Waste of foundry Reglementation

There are numerous regulations governing waste. In order to identify waste at European level, it is listed in a nomenclature. This is an established regulatory codification that identifies each type of waste with a six-digit code referring to the sector in which it is produced. Waste has a specific legal status, the aim of which is to avoid risks to the environment and public health should the waste be abandoned.

As waste, producers are obliged to take a number of precautions to ensure its proper management. The current trend is to make producers aware of the need to take waste into account upstream of their manufacturing process, in order to reduce waste production as much as possible. Furthermore, in order to encourage waste recovery, Directive 2008/98/EC opens up the possibility, in certain specific cases, of an "end of waste status". It lays the foundations for a regulatory process that can enable waste to be removed from waste status.

Waste that is no longer classified as waste will be subject to REACH regulations, the aim of which is to control risks during the various phases of a chemical substance's life cycle.

Depending on the hazardous or non-hazardous nature of the waste, different regulations may apply. For example, for hazardous waste, the Seveso III Directive lays down rules for the prevention of major accidents involving dangerous substances and the limitation of their consequences for human health and the environment. Similarly, all waste packaging must be labeled, so that its nature and risks can be easily identified.

This article describes the specific regulations that apply to a few families of waste potentially generated in foundries, such as batteries and accumulators, used oils, polychlorinated biphenyls, refrigerants and waste electrical and electronic equipment.

Finally, it sets out the regulations governing the transport of waste, as brokering and trading activities are regulated whenever waste is likely to cause a nuisance or present a serious hazard.

A glossary and table of acronyms are provided at the end of the article.