New Recycling Facility Regulations

Defra have laid down new MRFs processing regulations which will come into force from October 2014. Recycling facilities processing more than 1,000 tonnes per annum, by law will have to test the composition of samples of the material they put into the sorting process, and the useable output.
MRFs will be required to measure the total weight in tonnes of any mixed waste material received at a facility, during each reporting period which is quartlerly. They must then also take samples of material from each supplier and measure the composition of the material. Samples must be taken for every 160 tonnes of mixed metal, glass, paper and plastic material received before October 2016.
Why the change?
At present the quality of some recyclates  are not of a consistent high quality, and do not meet UK specifications so are shipped overseas for recycling. This results in avoidable costs being added to the process.
The new regulation will minimise co-mingling of residue waste (contaminates that cannot be recycled) with reusable waste streams. It is hoped that the regulations will increase recyclate quality from MRFs to help stimulate the market conditions necessary to improve the quality of the material produced by MRFs so that it can be more readily recycled’, as required under the European revised Waste Framework Directive.