Analyses of waste

Although the dream of every production, construction and other human activity is that it does not lead to the generation of waste, we are not always able to achieve this goal in real life.

Our services help to ensure that waste management is as rational as possible in terms of ecology and economy and that any negative impacts are minimised.

Who are our clients?

• Waste producers – a wide range of entities from various fields, very often construction companies, development companies, etc.
• Composting plant operators
• Waste landfill operators
• Wastewater treatment plant (WTP) operators

Waste management is governed by Act No. 541/2020 Sb., as amended and its implementing regulations, in particular Decree No. 273/2021 Sb., on the details of waste management and Decree No. 8/2021 Sb., on the catalogue of waste and the assessment of waste properties.
If necessary, during the transitional period, we will carry out analyses according to the previously valid legislation.

We provide accredited sampling and analyses of waste, consulting in the field of waste management and waste management according to the applicable legislation.

Waste sampling is always specific to the type of waste, the purpose of sampling, the amount of waste, etc. Sampling method is always described in detail in the sampling protocol, which is handed over to the customer together with the test result certificate after the analysis.

What do we offer?

• Waste deposited in landfills

  The conditions for depositing waste in landfills are given by Annex No. 10. to Decree No. 273/2021 Sb., as amended
  According to the waste received, landfills are divided into:

  • inert - waste must comply with:
    • threshold limit values for class I leachability and threshold limit values for organic pollutants in the dry matter of waste listed in Tables 10.1 and 10.2 of Annex No. 10 to this Decree
  • other - waste must comply with:
    • threshold limit values for class IIa leachability and the threshold limit value for total organic carbon in dry matter (TOC), or the value of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) for TOC above the threshold limit, when deposited in the other waste landfills labelled S-OO1 (intended for waste with a low content of biodegradable substances)
    • threshold limit values for class IIa leachability, or in the case of above-limit DOC, also threshold limit values for organic pollutants in the dry matter of the waste listed in Table 10.3 of Annex No. 10 to this Decree, when deposited in the other waste landfill labelled S-OO3 (intended for waste with a substantial content of organic biodegradable substances)
  • hazardous - waste must comply with:
    • threshold limit values for class III leachability and the threshold limit value for total organic carbon (TOC) or loss on annealing or DOC value for TOC above the threshold limit.
• Waste used for technical securing, closure and reclamation of the landfill – waste used as technological material must meet the requirements for waste deposited at the respective landfill. Only waste defined in Annex No. 11 to Decree No. 273/2021 Sb. that complies with the threshold limit values for class IIb leaching according to Annex No. 10 to this Decree may be used to create the closing sealing layer of the landfill. Only waste defined in Annex No. 11 and that meets the requirements for backfilling may be used to create the landfill’s protective and upper reclamation layer.

• Waste used for backfilling

  Excavated soils, sediments and similar inert materials do not need to be disposed of in landfills, but can be used for land consolidation as backfill material.

  The conditions for this option of waste management are specified in Annex No. 5 to Decree No. 273/2021 Sb. This Annex lists the limit concentrations of harmful substances in dry matter, in the leachate and the threshold limit values for ecotoxicological tests. The use in the upper layer (within 1 m from the final surface of the ground) is also determined, whereby the requirements are stricter than for other backfill (lower layers).

  Ecotoxicological tests are carried out on living organisms; it takes about three weeks to analyse the waste according to Annex No. 5.

  The following can be used for backfilling:

  • waste - if the limit concentrations of harmful substances in the dry matter of the waste (Table 5.1), limit concentrations of harmful substances in the leachate of the waste (Table 5.2) and the threshold limit values of ecotoxicological tests (Table 5.3) are complied with
  • sediment - if the limit concentrations of harmful substances in the dry matter of the sediment (Table 5.4), limit concentrations of harmful substances in the leachate of the waste (Table 5.2) and the threshold limit values of ecotoxicological tests (Table 5.3) are complied with

• Slag from the incineration of other waste used for backfilling – the use of slag for backfilling is possible if the limit concentrations of harmful substances in the dry matter and the leachate according to Tables 6.1 and 6.2 of Annex No. 6 and other requirements specified by the Decree are met.

• Sludge and soil analyses according to Decree No. 273/2021 Sb. – according to the requirements for the use of treated sludge on agricultural land listed in Annexes No. 28, 37, 38 and 39 to this Decree, the properties of sewage sludge (indicator microorganisms, basic chemical indicators, risk elements and substances) and properties of the soil on which the sludge is to be used (the agrochemical properties of the soil and the content of risk elements) are monitored.

• Analyses of biodegradable waste - according to Decree No. 273/2021 Sb..
  Lists of biodegradable waste intended for processing in the appropriate facility (composting plants, vermicomposting plants, biogas stations, etc.) are given in Annex No. 25.

  We perform verification of the technology of biological treatment of biodegradable waste from the point of view of the effectiveness of hygienisation and quality assessment at the exit from the plant intended for managing biodegradable waste. Outputs from these plants are classified into five groups according to their properties and method of use. The values of indicator microorganisms, concentrations of selected risk substances and elements, qualitative characteristics of compost, qualitative characteristics of the reclamation digestate are monitored (see Annex Nos. 28 and 30 to Decree No. 273/2021 Sb.).

  We determine the biological stability of organic waste AT4 (respiration activity test, test method for evaluating the stability of biodegradable waste based on measuring 4-day oxygen demand). Biodegradable waste is classified as stabilised if the AT4 value is lower than 10 mg of oxygen per gram of dry matter; in case of higher activity, it is impossible to put it in a landfill.

• Determination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in substances that contain them (dielectric oil in transformer stations, insulating liquids, service fillings) - the limit value is 50 mg/kg.

• Determination of mercury in waste

• Analyses of sediments and soils according to Decree No. 257/2009 Sb., on the conditions for the application of sediment on agricultural land (determination of the possible use of extracted sediment on agricultural land, or the extent of such use)

• Analyses of water and soil for the purposes of remediation – removal of the environment burden (to determine the sources of pollution, degree of pollution of the territory of interest and to monitor the progress of the subsequent remediation)

• Analyses of soils and agricultural land according to Decree No. 153/2016 Sb., on the protection of the agricultural land fund (to verify the quality of agricultural land)