C4. Solid Waste

Code 7.0

Participant shall implement a systematic approach to identify, manage, reduce and responsibly dispose of or recycle solid waste (non-hazardous).

C4.1 Solid waste is managed and responsibly disposed of

Conformance Requirements

Site Observations

• 1. Management
  • a. Waste is adequately and effectively:
    • i. Categorized
    • ii. Handled
    • iii. Stored
    • iv. Moved within a single facility / multiple facility.
• 2. Facilities Control
  • a. Access to waste is controlled.
  • b. Potential employee exposure methods are adequate and effective such as:
    • i. Segregation
    • ii. Secondary containment
    • iii. Ventilation
    • iv. Fire protection
• 3. Hazard information
  • a. Hazard signage and information and waste characterization and response information.
• 4. Reduction programs are visible within the facility.

Record Review

• 1. Policy
  • a. Adequate and effective procedures are in place for:
    • i. Storage
    • ii. Handling
    • iii. Transportation
    • iv. Disposal.
  • b. Adequate and effective process to track, review, and approve the disposal of all waste.
• 2. Reduction program
  • a. An adequate and effective reduction program with:
    • i. Annual objectives
    • ii. Regular objective tracking
    • iii. Progress monitoring
    • iv. Adjustments made if off track.
• 3. Hazard information (Environmental)
  • a. Material information [labels and safety data sheet (SDS formally MSDS)] or characterization in the case of waste) is available at the points of use and storage in a language understood by the worker.
• 4. Records
  • a. Accurate waste inventory records are maintained and available for review.
  • b. Inspection records of waste and their points of storage are maintained and available for review on site.
  • c. Copies of waste manifests and shipping papers are maintained and available for review.
  • d. Documents only vendors approved and/or licensed by the local regulatory authorities for transporting are used.
  • e. Annual reduction targets, progress monitoring and corrective actions plans if applicable.

Management Interview

• 1. What types of waste are stored on site?
• 2. What the requirements are for the storage of waste.
• 3. What procedures are in place to manage and minimize the risk of the storage of waste.
• 4. Which authorized waste transporter and vendors are used and how manifests are kept.
• 5. What reduction programs are in place to:
  • a. Reduce resource consumption
  • b. Reduce waste and pollution generation
  • c. Capture or reuse materials that would otherwise enter waste streams

Worker Interview

• 1. The waste procedures for their specific function.

Additional assistance

Site Observations

• 1. Engineering and administrative systems intended to improve resource efficiency are in good repair or operating at high capacity.
• 2. Engineering and administrative systems for improved resource efficiency adhere to the hierarchy of resource efficiency when feasible, showing preference (in order) for the following functions:
  • a. Prevention: unnecessary consumptive processes are eliminated.
  • b. Minimization: Process efficiency is improved.
  • c. Substitution: Using a more environmentally benign or renewable resource.
  • d. Reuse, recycling, recovery: In that order, in order to maximize the benefit of resource consumption.

Record Review

• 1. Objective setting finding is listed in C2.1.
• 2. Hazard information (Health & Safety) finding should be noted in B8.
• 3. Auditor guidance: Reporting on this question will include the detail of the current targets and current progress against the targets.

Worker Interview

• 1. Interview workers who work with waste or are responsible for waste storage.

Rating

Remote Verification Acceptable: Yes

1.0.0 (2021-01-01)

Changed

• Initial historical baseline — Solid Waste (RBA Code of Conduct 7.0, published as C4): Earliest imported version (published as C4 in VAP 7.0.0). Systematic approach to identify, manage, reduce and responsibly dispose of or recycle non-hazardous solid waste. Carried explicit per-criterion rating bands (Priority = imminent community impact; Major = no control programs / no baseline / two-or-more minimum elements missing; Minor = one element missing), a standalone 'Additional assistance' resource-efficiency hierarchy block, detailed reduction-program record items, and a 'No solid waste generated or stored on site' Not-Applicable exemption.