Waste generated during construction work may include: building materials; excess soil from the excavations; and any polluted or contaminated soils that will need to be removed from the site.
For the purpose of landfill, the waste is classified into three main types: inert; non-hazardous; and hazardous. There are several specific requirements related to each main waste type.
In general, under current legislation as a waste producer the owner or developer of the site has the following responsibilities:
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ensuring that waste from the site is tested and classified
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ensuring that the site is registered with the Environment Agency
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ensuring that waste is pre-treated and disposed of at a licensed facility
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keeping accurate records of all waste classification, transfer and disposal
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submitting full copies of those records for inclusion in validation reports
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maintaining those records for potential future regulatory inspection
To assess the waste classification and characterisation for off-site disposal of any excess or contaminated soils, samples will be subject to waste acceptance criteria (WAC) testing. Suitable disposal facilities can include treatment and recycling centres as well as landfill sites.