contractor for details.

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Getting the Best Service from your Waste Contractor

Check with your waste contractor before you sign an agreement/contract:

• What materials do they accept?

• Are there specific guidelines for each different material?

• What exactly is included in the contractor's fees (see below)?

• What types of containers do they offer? Will they fit in the space you have available?

• What are the collection options? Do you need to telephone for service or do they monitor the bins? What is their turnaround time?

• Will the contractor help set up the recycling programme and provide training to site personnel?

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Getting the Best Value from your Waste Contractor

Check with your waste contractor before you sign an agreement/contract:

• Is there a charge for pick-up/haulage?

• Do fees include container rental?

• What are the recycling and disposal fees?

• Unit costs or cost per skip/container for mixed waste and each recyclable stream?

• For what period of time are the prices fixed?

• Will they pay you for any of the recyclable streams or offer reduced rates for these?

• Is there a discount for certain volumes or preferred contractor status?

• Will signage be provided for each material type or skip?

• Are there penalties for non-conforming loads, e.g. if general waste is mixed in with the timber skip?

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What you should Record

• You should build up a good picture of what current waste management costs are, and the services provided for that cost. Most managers are surprised to discover the cost of waste to the business.

• Keep a log of when waste was collected, weights, prices and all invoices and dockets. This information will be important for highlighting the costs and benefits of your environmental programme.

• Use the attached table for monitoring waste records. Adapt it to suit your requirements.

• Compare details on waste collected against incoming invoices.

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Last Updated 19/02/08