According to new guidelines released by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), fuel oils coming from recycled waste that have met the correct specifications will no longer be treated as waste.
The new guidance, the Production of Processed Fuel Oil from Waste, states that across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England there is consistency within waste treatment methods. It also ensures that waste oil meets certain set parameters as laid out by the British standard. Namely, the fuel waste poses no risk to human health or the environment.
SEPA has said that with proper treatment, waste oil can be processed as replacement fuels that retain a similar performance to virgin fuel. The governing body has said that it will aim to promote high quality processing of recycled oil waste. Under the SEPA guidance waste oil will be processed in a way that will be able to avoid requirements for waste legislation. However, fuel oil that does not meet the stringent specifications will continue to be categorised as waste.
Kenny Boag, head of waste policy at SEPA said that it was a first step in the development of a problematic waste stream. Mr Boag added that the governing body would seek to encourage waste oil collection and processing in this manner, so that it could replace virgin fuels as a high standard fuel source. He added that this new system would ensure environmental protection and encourage re-manufacturing industry.
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