According to Statistics Norway in 2008 a total of 1 123 000 tonnes of hazardous waste was handled according to approved treatment. This is a 4 per cent growth from the previous year.

Overall there has been a significant growth in the recorded amounts of hazardous waste since 1999. This is partly explained by the fact that the list of hazardous waste has been considerably extended since 1999. In addition the data basis has improved. The real growth in waste amounts is therefore less than the statistics show.

Less hazardous waste is handled in unknown ways

The proportion of the hazardous waste that is treated as approved has increased in recent years. About 65 000 tonnes was handled in unknown ways in 2008, according to estimates by Statistics Norway. The major part of this is impregnated wood and waste containing oil. However, hazardous waste that is delivered for approved treatment is not always registered correctly. Parts of the amount being handled in unknown ways may therefore have been treated as approved.

Hazardous waste in the wrong places can represent a more serious danger to health and the environment than ordinary waste does. This is because it contains toxic, inflammable, corrosive or other hazardous chemicals.

If hazardous waste is dumped with ordinary waste it may result in the dispersal of harmful substances in the environment. They may spread via seepage of contaminated water from landfills, or in the flue gases, ash or slag produced in the incineration process. Hazardous waste which is disposed in the sewage may cause increased pollution of sea and seabed due to malfunctioning of purifying plants.

Today we have better knowledge of the hazardous properties of substances and what products they are used in than earlier. This has led to an increase in the amounts of waste that are classified as hazardous waste.

The volume of waste in a society is closely related to its level of consumption. A growth in consumption translates into a growth in waste. It also means more hazardous waste, especially waste from consumer products. The amounts of hazardous waste generated are also closely related to the development in business and industry. In Norway, we have experienced a considerable increase in the amounts of hazardous waste generated by the offshore industry in the 1990s.

A number of measures are employed to promote proper handling of hazardous waste, including special regulations, inspections and audits, industry-specific schemes, return schemes, taxes and information.

Regulations

Under the Pollution Control Act the competent Norwegian authorities have issued regulations concerning hazardous waste. These define waste categories and lay down rules for permits to manage hazardous waste, the obligation to deliver hazardous waste, declaration, the responsibilities of the municipalities, packaging, inspection and audit.

Many other provisions govern specific types of hazardous waste and associated problems, including batteries, waste oil, oily water, photographic chemicals, amalgam, PCBs, CFCs, brominated flame retardants, fire and explosion hazards, export and import, chemicals in general, warning labels and health, environmental and safety activities in enterprises ("internal control").

Permits and licences

A permit is normally required from the competent pollution control authorities before a contractor may process hazardous waste. The Climate and Pollution Agency issues permits for collection and processing of hazardous waste, whilst the county governor issues permits for the reception and temporary storage of hazardous waste. The permits specify criteria that must be met to ensure proper handling.

Control and inspection

The pollution control authorities supervise and inspect all handling of hazardous waste.

Return schemes

Various industry-specific schemes and taxes are also used for hazardous waste. One provides for a refund when waste oil is delivered to approved facilities. Another is an auto-industry return scheme for lead accumulators and old insulating windows containing PCB. Another example is the return schemes that provide consumers free delivery of electrical/electronic (EE) waste. Consumers may deliver their old personal computers, mobile telephones and so on to the distributors of such products who in turn are obliged to collect them. The harmful components are segregated for special collection. In the old days entire TV sets were simply dumped as household waste without removing the hazardous components.

Hazardous waste strategy 2008 - 2010

Measures are proposed for seven of the most dangerous types of hazardous waste. They include waste that contains hazardous substances which could harm the environment and be injurious to health. All these substances are included on the Norwegian List of Priority Substances. 

The most important measures in the hazardous waste strategy are to:

• provide more information and guidance to the public and the industry, and simplify the purchase of more environmentally sound products
• increase the collection of prioritized hazardous waste and ensure environmentally sound treatment
• improve our knowledge of the quantities of hazardous waste, and identify new types of hazardous waste
• develop new regulations and instruments to lead to reduced use of chemicals in new products