[Q&A] Best Practices for Handling Solid Waste in Production

2024. 10. 25

Question: How should solid waste generated during the production process be handled?

Answer: According to the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Waste" (hereinafter referred to as the "Solid Waste Law"), "Solid waste refers to substances or items in solid, semi-solid, or contained gaseous form that are discarded or abandoned after losing their original value or even if they have not lost their value, as well as substances or items managed as solid waste under laws and regulations. Exceptions include items processed to be harmless and meet mandatory national product quality standards, not harming public health and ecological safety, or items identified as not solid waste according to solid waste identification standards and procedures."

The "Solid Waste Law" stipulates that units generating solid waste should take measures to prevent or reduce environmental pollution caused by solid waste and bear responsibility for any environmental pollution caused. It should be particularly noted that solid waste generated by enterprises is classified into general industrial solid waste and hazardous waste. Hazardous waste refers to solid waste with hazardous characteristics listed in the national hazardous waste catalog or identified according to national hazardous waste identification standards and methods. The "Solid Waste Law" sets stricter requirements for the prevention and control of hazardous waste pollution.

Therefore, enterprises should first classify and identify the nature of solid waste generated during the production process. If it is general industrial solid waste, according to the "Solid Waste Law" and other regulations, the main responsibilities include but are not limited to: Units generating industrial solid waste should establish a comprehensive responsibility system for preventing and controlling environmental pollution throughout the process of generating, collecting, storing, transporting, utilizing, and disposing of industrial solid waste. They should establish an industrial solid waste management ledger to accurately record information on the types, quantities, flow directions, storage, utilization, and disposal of industrial solid waste, ensuring traceability and easy retrieval of industrial solid waste, and take measures to prevent and control industrial solid waste pollution. Units entrusting others to transport, utilize, or dispose of industrial solid waste should verify the qualification and technical capability of the entrusted party, sign a written contract in accordance with the law, and stipulate pollution prevention requirements in the contract. Units generating industrial solid waste should obtain a pollutant discharge permit. Units generating industrial solid waste should provide relevant information to the local ecological environment authority, such as the types, quantities, flow directions, storage, utilization, and disposal of industrial solid waste, as well as specific measures to reduce the generation and promote the comprehensive utilization of industrial solid waste, and comply with the relevant regulations of the pollutant discharge permit management system.

According to the "National Hazardous Waste List (2021 Edition)" and "General Rules for Identification Standards of Solid Waste (GB34330-2017)," if the solid waste generated during the production process is identified as hazardous waste, enterprises should, but are not limited to: Units generating hazardous waste should formulate a hazardous waste management plan in accordance with national regulations; establish a hazardous waste management ledger to accurately record relevant information, and report the types, quantities, flow directions, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste to the local ecological environment authority through the national hazardous waste information management system. Units generating hazardous waste should store, utilize, and dispose of hazardous waste in accordance with national regulations and environmental protection standards, and must not dump or pile it arbitrarily. Units engaged in the collection, storage, utilization, and disposal of hazardous waste must apply for and obtain permits in accordance with national regulations. It is prohibited to provide or entrust hazardous waste to units or other business operators without permits for collection, storage, utilization, or disposal activities. Units generating hazardous waste should formulate accident prevention measures and emergency plans in accordance with the law and file them with the local ecological environment authority and other departments responsible for supervising and managing the prevention and control of solid waste pollution; the ecological environment authority and other relevant departments should conduct inspections.

In summary, the law attaches great importance to the prevention and control of environmental pollution, especially hazardous waste. Enterprises should diligently learn and implement relevant management regulations and requirements, considering the professionalism and complexity of related issues. It is recommended that enterprises hire specialized personnel or consult and entrust professional institutions for corresponding work.