Special-hazardous waste data
In Scotland, the terms special waste and
hazardous waste are the same. This is because under Scottish
law, special waste is any waste that is defined as hazardous by the
European Hazardous Waste Directive (1991/689/EC). The term special
waste will be used in these pages.
Special wastes are wastes that pose particular
risks to human health and to the environment. They are classed as
such because they display one or more hazardous characteristics or
properties, such as being explosive, highly flammable, toxic or
carcinogenic.
The Scottish regulations governing special
waste can be found in the waste regulation pages.
Each consignment of special waste must be
accompanied by a special waste consignment note. This
includes consignments originating outside Scotland and sent to
facilities in Scotland. Details from each note are recorded
in SEPA’s special waste database and are used for monitoring and
reporting purposes. The information recorded includes:
- names and postcodes of the producer and consignor (sender) of
the waste;
- name of the consignee (the person receiving the waste) and the
licence/permit number of the facility;
- waste description (as European Waste catalogue List of
Wastes);
- quantity of the waste in tonnes;
- date the waste was received by the consignee.
Information on waste sent from Scotland to
facilities in England and Wales is also recorded.
SEPA have used the information from special waste consignment
notes to produce summary data on special waste consigned, treated
and disposed in Scotland:
Data on special waste can also be found in the Waste Data Digest
and in the Strategic Waste Management Review.