Learn more about the priority waste categories

• Category A waste

  Category A is the most hazardous type of waste.

  Schedule 6 of the Environment Protection Regulations 2021 sets out which wastes are Category A. Regulation 67 specifies some wastes you must classify as Category A, even when they’re not Category A under Schedule 6.

  • you cannot send Category A waste to landfill
  • you can take Category A waste including soil offsite to a lawful place and treat it to reduce contaminants
  • treated waste may be reclassified as less hazardous Category B, C or D waste. You can then manage it under that category. 

  Category A soil

  Category A soil has contaminants:

  • greater than the upper limit for Category B in Table 2 of Waste disposal categories - characteristics and thresholds (publication 1828).

   

• Category B waste

  Schedule 6 sets out which wastes are Category B.

  For Category B waste other than soil, the waste code and type determine how you must manage it before it goes to landfill. The priority waste category only tells you which landfill it can go to.

  If you’re sending the waste to landfill, it must go to one authorised to accept Category B waste.

  Category B soil

  Category B soil has contaminants:

  • greater than the upper limit for Category C in Table 2 of Waste disposal categories - characteristics and thresholds (publication 1828). 
  • below the upper limit for Category B in Table 2.

  Category B soil can be:

  • contained onsite
  • sent to a landfill authorised to accept it and taken offsite to a lawful place
  • treated to reduce the level of contaminants
  • treated waste may be reclassified as less hazardous Category C or D soil.

• Category C waste

  Schedule 6 sets out which wastes are Category C.

  For Category C waste other than soil, the waste code and type determine how you must manage it before it goes to landfill. The priority waste category only tells you which landfill it can go to.

  If you’re sending the waste to landfill, it must go to one authorised to accept Category B or C waste.

  Category C soil

  Category C soil has contaminants:

  • greater than the upper limit for Category D in Table 2 of Waste disposal categories - characteristics and thresholds (publication 1828)
  • below the upper limit for Category C in Table 2.

  Category C soil can be:

  • contained onsite
  • sent to a landfill authorised to accept Category B or C soil
  • taken offsite to a lawful place and treated to reduce the level of contaminants

  treated waste may be reclassified as less hazardous Category D soil. You can then manage it under that category. 

• Containing Category A, B and C soils onsite

  You can contain these soils onsite in volumes under 1000 m3. You must meet your general environmental duty to minimise risk of harm to human health or the environment. 

  You can store volumes greater than 1000 m3 onsite with an L02 licence. We may put a Site Management Order on the land title for ongoing management.

   

• Category D soils

  Category D is a new priority waste category applying only to soil. Category D covers the least hazardous soils.

• Soil containing asbestos only

  Soil containing asbestos only is a new priority waste category. Not all waste soil containing asbestos falls into this category.

  This category only applies to soil that:

  • contains asbestos
  • doesn’t have contaminant concentrations greater than the upper limit for fill material in Table 3 of Waste disposal categories – characteristics and thresholds (EPA publication 1828).

  If the contaminant concentrations are higher, the soil is Category A, B, C or D. If the contaminant concentrations are lower but the soil contains asbestos, it is soil containing asbestos only.

  If you take reasonably practicable steps to remove visible asbestos-containing material from soil, it’s not considered soil containing asbestos only. In this case it might be fill material.

  Managing soil containing asbestos only

  Soil containing asbestos only is reportable priority waste. It must go to a place authorised to accept it, known as a lawful place. Soil containing asbestos only can be:

  • contained onsite
  • sent to a landfill authorised to accept soil with asbestos.

  Soil containing asbestos only - containment

  You can contain this type of soil onsite in volumes under 1000 m3. You must meet your general environmental duty to minimise risk of harm to human health or the environment.

  You can store volumes greater than 1000 m3 onsite with an L02 licence. We may put a Site Management Order on the land title for ongoing management.

  Transporting soil containing asbestos only 

  Soil containing asbestos only is:

  • Reportable Priority Waste (transactions) – meaning any time the soil changes hands it needs to be tracked in Waste Tracker.
  • Reportable Priority Waste (transport), meaning you need to transport the waste in a permissioned vehicle.

• Packaged waste asbestos

  Packaged waste asbestos is waste asbestos wrapped to stop airborne asbestos fibres from escaping. This helps with safe transport and disposal.
  
  This priority waste category doesn’t apply to soil containing asbestos.

  Managing packaged waste asbestos

  Packaged waste asbestos is reportable priority waste. You can only send it to a landfill authorised to accept asbestos.

  You can transport packaged waste asbestos to a site authorised to store asbestos. The site you take it to must have a licence or registration to store asbestos.

  Transfer stations and public utility depots can temporarily store less than 10 m3 of double wrapped non-friable asbestos  with a registration. The asbestos must go to a landfill authorised to accept asbestos within 60 days of arriving at the site.

  For more information on managing asbestos:

  • How to remove asbestos from your home 
  • Managing asbestos waste – for industry
  • Asbestos in Victoria.

  Transporting packaged waste asbestos

  Packaged waste asbestos is:

  • reportable priority waste (transactions), meaning you need to track the waste 
  • reportable priority waste (transport), meaning you need to transport the waste in a permissioned vehicle .

  These requirements don’t apply if the net load is:

  • less than 50 litres
  • transported for no fee or reward.

• Transporting priority waste

  Find out about your obligations when transporting soil.

  Mixing, blending and diluting priority waste

  You must not mix, blend, or dilute priority waste in a way which changes the waste classification. You can only do this if EPA issues a designation.
  
  There are times when mixing, blending or diluting priority wastes is part of a legitimate treatment process. EPA may issue a designation to allow this in certain circumstances.  This means you need to apply for a designation, or do so under a designation of general application issued by EPA.
  
  You must meet strict criteria before we issue a designation. You must demonstrate that:

  • managing waste under the designation won’t harm human health or the environment
  • if the priority waste is soil:
    • mixing, blending or diluting will prepare the soil for treatment 
    • the treatment will destroy any contamination 
    • the treatment is not otherwise authorised by the Environment Protection Act 2017 or the Environment Protection Regulations 2021.