Non Ferrous Metals Industry Waste

There are serious concerns regarding the future of the non ferrous metals industry in the UK following the implementation of the Landfill Regulations 2002. The non-ferrous metals industry turnover is about 4.5 billion and it employs about 36 000 people insome 330 firms. A few of these are large national and international companies, but the majority are small or very small. The case study uses examples from the aluminium and lead sectors to illustrate the real concerns for the whole of the non ferrous metals industry.

The non-ferrous metals industry actively contributes to both reduction and recovery of hazardous waste. Metals are inherently re-usable and recyclable with full retention of metallurgical properties and our members develop every possible opportunity to reuse and recycle waste products from their processes. The volumes of recycled material used are substantial and increasing. Metal recycling reduces the amount of material forwaste management. However, there will always be a residual waste, which must be managed. In addition to recycling and reuse being environmentally beneficial, it will also largely be the best commercial option. However, in some instances, technological solutions have not been found or are not commercially available for reuse or for recycling wastes to beneficial use. If the residual waste from recycling can not be managed then the recycling industry cannot survive.

The primary aluminium industry directly employs around 2000 people with an equivalent in directly employed. These plants are located in areas where alternative employment is limited. Aluminium recycling recovers 95% of the initial energy investedin making the primary metal. The demand for aluminium, partly because of its environmentally beneficial properties such as reduced weight, is rising. Any aluminium melting process whether primary, recovery or casting will generate dross. The is sues discussed in this case study will therefore pose a threat to the whole of the aluminium industry. The continued success and viability of the UK aluminium producing,processing and recycling sector is critical for the environmental benefits to continue tobe realised.

The secondary lead industry has an extremely successful track record in recycling greater than 90% of the waste automotive battery arisings in the UK, and a largepercentage of the lead roofing sheet, which is now under threat. The success of the sector depends on the collection and treatment costs being less than the residual valueof the waste stream. Treatment volumes of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap are essential to the continued profitability of the collection and treatment facilities which areexperiencing intense financial pressures to remain viable. This is at a time when legislation is demanding greater recycling rates for all types of materials.

These industries do, however, need to invest heavily to ensure that impending legislation and regulations are complied with in order to remain viable. Increased environmental costs with a static revenue stream, is making these investment decisions very difficult and this has been a major influence in the decision-making process leading to the loss of recycling facilities. Closures with in the sector put further financial constraints on the rest of the recovery and recycling industries, and could damage what is currently a successful business sector which already achieves a greater recycling rate thanEuropean targets currently require.

The non-ferrous metals industry is facing a waste management crisis as a result of the implementation of the Landfill Regulations 2002. Indications from the Environment Agency are that around 10 sites will accept hazardous waste on a commercial basis,and a possible 30 sites with in-house waste from industrial plant. The Industry recognises that alternative solutions must be sought for those waste scurrently landfilled and is committed to continuing to seek new alternatives. Projects associated with finding alternatives have been on going for several years and in the UK lead industry alone 2 millions has been spent to date with no technical solution found. In some cases the very basis for the recycling industry is threatened by the timescalesfor introduction of the Landfill Regulations. The reality of the situation is that metals recycling will only be carried out where it is more economical than primary product toproduce. Technical solutions are being sought; however, despite industry activity and investment since before 1990, additional time for implementation and commercial realisation of these solutions is needed. If there is no route for a hazardous wastestream, and no technical alternative to landfill, this will have serious consequences for the processes producing this waste.

The geographical spread of hazardous waste landfill sites will not be uniform across the country. As well as creating a competitive disadvantage for those operators not situated near to a hazardous waste landfill, this will force environmentally damaging amounts of road transport activity with the associated high costs.

Waste Acceptance Criteria for hazardous wastes to hazardous landfill or for stable non-reactive hazardous waste to non-hazardous landfill were not determined until December 2002. Indeed some methodologies for sampling and testing of parameterssuch as Acid Neutralisation Capacity are, at the time of writing, not determined for individual waste streams. The option to treat hazardous waste to become stable and non reactive, by say, fixing with cement, is also uncertain as the Waste Acceptance Criteria for monolithic wastes have not been determined. This is most critical to the primary aluminium industry as the main waste from this process, Spent Pot Lining (SPL), is monolithic. Investment decisions by any company have to be made on the basis of fact. Even if this sort of treatment were possible the investment would need to be justified to shareholders.

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