Waste Storage: What Traceability?

It is crucial for industrial companies to effectively manage the storage of their hazardous waste. To do this, they need a better understanding of its hazardous nature and traceability.

Marie Faucon
Consultante HSE
Publication : 
15.01.2020
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Please note: This article concerns French legislation. The requirements described may not apply in other countries.

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The management of storage of waste is a challenge for industrial companies. The storage of hazardous raw materials is generally well-managed (ERP software). But what about your knowledge of the quantities of waste stored and their hazardous nature?

Thoroughly Understanding Your Waste Storage

Preventing risks to employees and protecting the environment requires a good understanding of:

  • the hazardous nature of stored hazardous waste,
  • the quantities stored by storage location,
  • the risks involved in case of fire.

This information is useful for prevention efforts. It is also necessary for emergency services in the event of a fire.

Furthermore, for certain companies subject to legislation on Classified Facilities, this information may be made mandatory by the authorities (Prefect).

Addressing Traceability Challenges

Even today, companies face difficulties in collecting and communicating reliable information.

The primary difficulty stems from the characterization of hazardous waste. It is often composed of several residues forming a mixture whose hazardous nature (flammability, toxicity, etc.) is difficult to assess. Unlike a chemical product, hazardous waste is not associated with a Safety Data Sheet (SDS). Nevertheless, the Waste Identification Sheet (FID) and preliminary analyses carried out by treatment centers to accept hazardous waste offer promising avenues for (better) understanding their hazardousness.

A second difficulty is related to the multitude of locations for waste storage. Few establishments gather all their waste in a single dedicated location. However, the upcoming dematerialization of waste traceability seems to be emerging thanks to the deployment of the governmental platform Trackdéchets.

Finally, knowing the quantities stored by hazard type remains complicated to communicate at any given time. On the one hand, waste containers are not always full (e.g., IBC* of 1000 liters containing 600 liters of used oil), and their accounting can sometimes be misleading. On the other hand, waste movements (produced and evacuated) are numerous and therefore not easy to track.

In conclusion, given the stakes, it appears necessary for many companies to implement an organization and/or waste management software to improve waste storage traceability.

* IBC: Intermediate Bulk Container

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