R1 Recovery Facility
An Incinerator qualities as an Energy from Waste (EfW) facility rather than a disposal facility/incinerator if it can meet energy efficiency thresholds to meet an R1 classiciation.
Recovery Facility Definition Applied to Energy from Waste
Article 3 of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD) 2008/98/EC defines 'Recovery' as: 'any operation the principal result of which is waste serving a useful purpose by replacing other materials which would otherwise have been used to fulfill a particular function, or waste being prepared to fulfill that function, in the plant or in the wider economy'. Annex II (of the WFD) sets out a non-exhaustive list of recovery operations.
The R1 status of an Incinerator classifies it as an Energy Recovery Facility rather than as a disposal operation such as a D10 operation - incineration on Land.
'Disposal' on the otherhand is defined as: 'any operation which is not recovery even where the operation has as a secondary consequence the reclamation of substances or energy'. Annex I (of the WFD) sets out a non-exhaustive list of disposal operations.
The EU standard sets a requirement to exceed a certain level of power conversion efficiency to qualify it as an R1 facility.
Energy Efficiency Results[1]
The minimum R1 values are:
- 0.60 for MSW permitted and in operation before 1 January 2009
- 0.65 for MSW permitted and in operation after 31 December 2008
Qualifying for R1 Status
For a MSW EfW facility to qualify for R1 status it must:
- Have or will have an Environmental Permit for a waste incineration installation
- Be capable of incinerating mixed Municipal Solid Waste, including RDF or SRF Waste Derived Fuel
- Not be a co-incinerator[1]
Only R1 facilities can receive WDF from other EU countries for processing – export to other EU countries for Disposal (for example to an Incinerator that does not have R1 status) is illegal[2].
The formula for calculating the R1 status of a MSW EfW facility is given below:
$\Large{Pl_{ef} = {{O_{exp}-(E_f+E_{imp})} \over {(E_f+E_{imp}+E_{circ})}}}$
all figures as equivalents in accordance to BREF,Chapter 3.5.6
- Plef = Plant Efficiency.
- Ef = annual energy input to the system by fuels with steam production (GJ/y)
- Eimp = annual imported energy (Note: energy from the treated waste (Ew) is not included)
- Ecirc = annual energy circulated
- Oexp = annual exported energy (combined total of heat plus electricity as equivalents)
References:
- Waste incinerator plant: apply for R1 status.
- Guidelines on the Interpretation of the R1 Energy Efficiency Formula for Incineration Facilities Dedicated to the Processing of Municipal Solid waste According to Annex II of Directive 2008/98/EC on Waste. Directorate-General Environment.
- R1 Status of Incinerators in England.
