Waste fire tests are being undertaken to provide up-to-date scientific data about the flammable properties of recyclable materials and other wastes stored on waste recycling sites.

The Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA), one of the organisations conducting the tests, says that, with the ever changing nature of wastes and waste handling methods, it is important to update knowledge of how these materials burn and how best to extinguish fires.

Along with the London Fire Brigade, CFOA has been working with the Waste Industry Safety and Health (WISH) Forum, Wood Recyclers Association (WRA), Environment Agency (EA) and Environmental Services Association (ESA) to undertake the waste fire tests.

The trend of waste fires over the last 10 years has remained consistent at around 250 incidents per year, according to figures from the CFOA; the figures also show that more recently there have been a number of large-scale protracted incidents that have caused significant disruption to the fire service and local community. The cost to the fire and rescue services is estimated to be in the region of £16 million a year.

Results from the tests will be used to inform updated guidance on stack sizes and separation distances for the waste industry, with the aim of reducing the spread and severity of these fires. The results will also determine whether the EA makes changes to its permits for waste sites, so as to reduce the incidence of fires at these premises.

Firefighting tests will also take place, like that held in Lincolnshire last November, which will develop improved tactics for the fire services when responding to waste fires. The CFOA believes that modern firefighting techniques may ensure more rapid knock down of fires, prevent pollution and reduce the overall impact of the incident on the wider community.

The CFOA and EA have recently agreed a national memorandum of understanding. This sets out how they will collaborate when addressing incidents that impact both fire and rescue services and the environment. Operational annexes produced as part of the document include: pollution incident prevention and mitigation, and preventing waste and industry site fires.

Tests ‘groundbreaking’ for fire and waste industry

Commenting on the series of tests, Mark Andrews, CFOA Lead for Waste and Recycling Fires, said: “These tests are groundbreaking for both the fire and waste industry. By establishing this scientific data we will influence future fire safety guidance with a view to preventing these fires occurring in the first place.

“The tests are also an opportunity to test both traditional and contemporary firefighting techniques to assess what methods are the most effective in order to influence future operational guidance.

“Our closer working partnership with the EA and waste sector will ensure we will minimise the negative impact of these events on the surrounding environment and communities if and when they do occur.”

Fire Prevention Plan

Guidance for the storage of combustible materials was developed and released in March 2015 by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the EA. Under the regulations, operators must have an EA approved assessment of the risk of fire occurring on site and the measures in place to prevent them and minimise impact.

This fire prevention plan (FPP) guidance is currently under consultation by the EA until 4 March 2016. Amongst other key issues, the new guidance proposes that the maximum pile height for unprepared wood be reduced from 10 metres to five metres to enhance heat dissipation from the pile, which would pose problems for larger operators.

The WRA, a trade body representing 80 per cent of wood recyclers in the UK, has asked its members to respond to a consultation on the latest FPP guidance after it found that proposals included in it would impose ‘unreasonable and unnecessary’ pressures on wood recyclers and could ‘make many businesses unviable’.

More information can be found on the CFOA website.