Inspectors Exchange on Refuse Derived Fuel

In November 2018 Environment Agency of Northern Ireland’s Transfrontier Shipment of Waste (TFS) Team co-hosted an inspector exchange for SWEAP, focusing on Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF).

Taking part in the exchange were officers from Sweden, The Netherlands, Ireland, Scotland, England, Estonia, Hungary, Belgium, Norway, Poland and Latvia.

On Day 1 all participants arrived at Dublin City Council’s National TFS Office where inspectors discussed the levels of RDF imported and exported in their jurisdiction and discussions took place in relation to current practices and issues involved in the movement and regulation of RDF.

On Day 2 the participants travelled to Northern Ireland where they carried out an inspection of RDF ready for export at Warrenpoint Harbour.

The inspectors were then given a short presentation from Warrenpoint Harbour representative Kieran Grant; detailing levels of commodities moving through the ports and plans for further development.

The group joined NIEA’s TFS Team on a scheduled Multiagency Inspection of the transport trailers at a terminal in Warrenpoint. This gave the inspectors a chance to discuss current issues with their waste shipments and compare inspection and enforcement methods. In the afternoon the group visited a waste management company.

The managing Director gave a presentation on the activity and discussed the company’s challenges in exporting RDF and explained how they overcame them. Following this there was a tour of the facility. All inspectors were shown the process from waste entering the site to final bales ready to be exported.

All of the agencies who took part in the SWEAP exchange expressed how they benefitted over the two day event from sharing information and techniques with their international counterparts.

The desired outcomes for the exchange were achieved and continues to support more effective TFS regulation.

Brian Luke, TFS Team Leader said that “The success of the last 2 days highlights the importance of supporting future joint operations and maintaining our strong working relationships with our European colleagues.”