The minimisation study must be presented by all companies (industrial companies, service companies and small producers) that generate hazardous waste. Only hazardous waste generated in the domestic sphere is exempt from this obligation. Therefore, NO will exceptions be made in situations such as the following:

1. The hazardous waste only pertains to maintenance operations.
2. The company already submits the annual industrial waste declaration (DARI), the annual packaging declaration (DAE) or any other type of environmental certification.
3. The company considers that it is generating as little waste as possible.
4. The quantities are not constant or vary according to production.
5. The waste is generated through the treatment of other waste.

The minimisation study must be submitted in writing to the Agència de Residus de Catalunya in accordance with the provisions of applicable regulations:

• If the start date of the centre’s activity is subsequent to 6 July 2001, the minimisation studies for any new hazardous waste-producing activities must be presented by the start of the activity at the very latest. In all cases it must be presented when so required in the legalisation process. Once the first study has been presented, it must be renewed every four years thereafter.

• However, if the start date of the centre’s activity is prior to 6 July 2001, the study must have been presented on this date. If the first study was presented after the established deadline, its validity will expire on 6 July 2005, even if the stipulated four years have not passed, and the four-year cycle will resume from this date.

To properly draw up the study, companies must adhere to the following steps:

1. Identification of the generated hazardous waste.
2. Identification of the products/goods that generate the hazardous waste.
3. Quantification of the hazardous waste and of the associated products/goods.
4. Identification and selection of measures to minimise the described waste.
5. Assessment of the technical and economic viability of the selected measure(s).
6. Estimation of the waste and associated products/goods that will be generated over the next four years.

The identification and selection of minimisation measures are vital to the preparation of minimisation studies. In the section ‘What does waste minimisation mean?’ and in the programme you will find examples and sources of information that will help you to identify and select the appropriate measures to minimise your waste.

The Agència de Residus de Catalunya has prepared a programme for this study, which enables it to be drawn up in accordance with the provisions of applicable legislation.

Waste minimisation means:

1. Reducing the quantity and/or hazardousness of the generated waste.
2. Recycling at source (at the factory) of the generated waste.

This is the order of priority for the selection of minimisation measures, that is, it is first necessary to consider measures to reduce the generated quantity and/or hazardousness, and then to deal with recycling at source.

Example 1.1 – Substituting raw materials with less pollutant ones
A company that manufactures metal parts by means of precision cutting techniques decided to replace the chlorinated solvent used in the degreasing process with a water-based alkaline detergent. This measure required the installation of two cleaning machines incorporating an oil and dust separation system in order to prolong the useful life of the bath. This measure enabled the elimination of the consumption and subsequent management of the chlorinated solvent (from 9.6 tons/year to 0 tons/year) with an investment of €79,400, recovered in 4.85 years (CP record number 56).

Example 1.2 – Introducing new, more efficient technologies into the production process
A company that repairs and cleans merchant ships uses spray guns and solvent-based paint in the hull painting process. Electrostatic paint guns, which increase the application capacity of the paint, were installed and a reduction in the consumption of paint (38%), solvent (2.6%) and packaging waste (7.6%) was achieved. The payback period, taking into account the investment (€41,000) and the annual savings on raw materials and waste management (€1,105,032.12), was 1 month (CP record number 77).

Example 1.3 – Applying good environmental practices
A metal processing company systematically cleaned the die by hand before verifying its state and preparing it for new operations. The cleaning process was carried out by submerging the die in a bath of 30% sodium hydroxide, which subsequently had to be managed as liquid waste. The good practice that was applied consisted in introducing a new procedure to control the state of the die, preventing unnecessary cleaning. This good practice reduced the generation of liquid waste by 40% (41 tons/year), and it also had an effect on the availability of personnel, as time could be spent on other activities (CP record number 7).

Example 1.4 – Developing new products and applying improvements to already existing ones, integrating environmental criteria (ecodesign)
A company that manufactures emergency lighting, battery charging equipment, rechargeable torches, etc. developed a new emergency light. The changes consisted in using a halogen-free printed circuit and replacing the NiCd batteries with NiMH batteries (no heavy metals), in addition to redesigning the circuit based on track optimisation. Thanks to this ecodesign, the company minimised the solvent waste generated by circuit printing and the heavy metal remnants from the batteries and achieved a 50% reduction in energy consumption for the user (Source: IHOBE).

Example 2.1 – Once the waste has been generated, trying to recycle it at the source
A company that manufactures interior modules for vehicles uses hydraulic oil to operate its plastic injection machines. It installed filters in the oil circuits in order to prolong their useful life by eliminating impurities that would accumulate, thus minimising waste. Thanks to this measure, oil changes are now carried out every 7 years instead of every year, representing a reduction of 16.72 tons/year. This also led to a reduction of 21.3 tons/year of oil waste, representing a reduction of 60% (CP record number 76).

Waste minimisation means less pollution and more profits. Each minimisation action means a reduction in the consumption of raw materials and resources (water and energy), and this is directly reflected on the economic balance sheet. Therefore, the environment also constitutes an opportunity/competitiveness element for companies.

10 reasons to minimise waste

If you have any queries related to the preparation and presentation of minimisation studies:

Furthermore, the Departament de Medi Ambient i Habitatge website provides additional information. This includes information about good environmental practices and technological improvements.