Organic waste processingWRc has extensive experience in the characterisation of a wide range of commercial, industrial and municipal waste streams for compliance monitoring and secondary product classification.

Materials characterisation is now a critical activity for effective waste management. As part of our waste and resource management services we can assess the characteristics and management options for materials at all stages of their life-cycle. This includes virgin products, process wastes from industrial manufacture and treatment residues from anaerobic digestion, mechanical biological/ heat treatment (including composting and autoclaving) and thermal treatment.

Examples of the services that WRc can provide include: 

  • Design of sampling and testing programmes
  • Statistical analysis of current and historic data
  • Environmental permit compliance monitoring
  • Compliance with ESA hazard assessment protocol
  • Waste classification
  • Hazard assessments including ecotoxicity
  • Landfill waste acceptance criteria (WAC) performance
  • Leaching behaviour
  • Compositional sorting
  • In-house UKAS biodegradability and residual stability testing
  • Monitoring for landfill allowance trading scheme, renewable obligation certificates and climate change levy exemption certificates.
  • Assessment of environmental impacts and agronomic benefits for organic and inorganic wastes and products

Testimonials

WRc was very responsive to the changing client needs which enabled Defra to take the work forward easily. As it was a complex piece of work, with a large team to organise, good project planning and management was important.
WRc provided the consultative material required in a format that made the information accessible for those that needed to understand it and I liked the knowledge brokering approach in helping to communicate the policy implications.
We were pleased with the work, which will provide a useful resource and data for future modelling.

Mr Nick Blakey Head Waste and Resources Evidence Branch
DEFRA