Drums

Drums at household waste recycling centres are used to collect liquid waste and substances that require sealed, closed storage: chemicals, used oils and other liquids accepted from residents.

Their robust construction ensures safe storage until collection by a specialist contractor.

A single centre usually has several drums, each assigned to a specific type of liquid and labelled with the relevant waste code. This allows staff to check quickly that a resident has brought a given waste to the right place. Once full, the contents are collected by a company licensed to transport hazardous waste.

Drums used at household waste recycling centres are most often made of high-density polyethylene, which resists most of the chemical substances brought to the collection point. In some applications, however, where substances are particularly aggressive, metal drums with an anti-corrosion coating are used, selected individually for the expected contents.

Typical capacities range from one hundred to several hundred litres, depending on the expected volume of a given substance and how often the specialist contractor collects it. Smaller drums, emptied less frequently, are usually sufficient at centres with lower footfall, whereas larger centres serving more densely populated areas benefit from larger capacities, which reduce the number of exchanges required.

Correct labelling of each drum according to the type of waste accepted is just as important as its capacity. Clear labels showing the waste code and a hazard pictogram allow centre staff to check quickly that the substance delivered by a resident goes into the right container, which has a direct bearing on the safety of further waste handling.

At many centres, drums are also placed on spill trays, which protect the surrounding area in the event of a minor leak from a damaged container. This double protection reduces the risk of substances entering the ground or the surface water drainage system, which is particularly important when storing used oils and other liquids harmful to the environment.

Once a drum is full, its contents are collected by a company holding the appropriate permit to transport and dispose of hazardous waste. Centre staff should monitor fill levels on an ongoing basis so that collection can be requested well in advance, avoiding a situation in which residents have nowhere to dispose of their next batch of that waste.