BSI's revised waste management specification introduces new requirements for climate risk assessment and enhanced performance reporting to support organizations in improving waste management processes.
The British Standards Institution (BSI) has released a revised version of PAS 402:2025, its waste resource management specification, introducing changes to help organisations improve their waste management processes and support the transition to a circular economy.
The updated specification, which will come into effect on 28 February 2025, provides a framework for waste management organisations to report performance against key delivery areas, including landfill diversion and materials recovery rates, to support them to improve the quality of recyclate, reduce compliance costs and risks, and streamline data reporting.
It is applicable for all organisations that process industrial, commercial, or household waste at a transfer station, treatment facility, or disposal site.
"Working towards a circular economy, involving efficient and accessible disposal of waste and waste flows being turned into inputs for further production, can limit society's impact on finite resources and bring opportunities for positive environmental and economic impacts," said Sebastiaan Van Dort, Director of Sustainability and Energy at BSI.
Enhanced BSI reporting requirements
The revision introduces six principal changes, including new requirements for climate change risk assessment and enhanced performance reporting. It also defines two distinct categories of clients - waste producers and receivers of outgoing materials including end-of-waste products.
A new clause on corrective, preventive and improvement actions, requiring organisations to demonstrate how they manage compliance with legal and other requirements, has been introduced. A new section has been added specifically addressing methods for determining landfill diversion and material recovery rates.
The specification also includes new tables for reporting annual recovery and disposal tonnages, alongside detailed waste hierarchy data, and includes an example performance summary table for organisations to use.
| Performance Summary | Total tonnes |
|---|---|
| Total material inputs this period | |
| Waste used/retainer on site this period e.g. for engineering purposes | |
| Waste remaining on site at end of this period (unprocessed) | |
| Waste remaining on site at end of this period (processed) | |
| Total waste remaining on site at end of this period | |
| Waste sent offsite for reuse/repair this period | |
| Waste sent offsite for recycling this period | |
| Waste sent offsite for energy recovery this period | |
| Qualifying fines | |
| Non-qualifying fines | |
| Materials sent offsite as non-waste this period e.g. end of waste | |
| Waste sent off for disposal (incineration without energy recovery) | |
| Waste sent off for disposal to landfill | |
| Total materials sent off site this period |
Table 1 - Performance summary
The specification outlines requirements for businesses to produce an annual report describing their performance, including improvement actions for the reporting period and plans for the next operational year, such as details about their waste operations, environmental permits, and performance metrics.
Van Dort added: "The revised PAS 402:2025 specification is designed to offer a critical step in advancing waste resource management and supporting the transition to a more circular economy. This updated standard provides organizations with the opportunity to build trust by enhancing operational performance, improving recyclate quality, and streamlining compliance processes."
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