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==Context==
==Context==
A type of [[Waste Derived Fuel]], [[Refuse Derived Fuel]] or [[RDF]] has been prepared by a treatment process to produce a broad specification fuel, which is still considered to be a waste, that can be used by an [[EfW]] plant supplied under a [[Fuel Supply Agreement]]. The specification will depend upon the plant to be used, but typically at the most basic level will have had metals and inert materials removed, removal of some recyclables and limited shredding/bag splitting. More refined [[RDF]] will have had drying, shredding to a uniform size and [[Moisture Content]] reduction. At the very high end of production the [[RDF]] will move towards being a [[Solid Recovered Fuel]] ([[SRF]]).
A type of [[Waste Derived Fuel]], [[Refuse Derived Fuel]] or [[RDF]] has been prepared by a treatment process to produce a broad specification fuel, which is still considered to be a waste, that can be used by an [[EfW]] plant supplied under a [[Fuel Supply Agreement]]. The specification will depend upon the plant to be used, but typically at the most basic level will have had metals and inert materials removed, removal of some recyclables and limited shredding/bag splitting. More refined [[RDF]] will have had drying, shredding to a uniform size and [[Moisture Content]] reduction. At the very high end of production the [[RDF]] will move towards being a [[Solid Recovered Fuel]] ([[SRF]]).
For the purposes of legislation [[RDF]] remains a waste (unless stringent [[End of Waste Criteria]] can be met) and so users of the fuel have to comply with the [[IED]] which has superseded [[WID]].


==Composition of Refuse Derived Fuel==
==Composition of Refuse Derived Fuel==
We have pulled together a number of specification (spec) sheets to produce give an overall feel for the spec of [[Refuse Derived Fuel]] and [[Solid Recovered Fuel]], as shown in the table below. In reality the spec is usually very tightly controlled by the receiving plant.
We have pulled together a number of specification (spec) sheets to produce give an overall feel for the spec of [[Refuse Derived Fuel]], as shown in the table below. In reality the spec is usually a function of the receiving plant.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
!Measure!!Units!!Residual Waste<ref>Typical ranges for Residual Waste as a Comparison</ref>!!RDF!!SRF</th></tr>
!Measure!!Units!!Residual Waste<ref>Typical ranges for Residual Waste as a Comparison</ref>!!RDF</th></tr>
|-
|-
|Net Calorific Value||MJ/kg (as received)||9 - 15||10 - 15||>18.5
|Net Calorific Value||MJ/kg (as received)||9 - 15||10 - 15
|-
|-
|Moisture||wt% (dry basis)||10 - 40||<20||<15
|Moisture||wt% (dry basis)||10 - 40||<20
|-
|-
|Biomass Content<ref>Not generally defined for exports to EU (no biomass requirements.)</ref>||wt% (dry basis)||>45||>65||>65
|Biomass Content<ref>Not generally defined for exports to EU (no biomass requirements.)</ref>||wt% (dry basis)||>45||>65
|-
|-
|Ash Content||wt% (dry basis)||10 - 30||<20||<15
|Ash Content||wt% (dry basis)||10 - 30||<20
|-
|-
|Sulphur||wt% (dry basis)||< 0.85||<0.5||<0.5
|Sulphur||wt% (dry basis)||< 0.85||<0.5
|-
|-
|Nitrogen||wt% (dry basis)||<1.5||<0.8||<0.8
|Nitrogen||wt% (dry basis)||<1.5||<0.8
|-
|-
|Lead||mg/kg||<200||<100||<80
|Lead||mg/kg||<200||<100
|-
|-
|Chlorine CI||wt% (dry basis)||<1.2||<0.6||<0.6
|Chlorine CI||wt% (dry basis)||<1.2||<0.6
|-
|-
|Zinc<ref name="rdf1">Not generally defined in a fuel spec</ref>||wt% (dry basis)||<0.1||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|Zinc<ref name="rdf1">Not generally defined in a fuel spec</ref>||wt% (dry basis)||<0.1||&nbsp;
|-
|-
|Sodium and Potassium<ref name="rdf1"/>||wt% (dry basis)||<0.8||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|Sodium and Potassium<ref name="rdf1"/>||wt% (dry basis)||<0.8||&nbsp;
|-
|-
|Mercury||mg/kg||<2||<1||<0.6
|Mercury||mg/kg||<2||<1
|-
|-
|Nickel||mg/kg||<200||<100||<100
|Nickel||mg/kg||<200||<100
|-
|-
|Thallium||mg/kg||<20||<10||<10
|Thallium||mg/kg||<20||<10
|-
|-
|Ferrous and non-ferrous metals||wt% (dry basis)||<7||<3||<1
|Ferrous and non-ferrous metals||wt% (dry basis)||<7||<3
|-
|-
|Non combustible material||wt% (dry basis)||<15||<10||<5
|Non combustible material||wt% (dry basis)||<15||<10
|-
|-
|Glass||wt% (dry basis)||<5||<2||<1
|Glass||wt% (dry basis)||<5||<2
|-
|-
|Dust <1mm||wt% (dry basis)||<5||<5||<5
|Dust <1mm||wt% (dry basis)||<5||<5
|-
|-
|Bulk Density (loose)||kg/m3||100 - 275||100 - 175||185
|Bulk Density (loose)||kg/m3||100 - 275||100 - 175
|-
|-
|Particle Size (max dimension)||mm||500||300||<40
|Particle Size (max dimension)||mm||500||300
|}
|}


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|}
|}


Moving [[Refuse Derived Fuel]] and [[Solid Recovered Fuel]] from the UK abroad requires compliance with the [[Transfrontier Shipment Regulations]] ([[TFS]]) and in simple terms requires an application for movement to be made to the relevant authorities that requires a number of key measures to be satisfied before this can occur.
Moving [[Refuse Derived Fuel]] from the UK abroad requires compliance with the [[Transfrontier Shipment Regulations]] ([[TFS]]) and in simple terms requires an application for movement to be made to the relevant authorities that requires a number of key measures to be satisfied before this can occur. It also requires the user of the fuel to be classified as an [[R1]] facility.


==Annual Export from England==
==Annual Export from England==
The data shown is for export from England and for [[EWC | Waste Code]] '''''19 12 10 - combustible waste (refuse derived fuel)''''' as this is the primary code that covers both [[RDF]] and [[SRF]] tonnage.


It is important to note that some [[RDF]] / [[SRF]] is exported under the [[EWC | Waste Code]] '''''19 12 12 - other wastes (including mixtures of materials) from mechanical treatment of wastes other than those mentioned in 19 12 11''''', this code is a catch all, and covers any waste from Mechanical treatment not covered by it's own 19 12 waste code and as such has not been included in the numbers below.
to add
 
===Month on Month Export===
===Month on Month Export===
The graph shows the monthly shipments of [[RDF]] along with a trend line showing the trajectory of export.
The graph shows the monthly shipments of [[RDF]] along with a trend line showing the trajectory of export.
[[File:Shipped mnthly.png|700px|none|month on month export with trend]]
 
to add


===Year on Year Differences===
===Year on Year Differences===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
 
|-
to add
| colspan="4" | <graph>{
  "width": 500,
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  "data": [
    {
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      "values": [
        {"x": 2012,  "y":  758521}, {"x": 2013,  "y":  953391},
        {"x": 2014,  "y":  698508}, {"x": 2015,  "y":  549765},
        {"x": 2016,  "y":  319223}, {"x": 2017,  "y":  -78564},
        {"x": 2018,  "y": -277369}, {"x": 2019,  "y": -402945},
        {"x": 2020,  "y": -890878}, {"x": 2021,  "y": -318729}
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|-
! colspan="4" | Data Table
|-
!Year!!Tonnage Shipped!!Increase on Previous!!Percentage Change
|-
|-
|2011||251,451||-||-
|-
|2012||1,009,972||+758,520||301.7%
|-
|2013||1,963,363||+953,390||94.4%
|-
|2014||2,661,871||+698,508||35.6%
|-
|2015||3,211,636||+549,765||20.7%
|-
|2016||3,530,859||+319,222||9.9%
|-
|2017||3,452,295||-78,563||-2.2%
|-
|2018||3,174,926||-277,269||-8.0%
|-
|2019||2,771,981||-402,945||-12.7%
|-
|2020||1,881,103||-890,878||-32.1%
|-
|2021||1,562,374||-318,729||-16.9%
|}


===Exporters===
===Exporters===
Exporters from the UK. {{#clear_external_data:}}{{#get_db_data: db=engy|from=notiftbl|data=notif=notif,yr2017=yr2017,yr2018=yr2018,yr2019=yr2019,yr2020=yr2020,yr2021=yr2021}}
 
{|class = "wikitable sortable"
to add
!Company!!2017!!2018!!2019!!2020!!2021
 
{{#for_external_table:<nowiki/>
{{!}}-
{{!}} [[{{{notif}}}]]
{{!}} {{{yr2017}}}
{{!}} {{{yr2018}}}
{{!}} {{{yr2019}}}
{{!}} {{{yr2020}}}
{{!}} {{{yr2021}}}
}}
|}
==References==
==References==
<references />
<references />

Revision as of 16:33, 18 May 2022

A type of Waste Derived Fuel, Refuse Derived Fuel or RDF has been prepared by a treatment process to produce a broad specification fuel, which is still considered to be a waste, that can be used by an EfW plant supplied under a Fuel Supply Agreement. The specification will depend upon the plant to be used, but typically at the most basic level will have had metals and inert materials removed, removal of some recyclables and limited shredding/bag splitting. More refined RDF will have had drying, shredding to a uniform size and Moisture Content reduction. At the very high end of production the RDF will move towards being a Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF).

Picture of loose RDF material, picture from Turmec, all rights reserved
Picture of loose RDF material, picture from Turmec, all rights reserved


Context

A type of Waste Derived Fuel, Refuse Derived Fuel or RDF has been prepared by a treatment process to produce a broad specification fuel, which is still considered to be a waste, that can be used by an EfW plant supplied under a Fuel Supply Agreement. The specification will depend upon the plant to be used, but typically at the most basic level will have had metals and inert materials removed, removal of some recyclables and limited shredding/bag splitting. More refined RDF will have had drying, shredding to a uniform size and Moisture Content reduction. At the very high end of production the RDF will move towards being a Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF). For the purposes of legislation RDF remains a waste (unless stringent End of Waste Criteria can be met) and so users of the fuel have to comply with the IED which has superseded WID.

Composition of Refuse Derived Fuel

We have pulled together a number of specification (spec) sheets to produce give an overall feel for the spec of Refuse Derived Fuel, as shown in the table below. In reality the spec is usually a function of the receiving plant.

Measure Units Residual Waste[1] RDF
Net Calorific Value MJ/kg (as received) 9 - 15 10 - 15
Moisture wt% (dry basis) 10 - 40 <20
Biomass Content[2] wt% (dry basis) >45 >65
Ash Content wt% (dry basis) 10 - 30 <20
Sulphur wt% (dry basis) < 0.85 <0.5
Nitrogen wt% (dry basis) <1.5 <0.8
Lead mg/kg <200 <100
Chlorine CI wt% (dry basis) <1.2 <0.6
Zinc[3] wt% (dry basis) <0.1  
Sodium and Potassium[3] wt% (dry basis) <0.8  
Mercury mg/kg <2 <1
Nickel mg/kg <200 <100
Thallium mg/kg <20 <10
Ferrous and non-ferrous metals wt% (dry basis) <7 <3
Non combustible material wt% (dry basis) <15 <10
Glass wt% (dry basis) <5 <2
Dust <1mm wt% (dry basis) <5 <5
Bulk Density (loose) kg/m3 100 - 275 100 - 175
Particle Size (max dimension) mm 500 300

Background to Export of Refuse Derived Fuel

The movement of RDF from the UK, primarily in the EU, commenced in c.2010 and progressively grew up until around 2016 driven by supply-demand and landfill tax in the UK and the economics and spare capacity of EfW plants in the EU. From around 2017 tonnages for export started to drop, with more pronounced drops from 2018 as the supply-demand patterns changed in the UK, some EU countries started to implement taxation on EfW and the cost and complexities of transportation following Brexit increased. The two charts below show the overall patterns of export:

CIWM Presidential Report 2018 – RDF Trading in a Modern World
CIWM Presidential Report 2018 – RDF Trading in a Modern World
RDF and SRF Export - analysis of EA data by Monksleigh
RDF and SRF Export - analysis of EA data by Monksleigh
CIWM Presidential Report (2018) Showing Grow in RDF and SRF Export[4] Analysis by Monksleigh of RDF and SRF Exports from England from EA Data

Moving Refuse Derived Fuel from the UK abroad requires compliance with the Transfrontier Shipment Regulations (TFS) and in simple terms requires an application for movement to be made to the relevant authorities that requires a number of key measures to be satisfied before this can occur. It also requires the user of the fuel to be classified as an R1 facility.

Annual Export from England

to add

Month on Month Export

The graph shows the monthly shipments of RDF along with a trend line showing the trajectory of export.

to add

Year on Year Differences

to add

Exporters

to add

References

  1. ↑ Typical ranges for Residual Waste as a Comparison
  2. ↑ Not generally defined for exports to EU (no biomass requirements.)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Not generally defined in a fuel spec
  4. ↑ CIWM Presidential Report 2018 Summary of Findings pdf
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