Overview
ISO 21912:2021 - Solid recovered fuels - Safe handling and storage of solid recovered fuels - provides principles and requirements for the safe handling, treatment and storage of solid recovered fuels (SRF) prepared from non‑hazardous waste for energy use. The standard covers the SRF supply chain from point of acceptance to point of delivery, uses a risk‑based approach to determine safety measures, and explicitly excludes fuels covered by ISO/TC 238 (solid biofuels) and ISO/TC 28 (petroleum and related products). Loading and unloading of vessels, trains and trucks are included; safety issues after transport are excluded.
Key Topics
ISO 21912 organizes practical safety guidance across SRF production, handling and storage. Major technical topics and requirements include:
- Risk management framework: scope definition, hazard identification, risk estimation, evaluation and risk reduction/control.
- SRF processes: production, receiving, feeding, densifying, and point‑of‑delivery handling.
- Mechanical processing: crushing, milling, shredding and pre‑/fine‑shredding safety considerations.
- Conveying systems: safe design and operation of chain, screw, belt, bucket and pneumatic conveyors.
- Storage solutions: open piles, bales, silos, bunkers, boxes and hoppers, including densified SRF storage guidance.
- Separation & screening: ferrous/non‑ferrous separation, density separation and optical sorting safety aspects.
- Fire and explosion protection: prevention of ignition sources, dust‑explosion control, detection, response and post‑fire measures.
- Operational controls: housekeeping, maintenance, documentation of operating procedures, emergency planning and visitor/contractor guidance.
- Personnel safety: training, health risks and working environment measures.
Applications
ISO 21912 is practical, implementation‑focused guidance for organizations involved with SRF:
- Facility owners/operators seeking to design or update SRF production, storage and handling practices.
- Logistics companies and terminal operators managing SRF receipt, loading and unloading.
- Equipment manufacturers and suppliers designing shredders, conveyors, silos and dust control systems.
- Consultants, regulators and insurers assessing risk, compliance and insurance exposure for SRF facilities.
- Plant maintenance and safety teams developing procedures, emergency plans and fire protection strategies.
Adopting ISO 21912 helps reduce fire and dust‑explosion risk, improves worker safety, supports regulatory compliance and can aid in obtaining insurance coverage.
Related Standards
- ISO/TC 300 - Technical committee that prepared ISO 21912.
- Fuels excluded from ISO 21912 fall under ISO/TC 238 (solid biofuels) and ISO/TC 28 (petroleum and related products) - consult those committees for overlapping fuel types.
Keywords: ISO 21912, solid recovered fuels, SRF, safe handling, SRF storage, risk‑based approach, fire protection, dust explosion, SRF facilities.