Fire in sorting centers: public authorities go on the offensive!

In a proactive move to increase safety at sorting centers, a crucial public consultation is currently underway. It covers 4 draft decrees, each aimed at strengthening accident prevention measures, particularly fire, within waste sorting and processing facilities.
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1 - BACKGROUND

Alarming rise in sorting center fires

Over the past decade, the waste treatment sector has seen an alarming rise in the number of accidents, particularly fires, at its facilities. These accidents have had a devastating impact on the environment, public health and the economy. These fires are provoking strong reactions in all circles: administrations, local residents, insurers, operators who are looking for real effective solutions.
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ICPE sites concerned

The increase in fires affects all ICPE sites in the waste treatment facility nomenclature (heading 27XX). However, the increases are greatest for treatment centers for end-of-life vehicles (2712), non-hazardous metal waste (2713) and non-hazardous paper/cardboard, plastic, rubber, textile and wood waste (2714), as well as non-hazardous non-inert waste (2716) and hazardous waste (2718).

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The cause of the fires

The start of a fire in a sorting center is the fortuitous combination of several elements:
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• Misdirected waste becomes a source of ignition.
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• Failure to extinguish the fire quickly.
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• Rapid propagation.

The waste products that seem to be the main cause of fire starts are lithium cells and batteries, with several operators quoting an order of magnitude of half of all fire starts.

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Misdirected waste

Who is responsible for misdirecting waste in the first place? All of us! The lithium batteries and accumulators found in electrical appliances, for example, which are now a major concern for sorting centers, end up in household waste and then enter shredding plants. Strong action must therefore be taken to limit sources of ignition.

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Ineffective fire-fighting solutions combined

However, as the IGEDD report points out, fires will always be present in sorting centers. That's why operators need to find effective, rapid solutions to combat fire outbreaks: fire detection, automatic extinguishing, thermal cameras, remote supervision, Fire Rover, Storelith...

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Rapid propagation

As mentioned in the report, islanding, coupled with truly effective, correctly dimensioned solutions, can be an appropriate response to this rapid spread.

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2 - THE 4 PROJECTS

Following these various findings, the General Inspectorate for the Environment and Sustainable Development (IGEDD) and the General Economic Council (CGE), commissioned by the French Ministry of Ecological Transition, published a report in January 2023. This report highlights the growing role of lithium cells and batteries in fires occurring in these facilities, and makes recommendations to adjust regulations accordingly.

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The French Ministry of Ecological Transition is therefore putting out for consultation until October 3 a reform of fire regulations for ICPE classified installations. The 4 projects are part of the multi-year strategic orientations for the inspection of classified installations.

These proposals are also in line with the recommendation issued by the Bureau d'Analyses des Risques et Pollutions Industrielles (BARPI) of the Direction Générale de la Prévention des Risques (DGPR) following an incident at a waste incinerator in Toulouse. BARPI recommends amending thedecree of October 4, 2010 to cover waste storage facilities and prevent such accidents.

The purpose of the four draft decrees is to revise the general requirements applicable to 9 headings in the nomenclature for waste processing facilities (heading 27XX). The aim of these revisions is to reduce the number of accidents, particularly fires, at waste sorting and processing facilities.

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3 - KEY PROVISIONS

The draft decrees include a number of crucial provisions to reinforce the safety of waste treatment sites.

1. Removal of power batteries : requirement to remove power batteries from end-of-life vehicles and means of transport within one month, with storage in a dedicated area.
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2. Surveillance and fire detection: Regular surveillance, systematic rounds and an automatic fire detection system.
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3. Means of defence against fire: Obligation to install means of defence against fire and to draw up an appropriate defence plan.
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4. Waste island management: Limitations on the size and proximity of waste islands, accompanied by construction rules imposed on new facilities.
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5. Sorting of waste electrical and electronic equipment: Introduction of a procedure for sorting waste electrical and electronic equipment likely to contain lithium cells or batteries.
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6. Improved knowledge of the waste stockpile: Reinforcement of the monitoring of the waste stockpile on the site to anticipate risk situations.
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7. Adaptation of provisions following the Toulouse accident: Modification of the provisions of the ministerial order of October 4, 2010 so that they apply uniformly to waste facilities with characteristics similar to those that led to the accident at the Toulouse incinerator.
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8. Raising public awareness: warning the general public through information campaigns.

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