NWRA Works to Advance Industry with Standards Development

This month a brief description of the standards that the National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA) maintains would be a good precursor for our standards meeting the end of October. This is not the polishing and maintain the type of standards that you see in a military parade, but American National Standards. NWRA is the secretariat for the Z245 Equipment Technology and Operations for Wastes and Recyclable Materials.

NWRA is a standards development organization that participates in the US standards system that is run by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Standards developed through the ANSI process are voluntary consensus standards that are developed in accordance with the ANSI’s Essential Requirements: Due process requirements for American National Standards. A voluntary consensus standard is a type of standard developed or adopted by voluntary consensus standards bodies through the use of a development process characterized by openness, balance, due process, consensus, and the right to appeals. To understand more of the ANSI process please visit the FAQ page. All of the definitions are from the ANSI FAQ page.

The American National Standard for Equipment Technology and Operations for Wastes and Recyclable Materials (Z245) is made up of nine committees covering ten standards. The full Z245 committee; Acts as the point of final formal approval for all aspects of the Z245 standards development process; Approves all proposed new, revised or reauthorized standards for referral to the American National Standards Institute for consideration as ANS; Oversees the ongoing work of the various subcommittees; and Resolves all comments received through the public comment process and issues interpretations, acting as the point of first appeal.

The eight subcommittees cover the following areas

Subcommittee 1: Mobile Refuse Collection and Transportation Equipment

Establishes safety and design requirements for the manufacture, reconstruction, modification, maintenance, service and operation of mobile collecting, transporting and compacting equipment and the installation (where applicable) of accessory equipment. The subcommittee is responsible for the development and maintenance of Z245.1, Mobile Wastes and Recyclable Materials Collection, Transportation and Compaction Equipment – Safety Requirements.

Subcommittee 2 – Stationary Compactors

Establishes safety and design requirements for the manufacture, reconstruction, modification, maintenance, service, operation and installation (where applicable) of stationary compacting equipment. The subcommittee is responsible for the development and maintenance of Z245.2, Stationary Compactors – Safety Requirements for Maintenance, Installation and Operation, and Z245.21, Stationary Compactors – Safety Requirements.

Subcommittee 3 – Waste Container Safety

Establishes safety requirements for the manufacture, reconstruction, use, modification, maintenance, service, operation and installation (where applicable) of containers, two-wheeled carts and two-wheeled container lifters. Its work applies to all persons engaged in the manufacture, modification, operation, use, cleaning, maintenance, service or repair of containers that are used in conjunction with the collection, processing and disposal (including the diversion of wastes for recycling) of municipal, commercial and industrial solid wastes by private companies and public entities. The subcommittee is responsible for the development and maintenance of Z245.30, Waste Containers – Safety Requirements.

Subcommittee 4 – Facility Safety

Establishes safety requirements applicable to the design, manufacture, assembly, modification, operation, cleaning, maintenance, servicing or repair of facilities such as landfills, materials recovery facilities and transfer stations. The subcommittee is responsible for the development and maintenance of Z245.41, Safety Requirements for Commingled Material Recovery Facilities and for the development of additional standards in the Z245.40 series covering transfer stations and landfills.

Subcommittee 5 – Baling Equipment

Establishes safety and design requirements for the manufacture, reconstruction, modification, maintenance, service, operation and installation (where applicable) of balers, including mechanical, electro-mechanical, hydraulic and electro-hydraulic balers used in recycling and resource recovery processes, solid waste disposal and raw materials handling. The subcommittee is responsible for the development and maintenance of Z245.5, Baling Equipment – Safety Requirements for Maintenance, Installation and Operation, and Z245.51, Baling Equipment – Safety Requirements.

Subcommittee 6 – Waste Container Compatibility Dimensions

Establishes the dimensional requirements for the manufacture, reconstruction, use, modification, maintenance, service, operation and installation (where applicable) of containers so as to ensure compatibility between the various types of containers and equipment designed to lift and dump these containers. The subcommittee is responsible for the development and maintenance of Z245.60, Container Compatibility Dimensions.

Subcommittee 7 – Size Reduction Equipment

Establishes safety and design requirements for the manufacture, modification, operation, installation, integration, cleaning, maintenance, service, and repair of industrial or commercial size reduction equipment. The size reduction equipment covered includes shears and related equipment, auger processors, chippers, dicers, rotary drum processors, shear shredders, grinders, granulators, hammer mills and crushers. The subcommittee is currently not active.

Subcommittee 8 – Landfill Operations – Safety Requirements

Establishes safe practices, applicable to all persons who design, construct, modify, operate, maintain, service, repair, mine, regulate or use landfills. Exception: This standard does not address the engineering aspects and scope of ANSI/CSA 149.6.

If you are interested in participating or just wanting more information about one or more of the committees please reach out to me at [email protected] or [email protected]. The next standards meeting will be October 24 to 26 in Nashville, TN.