Quality Protocol
Encyclopedia
A Quality Protocol is a national end of waste criteria developed by the Waste Protocols Project, a joint initiative between the Environment Agency
and Waste & Resources Action Programme
(WRAP). It is funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(Defra), the Welsh Assembly Government
(WAG) and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) as a business resource efficiency activity (BREW).
The purpose of the Quality Protocol is to provide a uniform control process for producers, from which they can reasonably state and demonstrate that their product has been fully recovered and is no longer a waste. It also provides purchasers with a quality-managed product to common aggregate standards, which increases confidence in performance. Also, the framework created by the Protocol provides a clear audit trail for those responsible for ensuring compliance with Waste Management Legislation.
Work on producing protocols for eight other waste streams should be issued for public consultation in Summer 2007. This includes waste vegetable oil, flat glass, non-packaging plastics, tyres, contaminated soils, pulverised fuel ash and blast furnace slag.
Environment Agency
The Environment Agency is a British non-departmental public body of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and an Assembly Government Sponsored Body of the Welsh Assembly Government that serves England and Wales.-Purpose:...
and Waste & Resources Action Programme
Waste & Resources Action Programme
WRAP works with businesses, individuals and communities to help them reap the benefits of reducing waste, developing sustainable products and using resources in an efficiency way....
(WRAP). It is funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom...
(Defra), the Welsh Assembly Government
Welsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
(WAG) and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) as a business resource efficiency activity (BREW).
Description
A Quality Protocol sets out criteria for the production of a product from a specific waste type. Compliance with these criteria is considered sufficient to ensure that the fully recovered product may be used without harm to human health or the environment and therefore without the need for waste management controls. In addition, the Quality Protocol indicates how compliance may be demonstrated and points to best practice for the use of the fully recovered product. The Quality Protocol further aims to provide increased market confidence in the quality of products made from waste and so encourage greater recovery and recycling.The purpose of the Quality Protocol is to provide a uniform control process for producers, from which they can reasonably state and demonstrate that their product has been fully recovered and is no longer a waste. It also provides purchasers with a quality-managed product to common aggregate standards, which increases confidence in performance. Also, the framework created by the Protocol provides a clear audit trail for those responsible for ensuring compliance with Waste Management Legislation.
Work on producing protocols for eight other waste streams should be issued for public consultation in Summer 2007. This includes waste vegetable oil, flat glass, non-packaging plastics, tyres, contaminated soils, pulverised fuel ash and blast furnace slag.