WASTE MANAGEMENT FEATURE Ideally, containers used to store
any quantity of flammable waste should feature an engineered extraction system that includes forced air extraction. This is preferable over passive vents which can provide inconsistent air flow and are not suitable for the larger volumes of fumes or vapours that often exist within waste storage areas. Purge button, timer or gas detection activated options can ensure the required number of air changes per hour are achieved to prevent a harmful build up of gas or vapour. This is particularly relevant when the store has personnel access as it is then defined as a confined space. This means the atmosphere/ environment needs to be safe for people to enter, whether that is staff decanting chemicals or waste collectors. Segregated waste storage units,
which allow waste to be stored in one location while keeping hazardous and incompatible substances safely segregated as per the requirements of HS(G)71 are a good idea, especially where space is at a premium. Also think about how regularly
your waste is collected. Some sites wait until they have 24 pallets or 96 drums of waste to dispose of before they order a collection. This keeps costs down but storing this volume of waste on site comes with increased risks.
BE AWARE OF EMERGING RISKS When considering how to safely manage workplace waste, special attention should also be paid to Lithium-ion batteries (Li-ion). A report by Eunomia, suggests Li-ion batteries are now responsible for around 48 per cent of all waste fires occurring in the UK each year. Unfortunately, Li-ion battery fires are poorly understood, even among many vendors of safety storage equipment and the fire services. The potential for thermal
runaway is the main issue with Li- ion batteries which begins when the heat generated by a reaction exceeds the rate at which heat is lost to the surroundings. Thermal incidents such as fire or overheating, electrical incidents such as a short-circuit, and mechanical damage - can all lead to thermal runaway - which can result in a battery pack being destroyed within minutes or a fire that lasts for hours as each cell
Acetone flammable waste left lying around in a carpark
runs away. Damaged Li-ion batteries must therefore be handled with particular care because they can become volatile due to oxygen gaining access to the lithium component and causing oxidisation resulting in thermal runaway. It is also important to be aware
that Li-ion batteries can produce toxic gases when they overheat and there remains serious questions over the safety and efficacy of using water to distinguish Li-ion battery fires. If you handle Li-ion batteries in
any capacity, think carefully about how waste batteries are processed. There is currently no definitive guidance on the safest way to handle and store Li-ion batteries. Chemstore Engineering works closely with its partners to create the best storage solutions based on current knowledge, which includes for the storage of damaged and waste batteries. Unfortunately, there are multiple examples of poor practice in the handling and storage of Li-ion batteries, many of which are not deliberate but reflect an inadequate understanding of the risk. Chemstore is committed to sharing knowledge and best practice in this area and encourage anyone who is uncertain of their obligations around handling Li-ion batteries, or any other element of waste storage, to contact the team for a no-obligation chat and/or a free site assessment. Chemstore even has a Li-ion battery safety group on Linkedin dedicated to sharing knowledge and best practice - just search for the “Lithium Ion Safety Network”.
Chemstore UK
www.chemstore.co.uk
INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE | SUMMER 2021 39
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