Environmentally hazardous activities

Excavated material left over from projects can often be reused. However, this requires that they do not adversely affect the environment at the new site. Excavated material that is to be reused on a site other than where it was excavated is a waste according to the legislation. The reuse is called the recovery of waste for construction purposes. Recycling waste for construction purposes often requires a notification or a permit. This also applies to private individuals.

Excavation material is waste

The Environmental Code states that waste means any substance or object which the holder disposes of or intends or is obliged to dispose of. When excavated material is removed from the site where it was generated, it is considered a waste and must therefore be handled in a special way.

Should you reuse excavated soil?

The reuse of excavated soil is positive for the environment if done properly. It can replace finite resources and reduce material and transportation costs, but there is also a risk if you place unsuitable materials on the new site. They may be contaminated or contain substances that are not suitable for you or your intended site. Keep in mind that it is always the responsibility of the person planning to use the masses to have the necessary knowledge to assess the potential environmental impact of your project. You also need to find out whether you need to apply for a permit or report your project to any authorities.

Purpose of the reuse of masses

To be allowed to reuse excavated soil, there must be a purpose for its use. This means that there must be a need for the masses, the technical properties of the masses must match the need, and the amount of masses must be reasonable in relation to the needs of the construction project in question. If these three criteria are not met, the purpose of reusing masses is not fulfilled. If you accept the masses without meeting the three criteria, it is considered a landfill operation. To operate a landfill, a permit from the County Administrative Board is required.

Content of the masses
Risk assessment

The risk that the masses may contain contaminants must be assessed by the person who has the masses (the supplier). The supplier must always find out the history of the site where the masses arise and, based on this, examine and, if necessary, take samples of the masses.
If the answer to any of the following questions is yes or if it is uncertain, you or the supplier must take samples of them. If the supplier has taken samples, you should ask to see the analysis results.

• Does the mass come from a property or area in the city center, an industrial area, road area or railway yard?
• Does the mass come from an area where remediation work is ongoing or has been carried out?
• Have there been previous dry cleaning or other activities in the vicinity that used chlorinated aliphatics?
• Does the mass come from demolition work? Could it contain asbestos, blue concrete, PCBs, solvents, oil, tar?
• Does the mass contain elements of demolition waste? For example, concrete, reinforcement, bricks, insulation, cables or other?
• Does the mass contain pieces of asphalt?
• Can the site where the masses come from have previously been filled in?

Sampling

Sampling should take place at the site where the masses were excavated. The samples should be analysed by an accredited laboratory. The masses must not be mixed with other masses of a different nature or origin before sampling.

There are many factors that determine how the sampling of contaminants in soils should be carried out. Therefore, it is not possible to make a general statement about the number of samples that should be taken and the analytical parameters that should be included in the sampling. Aggregate samples often provide a more reliable picture of the content of the masses than single samples. More samples means a more reliable assessment of the contamination situation and higher costs, but also reduces the risk of misclassification of the waste. The number of samples and the analytical parameters that should be included in the sampling depends on, among other things:

• The origin of the masses
• Type of masses
• Previously known or suspected contamination on the site
• The distribution of substances in the soil (homogeneous or not)
• Type of substances
• The location and use of the masses.

For larger projects or more complex contamination patterns, a sampling plan may need to be developed. Documentation of the analyses must be available for the supervisory authority to review. All analysis protocols must be saved. It must be stated whether the sampling was carried out by taking individual samples or collective samples. The number of samples and how the sampling was carried out must also be stated. The information must be documented in writing.

Waste deposits in excavated soil

It is common for excavation masses from, for example, construction sites and road works to contain bricks, rebar, etc. Such masses may not be reused without this element being sorted and removed by the supplier at the site where the masses come from.

Notification or permit under the Environmental Code

To use excavation masses or other waste for construction purposes, you often need to either notify the Västra Gästrikland community development administration or apply for a permit from the County Administrative Board. It is generally the amount of mass, its content of natural substances and pollutants and the risk of turbidity and exposure to the environment at the new site that determines whether notification or permission is required.

Notification

If the risk of pollution is small (minor), the use of masses and other waste for construction purposes must be notified to the Västra Gästrikland Public Works Department. In the notification, you must describe in detail the purpose of your project, your risk assessment, drawings and information about the pollution levels in the material. The e-service (link) and the notification form (link) contain more information about the documentation you need to send with your notification.

Permits

For more extensive use of masses and waste for construction purposes with more than a minor risk of environmental impact, permission must be sought from the County Administrative Board (link).

Modification of the natural environment

If there is no risk of pollution spreading from your planned use of masses, but there may be an impact or change to the natural environment at the site, you must submit a notification of consultation to the County Administrative Board (link).

When do you not need to notify?

Sometimes neither notification nor permission is required. Prerequisites for this are that you:

• Are excavating in natural material
• On a site that is not contaminated,
• If the material will be used for construction in its existing state.
• On the site where the excavation was carried out and that
• The use is not harmful or detrimental to human health or the environment.

All of the above criteria must be met and they apply provided that there is a purpose, no more masses than need be used, that the material is technically comparable to traditional materials and does not risk having a negative impact on the environment in the place where it is laid.

Asphalt

Asphalt may be suitable for use in new asphalt production. In general, the same criteria apply as for the reuse of other masses above. Asphalt originating before 1975 may contain coal tar. As there may be a risk of dispersion, there are restrictions on its use. For example, it is usually unsuitable to use the asphalt in water protection areas.

Sampling

If coal tar is suspected in the asphalt, samples should be taken for 16-PAH, preferably one every 100 meters or per 1500 m2, but always at least two samples. More samples may be required to identify a possible area.

Notification or authorization

When do you not need to notify?

Asphalt with a low content of coal tar (< 70 mg/kg 16-PAH) can be recycled in asphalt plants or in the upper layer of the road body on a previously paved road without the need for notification or permission. However, this applies provided that the site where it is reused does not risk being adversely affected.

When do you need to notify or seek permission

If asphalt is planned to be used in a way other than in an asphalt plant or in the upper layer of a road body, a notification must be submitted to Västra Gästrikland's community development administration to assess the risk. This applies regardless of the content of coal tar. At higher levels than 70 mg/kg 16-PAH, you always need to submit a notification or apply for a permit according to the same procedure as with other masses.

Västra Gästriklands samhällsbyggnadsförvaltning is responsible for environmental supervision on farms. This means controls and assessments of agricultural activities that aim to ensure compliance with the rules of the Environmental Code and thus limit negative impact on the environment.

Examples of what can be inspected:

• Self-monitoring
• Animal species, animal units
• Manure handling, storage and spreading
• Volume and location of tanks
• Pesticides, handling, storage and application
• Storage and handling of other chemical products
• Waste management
• Workshop activities
• Drainage
• Refrigerant installations

Larger farms are charged an annual fee. Smaller farms are charged an hourly fee for visits. Charging is done according to the tariff established by the municipal council.

Requirements for notification or authorization

Farms with permanent animal husbandry of more than 100 animal units must be notified to the Västra Gästriklands samhällsbyggnadsförvaltning. For more than 400 animal units, a permit must be applied for from the County Administrative Board.

Interim storage of non-hazardous waste

If you are going to temporarily store waste other than hazardous waste and the total amount of waste at any one time is more than 10 tons, you will probably need to report this to Västra Gästriklands samhällsbyggnadsförvaltning or apply for a permit from the county administrative board. Excavation material is also regarded as waste when it is removed from the site where it was generated.

Notification

If you are going to store non-hazardous waste at a location other than where it was generated and the total amount is greater than 10 tons but no more than 10,000 tons at any one time, a notification must be made to Västra Gästriklands samhällsbyggnadsförvaltning. If the waste is to be used for building or construction purposes, a maximum of 30,000 tons may be stored at any one time. Waste may be stored for a maximum of one year before it is disposed of or for a maximum of three years before it is recycled or treated.

The red button below contains an e-service or form. It shows what should be included in the notification.

Permits

If you are going to temporarily store the waste at a location other than where it was generated and the total quantity exceeds 10,000 tons on any single occasion, you must apply for a permit from the County Administrative Board. If the waste is to be used for building or construction purposes, a permit is required when more than 30,000 tons are stored at any one time. Masses may be stored for a maximum of one year before being disposed of or for a maximum of three years before being recycled or treated.

Temporary storage

No notification is required for temporary storage in the immediate vicinity of the shaft. For example, masses from the excavation of a district heating shaft that are placed to be used for backfilling. The landowner's permission for the placement is required. Remember to protect the site so that it is not used by unauthorized persons to dump masses; in the worst case, you may be responsible for investigating these masses if the person responsible cannot be found.

Snow storage

Storage of snow is often not subject to notification or authorization. However, contact Västra Gästriklands samhällsbyggnadsförvaltning before setting up a new site. When choosing a site for snow storage, consideration must be given to runoff conditions and the permeability of the soil. The ground beneath a snow storage facility should not allow meltwater to infiltrate uncontrollably before reaching groundwater or watercourses. The surface should be designed so that outgoing meltwater can be directed and controlled and, if necessary, treated. It is very likely that at least one oil separator will be needed.

Self-monitoring

Activities subject to notification and authorization are subject to self-monitoring requirements. In the case of intermediate storage of excavated material, much of the self-monitoring involves ensuring the content of the material received. In the case of snow storage, self-monitoring may instead concern the management of meltwater leaving the site.

If you are going to lay down a maximum of 1,000 tons of dredged material and where the risk of pollution is small (minor) - then a notification must be made to the Environment and Sustainability Unit at Västra Gästriklands samhällsbyggnadsförvaltning. You may also need to apply for a soil permit - contact the Construction Unit at the Västra Gästriklands samhällsbyggnadsförvaltning.

If more than 1,000 tons of dredged material is dumped or if there is a risk that the dredged material is contaminated, a permit is required from the County Administrative Board.

Placing the masses in the water is considered to be dumping of waste and requires a permit from the County Administrative Board.

Dredging often requires three approvals before you can start the operation:

• permit for water activities (County Administrative Board)
• dispensation from shoreline protection (Västra Gästriklands samhällsbyggnadsförvaltning) and
• notification of placement of dredged material (Västra Gästriklands samhällsbyggnadsförvaltning).

The placement must be done so that the masses are not eroded into the water at high water level, i.e. with a good margin above the highest water line and also protected from the impact of ice break-up. It is also important to reduce the risk of any pollution from the dredged material reaching adjacent land/watercourses. The installation should also be designed to blend in with the surroundings as far as possible and to preserve the natural shoreline.

Notification of the placement of dredged material must be made in good time. An hourly fee is charged for processing the notification in accordance with the applicable rate.