Successful, satisfied participants at the 1st Berghof course in expertise in the application of the LAGA PN 98 ordinance: “How to proceed when sampling solid waste”.
BERGHOF Analytik + Umweltengineering GmbH & Co KG, an acknowledged competent body in waste management, conducted a course in expertise according to LAGA PN 98 on 23.09.2008. The participants in the course came from the fields of recycling management, disposal management, landfill operators, engineering companies and supervisory authorities.
Immediately after the welcoming address to the participants by the course leader, graduate engineer Jürgen Haaff, the course embarked on the topics to be dealt with.
Graduate engineer J. Rodemann as an expert in the sampling of waste materials presented the theoretical principles of the LAGA PN 98. The differences between "hot spot" sampling and the characterization of the basic quantity were outlined. In particular the meaning of the terms subsample, composite sample and collective sample were expounded on. The minimum volume of the individual laboratory samples, depending on grain size or lumpiness, also plays an important part in sampling. Mr. Rodemann went into the documentation of the sampling by means of a sampling record and photo documentation of examples of excavation and building debris in detail. Based on numerous other examples from daily practice, special attention was given to the difficulties with which one is frequently confronted on the spot as a sampler. Furthermore, the possibilities of deviating from the regulation and the pertinent documentation were also treated.
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In the further course of the event Mr. Haaf presented the Waste Wood Ordinance. An important part of this talk was the way to proceed when taking samples out of the running operation for waste wood treatment and from the demolition debris. For this purpose, too, the LAGA PN 98 Guideline was consulted because the stipulations of the Waste Wood Ordinance do not fully cover all practical aspects.
In the second part of the course, following the theoretical background, practical aspects were given priority. In this case the venue - the operating site of the waste management authority of Reutlingen/Tübingen - was excellently suited for this purpose. The first practical exercise was sampling from a compost heap, strictly according to the LAGA PN 98 ordinance. It soon became clear that even when performing this apparently simple sampling there are a number of peculiarities to be taken into account, such as opening the heap by means of an excavator, odor development and the distribution of moisture.
Thereafter the participants in the course carried out a sampling on their own based on the sampling record. As an example of more complex sampling, a sample was taken from a heap of building debris.
Thereafter a pile each of category AI-AIII and AIV was appraised and its composition discussed in detail. At this point Mr. Haaff presented the APG-H1 sampling saw. This saw makes it possible to take a large number of surface samples for a "hot spot" sampling very simply. Then the composition of the samples of waste wood was assessed. To this end the participants had to prepare a record and the samples had to be assigned correctly to the AI - AIV categories of waste wood.
At the end the participants had the opportunity to verify their newly won expertise in a written exam. We are delighted to say that Mr. Haaff was able to present all of the participants with their certificate of expertise.
We thank the course participants for their dedication through which they made a significant contribution to the success of the event. Thanks to the pragmatic approach and experience of speakers who know how to deal with the problems involved with sampling heterogeneous waste, this course put across knowledge and skills which the participants can immediately apply.
To quote one participant: "Now I know what I have to do when sampling and what I should not do".
Note: We will be offering this course in expertise again in 2009 on the following dates:
- Tuesday, 17.02.2009
- Tuesday, 19.05.2009
- Tuesday, 21.07.2009
- Tuesday, 06.10.2009
You can book the expertise course any time as "In-house training".
You will find more detailed information nearer the time on our Web page under the header "Events".
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