The Environment Agency / Natural Resources Wales and WAMITAB in the world of ELVs
Linda Waite, a WAMITAB trainer and assessor, discusses the different ways ATFs can gain the required WAMITAB ELV qualification.
The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 states that if you deal with waste that could harm the environment or human health, then you should be regulated. The regulations require sites to apply for a permit or an exemption and will monitor and regulate you to ensure that you don’t harm the environment in any way.
The Environment Agency (EA) (in England) or Natural Resources Wales (NRW) are the regulators.
There are many requirements of your environmental permit; having an environmental management system and a Technically Competent Manager (TCM) are just two of them. In this article, we are going to concentrate on the TCM qualification.
Some of you may know the TCM role under its older name of CoTC, Certificate of Technical Competence or just know it as a ‘WAMITAB’. This statutory award can be achieved by completing your TCM qualification through the awarding organisation known as WAMITAB – Waste Management Industry Training and Advisory Board.
They don’t only offer the level 4 qualification that you need to satisfy your permit requirements, they provide training and development at Operative level 2 and Supervisory level 3 as well.
This Level 4 qualification is mandatory for any waste site that has an environmental permit and can be obtained through the WAMITAB/CIWM Operator Competence Scheme that DEFRA and the Welsh Assembly Government approved in December 2008. Successfully completing this qualification of primary competence provides evidence of the technical knowledge that you need on a waste site. It can be required by employers based in the waste industry, and the environmental regulators (EA & NRW).
The qualifications themselves are in three different risk tiers, high, medium and low risk:
- High risk generally refers to higher risk sites like hazardous waste or landfill sites
- Medium risk generally refers to non-hazardous sites but includes ELV and WEEE (Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment)
- Low risk generally refers to storage and inert wastes
There are two completely different ways that an authorised treatment facility (ATF) can gain the required WAMITAB ELV qualification. We will look at those two in more detail.
Option one is to complete the MROC1 – WAMITAB Level 4 Medium Risk Operator Competence for Physical Treatment. This qualification is part of the CIWM/WAMITAB Operator Competence Scheme. It is designed to provide technically competent people with the knowledge and skills to ensure waste sites comply with the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations. Full achievement of this qualification demonstrates competence by the individual to manage permitted waste facilities in England and/or Wales for either a WEEE ATF – physical treatment, treatment of asphalt waste containing coal tar, recovery of refrigerants or end of life vehicle facilities (vehicle storage, depollution and dismantling).
Individuals will need to be employed in a suitable position, or have access to the working environment, as the qualification is assessed ‘on the job’. This means that a qualified assessor who has been authorised by WAMITAB to deliver their qualifications will visit the individual at a permitted waste facility to take them through the required qualification. The individual will produce a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate their competence, and there are six units to be completed.
Option two is to complete the WAMITAB Level 4 Certificate in Waste and Resource Management. This qualification also forms part of the CIWM/WAMITAB Operator Competence Scheme. It is delivered using the classroom-based ‘taught and tested’ route, making it a great qualification for those who want to formalise their knowledge and skills in the waste industry without having to complete an observation or assessments onsite. Individuals can choose from a range of optional units tailored to the specific activity on their site. To achieve the qualification, individuals must complete all five mandatory units designed to ensure they understand the main requirements of managing a permitted waste site, and they must then select optional units designed to tailor the qualification to their job role or chosen career. These units include metal recycling and end of life vehicles.
To complete this qualification, there are set questions to be answered by the individual for all six units, and there is no requirement for a portfolio of evidence.
There are no entry requirements for these qualifications, meaning that individuals interested in undertaking either option do not require any other qualifications or levels of attainment.
To find out more, please call Linda on 07814 932225 or send an email to lindawaite1@aol.com
