MRF Regulations: Difference between revisions

The [[MRF Regulations]], sometimes known colloquially as the [[MRF Code of Practice]] (MRF CoP), were published in February 2013 and required all [[Material Recovery Facility|material recovery facilities]] over a certain size to measure the quality of their inputs and outputs. The [[MRF Regulations]] introduced a new requirement to make all results from these tests publicly available, for example to businesses buying the material as well as to [[Local Authority|Local Authorities]] and others who supply material to the MRFs <ref name="Lets" />. It did not set any minimum quality standards. A full list of sites can be found on the page [[Qualifying MRFs]]. At the beginning of October 2024 the regulations were amended to place a greater onus on the frequency of sampling and the range of materials to be measured<ref name="Update" />.

The [[MRF Code of Practice]] is enacted through Sch 9 of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 which has now been transposed into the [[Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016]]. The requirements took effect from 1 Oct 2014 and required that MRFs to whom the regulations applied must<ref name="DEF">[https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/295178/pb14150-mrf-guide.pdf/ Material Facilities:how to report on mixed waste sampling], DEFRA 2018</ref>:

The [[MRF Code of Practice]] applies to any facility (known as 'Qualifying [[MRF]]s') that receive over 1,000 tonnes or more of 'Mixed Waste Material' - the definition of which is [[Waste|waste]] originating from households or [[Waste|waste]] from other sources if it is similar to [[household Waste|household waste]] in terms of its nature or composition<ref name="WRAP">[https://wrap.org.uk/resources/case-study/materials-recovery-facilities-mrfs-sorting-guide/ Sampling and Testing Guidance for Material Facilities] WRAP 2014</ref>.

Wastes 'similar to [[Household Waste|household waste]]' are those typically found in a [[Household Waste|household waste]] stream such as plastic bottles (typically ≤5 litres), pots, tubs and trays ([[PTT]]s) used for food packaging (typically ≤525cm in their longest dimension), flexible plastic packaging, [[Glass|glass bottles]] and jars, food tins, steel or aluminium drinks cans, [[Paper|newspapers and magazines]] and [[cardboard]] packaging<ref name="WRAP" />.

For non-household waste to fall under the definition of ''Mixed Waste Material'' the two or more fractions of [[Glass|glass]], [[Metal|metal]], [[Plastic|plastic]] or [[Paper|paper]] that make up the largest proportion (≥50%) of the waste should be similar in composition to those wastes described above.