The EPA issues immobilisation approvals in accordance with clause Part 10 of the Protection of the Environment Operations (Waste) Regulation 2014. Immobilisation approvals may either be general or specific.
Specific immobilisation approvals are issued to a nominated person for a particular waste which meets the non-liquid criteria contained in the Waste Classification Guidelines. The approvals issued are subject to conditions which include
- the period for which the approval is valid.
- the treatment required to immobilise the waste, for waste that is not naturally immobilised.
- testing and record keeping requirements.
- how waste subject to the approval may be classified for disposal – essentially the contaminants of concern can be classified on TCLP (toxicity characteristics leaching procedure) alone, the SCC (specific contaminant concentration) is not taken into account for waste classification purposes.
- disposal requirements
- any other conditions, such as waste tracking, which are required
Before applying for a specific immobilisation approval
- Investigate alternatives to immobilisation. Specific immobilisation approvals will only be issued where it is not possible to reuse, recycle or reprocess the waste. Where feasible, treatment to remove or destroy the contaminants is preferable to immobilisation.
- Check if there is an applicable general immobilisation approval. A general immobilisation approval is only applicable if
- the waste is the same as that described in the general immobilisation approval, including any restrictions, such as its method of formation
- the contaminants listed in the general immobilisation approval include all the contaminants of concern in the waste
If there are no alternatives to immobilisation and there is no general immobilisation approval for the waste, apply to the EPA for a specific immobilisation approval.
For more information on classifying waste, please refer to the Waste Classification Guidelines.
