What are transfers?

Transfers are the movement of NPI substances on or off-site.

It is mandatory for facilities to report a transfer if NPI substances are transferred in waste streams¹ to:

• a destination for containment including:
  • landfill
  • tailings storage facility
  • underground injection, or
  • other long term purpose-built waste storage structure
• a destination for destruction
• an off-site sewerage system, or
• an off-site treatment facility which leads solely to one or more of the above.

For convenience these destinations are considered to be 'final destinations', although this may not be the case in all situations.

Facilities may also wish to report a transfer to a voluntary reporting transfer destination if the NPI substances contained in waste streams are transferred to a destination for:

• reuse
• recycling
• reprocessing
• purification
• partial purification
• immobilisation
• remediation, or
• energy recovery. 

Reporting a transfer to a voluntary reporting transfer destination is an opportune way for industry to inform the public on the types of cleaner production or pollution control techniques they are using to minimise their environmental impact.

Examples provided in this booklet include:

• landfill operations
• sewage treatment operations
• cement operations
• paper and pulp operations
• plastics and chemical operations
• mining operations
• wine manufacturing
• intensive agriculture
• power stations, and
• petroleum explorations, production and refining.

Please note, if your facility is not represented in this booklet, you still may have a requirement to report transfers. This booklet is to be used as a guide only and does not provide assistance on all facility waste streams.

¹Waste stream is the flow or movement of wastes from the point of generation to final disposal.