The Legislation for Empty Plastic Drums:

Current EU and Irish Environmental legislation (links to legislation) now class empty plastic chemical drums as recyclable packaging. More specifically, un-rinsed plastic drums are now classified by the European Waste Code as hazardous waste. From an Environmental Health & Safety viewpoint, empty plastic drums can no longer be disposed of in landfill and must be recycled.

The current situation:

Typically, empty plastic drums are both bulky to store and costly to recycle; usually incurring a “per drum” disposal charge to a licensed Hazardous Waste contractor.

Our Recycling Solution:

The Chawke custom-developed drum disposal process, transforms empty hazardous waste plastic drums from Hazardous Waste Packaging (EWC 15 01 10*) to Safe Recyclable Packaging (EWC 15 01 02).

Benefits:

• Almost 90% reduction in plastic drum waste by volume
• Reduced disposal costs
• Availability of a consistent, repeatable and measurable process
• Low volumes of water used during drum rinsing
• Low concentration of chemicals to waste water treatment plants
• Enables easy validation of non-hazardous waste status
• Compliance with the spirit of the “Proximity Principle” by processing your waste drums on-site
• Removal of potential liability for off-site harmful effects or accidents under the “Producer Responsibility Principle”
• Reduced carbon footprint
• Cleaner / safer yards with less storage of empty drums

Useful Links:

• Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 2003 S.I. No. 61 of 2003
• Waste Management (Packaging) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 S.I. No. 308 of 2006
• Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road Regulations 2004 S.I. No. 29 of 2004
• Dangerous Substances Decision 2001/118/EC EWC European waste Codes