The Environment Agency says it will not regard the failure to complete and pass relevant assessments as a failure to comply with the technical competence scheme until 1 January 2021.
The amnesty has been announced with the Agency recognising restrictions relating to the coronavirus pandemic have made it difficult for many operators to sit the relevant tests.
It will apply for those who fail to complete and pass either an Environmental Permit Operators Certificate (EPOC) within four weeks of permitted activities commencing or a continuing competence assessment which has become due since 16 March 2020. The Agency will not see this as a failure to comply with the CIWM/WAMITAB competence scheme until the new year.
A technical competency amnesty has been granted (picture: Shutterstock)
However, candidates must have made a booking for the earliest available date, notified their local regulatory officer, and, in the case of a continuing competence assessment, the operator has notified WAMITAB as well so they can keep a database of affected candidates.
Where these circumstances arise in connection with an application for a permit, the Agency says, the applicant must still provide evidence of registration and booking for the appropriate qualification or training within their application as usual.
Limited availability
In a statement the Agency said: “Operators of permitted waste facilities relying on the CIWM/WAMITAB scheme to demonstrate technical competence are required to gain qualifications and pass assessments according to a timeframe set out in the scheme.
“Classroom based training and test centres required for some of these have limited availability due to the implementation of social distancing measures.
“We expect candidates to try to book the relevant training and assessments in advance of when they are due but recognise that in some cases that may not be possible.”
Technical competence
When in possession of an environmental permit for a waste operation or certain installations, a manager must join and comply with the requirements of one of two government approved schemes. One of these is the scheme run jointly by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) and Waste Management Industry Training and Advisory Board (WAMITAB). Another scheme is organised through the Energy & Utility Sector Skills Council and is run jointly by Energy & Utility Skills and the Environmental Services Association (ESA).
The Agency initially announced on 18 June it would give a deadline of 30 September by which time it expected all candidates in England to have passed the Continuing Competence test. The recent announcement means this deadline has been extended.
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
