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FEM 2024 - Waste Level 3

  • Updated

Table of Contents

  1. Wstvalidate1
  2. Wstvalidate1 Verification And Scoring
  3. Wstdispzerowaste
  4. Wstdispzerowaste Verification And Scoring
  5. Wstworkoncircular
  6. Wstworkoncircular Verification And Scoring

Wstvalidate1

28. Does your facility validate the final disposal and treatment of all non-hazardous wastes? (Ref ID: wstvalidate1)

Answer Yes if:  Your facility works with your waste contractors to validate the final disposal and how all non-hazardous waste are treated. This means a formal evaluation or assessment has been conducted within the last three (3) years to validate the disposal and treatment of all non-hazardous wastes.

Answer Partial Yes if:  Your Facility has established formal plans and procedures to work with your facility’s waste contractors to validate the final disposal and how all non-hazardous waste are treated. However:

  • No formal evaluations or assessments have been conducted; or
  • Validations are greater than 3-year-old or do not cover all non-hazardous wastes disposed of by the facility.

If you answer Yes to this question, you will be asked the following sub questions:

  • Upload a supporting documentation.
  • Describe how you work with your facility’s waste contractors to ensure appropriate disposal during the waste treatment.

Suggested Uploads

  • Documentation that demonstrates how the facility validates waste disposal and treatment with its waste contractors (e.g., documented procedures for validation reviews and assessments, completed validation assessment reports of waste contractors, etc.)

What is the intent of the question?

The intent is to ensure facilities are validating the final disposal and treatment of all non-hazardous waste.  

Technical Guidance:

Wastes that are not treated or disposed of properly can pose serious risks to the environment. Facilities should take steps to confirm that their waste contractors are properly transporting, storing, treating, and disposing of non-hazardous wastes from the facility. 

Facilities should evaluate their waste contractor(s) during the contractor selection process and conduct regular assessments to ensure that contractors have obtained and are maintaining all required permits and legal authorizations, and that they are operating within legal compliance and with the terms of any contracts or agreements relating to waste disposal and treatment.  Ongoing assessments should be conducted at least once every 3 years.  

When evaluating waste management contractors, facilities should review and evaluate:

  • Waste contractor qualifications (e.g., business license, environment permits, reports) of the contractor.
  • Waste contractor due diligence and legal environment performance (e.g., historic violations)
  • Overall environmental performance

After approving and working with contractors, facilities should conduct regular assessments of waste contractor facilities and work practices to review and evaluate:

  • The contractor continues to operate in compliance with all permits and legal obligations.
  • The transportation of wastes is traceable and secure (e.g., proper waste manifesting and appropriate vehicles).
  • The contractor utilizes good work practices for the handling and storage of wastes at its facilities including:
    • Proper segregation of waste.
    • Proper labelling of waste and transportation vessels.
    • Storage on impermeable surfaces.
    • Proper security and fire/flood protection.
    • No illegal dumping or burning. 
    • Human health and safety practices, such as providing personal protective equipment, training, and machine safety.
  • Where possible, contractors use optimized waste disposal methods (such as recycling waste or incinerate waste with energy recovery) that reduce impacts to the environment. 

Resources: 

Wstvalidate1 Verification And Scoring

How This Will Be Verified:

Full Points:

Full Points will be awarded if the facility has validated the treatment and final disposal of all non-hazardous wastes within the last 3 years. 

 Documentation Required: 

  • Documentation that demonstrates how the facility validates waste disposal and treatment with its waste contractors. This should include:
  • Procedures to work with your facility’s waste contractors to validate the final disposal and how all non-hazardous wastes are treated. 
  • Records of validation reviews or assessments of contractors responsible for final disposal or treatment of all non-hazardous wastes. 
    • Notes: Records must show that the validations occurred within the past 3 years.

Interview Questions to Ask: 

  • Staff responsible for waste management are able to describe how the facility screens waste contractors and conducts regular reviews of contractors to validate treatment and final disposal of all non-hazardous wastes.

Inspection - Things to Physically Look For: 

  • Evidence that shows the facility has validated their waste contractor’s waste treatment facilities in the past 3 years.

Partial Points: 

  • Partial Points will be awarded if the facility has established formal plans and procedures to work with your facility’s waste contractors to validate the final disposal and how all non-hazardous wastes are treated. However:
    • No formal evaluations or assessments have been conducted; or
    • Validations are greater than 3-year-old or do not cover all non-hazardous wastes disposed of by the facility.

Wstdispzerowaste

29. Has your facility disposed of waste through Preferred disposal methods? (Ref ID: wstdispzerowaste)

Answer Yes if:  Your facility uses one (1) or more of the Preferred disposal methods listed in the Higg FEM. These include Reuse, Recycle (including Upcycle), or Downcycle.

If you answer Yes to this question, you will be asked the following sub questions:

  • Enter the total percentage of waste being disposed of through the Preferred disposal method.
    • This is calculated as follows: Total quantity of waste disposed of using Preferred Methods/Total waste quantity (of all wastes) x 100%
      • Note: Total quantities for the FEM reporting year must be used.
  • Upload supporting documentation.
  • Please describe how this is implemented. 

Suggested Uploads:

  • Documentation that demonstrates your facility’s waste is disposed of using one of the preferred methods listed in the Higg FEM (e.g., waste disposal records, contracts/agreements with waste contractors, waste contractor evaluation/assessment reports, etc.) 

What is the intent of the question?

The intent of this question is for facilities to demonstrate that waste is being disposed of using one of the preferred methods listed in the Higg FEM.

Technical Guidance:

Material recovery (i.e., reuse, recycle including upcycling, or downcycling) are preferred solutions for wastes as these methods create value from wastes and contribute to creating a circular economy that minimizes waste. 

Facilities should strive to work with waste contractors, industry partners, local governments, and communities to identify preferred solutions for wastes that include reuse or recovery of waste materials that extends the materials lifespan as long as possible. 

Resources: 

Wstdispzerowaste Verification And Scoring

How This Will Be Verified:

Full Points:

Full Points will be awarded if the is using preferred disposal methods to dispose of 90% or more of its total waste.

Documentation Required: 

  • Documentation that demonstrates the facility’s waste is disposed of using one of the preferred methods listed in the Higg FEM. This may include:
    • Waste disposal records including quantities and final disposal methods.
    • Contracts/agreements with waste contractors, 
    • Waste contractor evaluation/assessment reports that confirm final disposal methods. 

Interview Questions to Ask: 

  • Staff responsible for waste management are able to describe how the facility’s waste is disposed of using preferred methods and how the total quantities are tracked.

Inspection – Things to Physically Look For: 

  • The observed waste management practices on-site are consistent with the facility’s reported waste disposal methods. 

Partial Points: 

  • Partial Points will be awarded if the is using preferred disposal methods to dispose of 25 to 89% of its total waste.

Wstworkoncircular

30. Do you or are you willing to engage in circular economy systems? (Ref ID: wstworkoncircular )

Answer Yes if: Your facility is currently engaging in or is willing to engage in circular economy initiatives.

If you answer Yes to this question, you will be asked to indicate if your facility is currently engaging or is willing to engage in the following ways:

  • Participate Independently - on your own
  • Engage with industry working groups
  • Engage with customers
  • Engage with other suppliers
  • Other

If Other, please specify

Suggested Uploads:

  • Documentation that demonstrates your facility is capturing and/or reintroducing waste materials that are being used as part of a circular economy system. (e.g., waste disposal or purchase records, contracts/agreements with receivers or suppliers of waste materials, etc.) 

What is the intent of the question?

The intent of this question is for facilities to demonstrate they are, or are willing to, participate in a circular economy system. This will also assist potential partnerships based on interest indicated by the facility.

Technical Guidance:

A circular economy is a regenerative system in which resource input and waste is minimized by slowing, closing, and narrowing material loops; this can be achieved through long-lasting design, maintenance, repair, reuse, remanufacturing, refurbishing, recycling, and upcycling. This is in contrast to a linear economy which is a ‘take, make, dispose’ model of production.

In the Higg FEM, Circular systems is defined as a system that captures and reintroduces waste from and into the facility’s own operations or production or captures and reintroduces waste  into an external party’s operations or production. Some examples include:

  • Textile waste that is recycled into a new material and then used for a new production run.
  • Recycling plastic bottles to make fabric.
  • Recovering coal ash from the boiler room to make bricks.
  • Aluminium recycling to produce cans.

The four key aspects of a closed-loop supply chain are:

  • Source Materials: Use recycled or renewable materials that are responsibly sourced.
  • Make Efficiently: Design and manufacture products to minimize the use of materials.
  • Product Lifespan: Design products to be durable, so they can have long lives.
  • Contribute: Replenish market supply with waste material or product that can be recycled, reclaimed, or renewed at least equal to the amount used to make the product. 

Facilities should strive to conduct research and work with waste contractors, industry partners, local governments, and communities to identify creative solutions for wastes that include reuse or recovery of waste materials that extends the material’s lifespan indefinitely or as long as possible. 

Resources:

Several resources are provided below that include guidance or examples of initiative to create circular economy systems or zero waste solutions. 

Note: The resources and examples provided below are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement by the SAC. Facilities should ensure that any circular economy initiatives (e.g., the purchase or sale of wastes) is conducted in accordance with applicable regulations.

Wstworkoncircular Verification And Scoring

How This Will Be Verified:

Note: This question is unscored.

Documentation Required: 

  • Documentation that demonstrates the facility is, is willing to, capturing and/or reintroducing waste materials as part of a circular economy system. This may include:
    • Waste material sale or purchase records
    • Contracts/agreements with receivers or suppliers of waste materials.
    • Production records that demonstrate waste materials were reintroduced to facility operations or manufacturing processes.  
    • Company Sustainability Strategy or Environmental Policy that includes circular economy related commitments.

Interview Questions to Ask: 

  • Staff responsible for waste management or material procurement are able to describe how the facility operates in the circular economy or has an understanding of how the facility could participate.

Inspection – Things to Physically Look For: 

  • The observed waste management practices on-site are consistent with the facility’s reported actions or intent for participating the circular economy (e.g., onsite capture and reintroduction of wastes) 

 

 

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