EN 14803:2006
A European standard was established in 2006 for identifying and/or determination of waste volumes; EN 14803:2006. The purpose of the standard is to define general requirements for the equipment used in the whole process of collection, devices on the bin, reading equipment, vehicle computer and the administrative system in the office.
The standard also imposes requirements on the position of the RFID tag on the bin to ensure secure communication with the RFID-reader on the vehicle. Other standardized requirements are minimum operating temperature for the equipment and the possibility to automatically report errors and defectives.
In a procurement of waste management services that include weighing and collection recording, the specification should always state that the equipment must comply with standard EN 14803:2006.
AUTOMATIC CATCH-WEIGHING INSTRUMENTS – MID 2004/22/EC
A measuring instrument that, without the help of an operator, determines the volume is classified as an automatic scale, or automatic catch-weighing instrument. The European legislation for automatic scales is called MID 2004/22/EC. Type approval is needed for verification of scales, which is a legal requirement for commercial use of the scale.
Vehicle mounted scales for weighing bins directly on the lifter and dynamically, i.e. during the lift cycle without interruption is classified as automatic scales. To be able to use the scale for billing, it needs to be approved and the installed scale must be verified by a notified body before use.
The most common accuracy requirement for automatic scales is class Y(b), which means that the minimum accuracy is maximum 1 kg. According to Swedish organization for waste “Avfall Sverige” an automatic scale should have an accuracy of ± 0,5 kg for weights between 0 and 50 kg, and ± 1 kg for weights of ≥ 50 kg. There is also municipalities in Sweden, e.g. the municipality of Stockholm, which have increased the demand of 0,5 kg accuracy on weights from 0 to 300 kg.
Verification is a process where a notified body verify the performance of the scale according to the provided information in the type approval. If approved, a verification certificate is issued and the scale is sealed. A verification is temporary and can only be done by a notified body.
