Environment Agency
Waste exemptions are changing and this will affect anyone who carries out a waste exemption activity. Defrasconsultation supplementary response documentand its annexes explain the changes. This sets out which exemptions will be withdrawn or restricted. Changes to the exemptions are likely to start in 2025 but timescales have not been finalised.
Types of activity you can carry out
These include:
- storing waste oil in a tank at an intermediate site before its moved to another site to be recovered
- storing and bulking-up plastic packaging in a container at a place before its moved to another site to be recovered
Types of activity you cannot carry out
You cannot:
- treat waste under this exemption
- store waste destined to be disposed of
- store mixed waste
- mix hazardous with non-hazardous waste
Types of waste you can store
The waste codes are those listed in the List of Wastes (LoW) Regulations. You need to make sure your waste fits within the relevant waste code and description.
| Waste code | Type of waste |
|---|---|
| 130109 * to 130113 *, 130204 * to 130208 *, 130401 * to 130403 *, 130701 * | waste oils |
| 150101, 200101 | cartons |
| 150102, 200139 | plastics and plastic packaging |
| 150104, 200140 | cans and foil only |
| 150101, 200101 | paper and cardboard |
| 150107, 200102 | glass |
| 150109, 200110, 200111 | textiles and clothes |
| 150202 * | absorbents, filter materials (including oil filters not otherwise specified), wiping cloths, protective clothing contaminated by hazardous substances |
| 150203 | absorbents, filter materials, wiping cloths, protective clothing not contaminated by hazardous substances |
| 160107 * | oil filters |
(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.
Quantity of waste you can store
You can store up to 400 cubic metres each of the following waste at any one time:
- cartons
- plastics and plastic packaging
- cans and foils
- paper and cardboard
- glass
- textiles and clothes
You can store up to 3 cubic metres each of the following waste at any one time:
- waste oils
- hazardous absorbents, filter material, wiping cloths and protective clothing contaminated by hazardous substances
- non-hazardous absorbents, filter materials, wiping cloths and protective clothing
- oil filters
You can store the waste in up to 20 containers at any one time but the total amount of waste stored must not exceed the maximum allowed under this exemption.
Conditions
The conditions are:
- no waste is stored for longer than 12 months
- the containers must be secure
- the person storing the waste must own the containers or have the owners consent
- waste oils and oil filters must be stored with secondary containment
- the waste is being stored before its recovered elsewhere
- each waste type is stored separately
What else you need to know
Hazardous waste is subject to the Hazardous Waste Regulations.
Related exemptions
T1: Cleaning, washing, spraying or coating relevant waste
T4: Preparatory treatments (baling, sorting, shredding etc)
S2: Storing waste in a secure place
Related permits
You will need an environmental permit if you want to store:
- waste at an intermediate site for treatment or use not covered in related exemptions or under a permit for recovery
- mixed waste at an intermediate site for treatment
- waste prior to disposal
- these wastes in quantities larger than allowed in this exemption
Find out more about environmental permits for waste.
Register a S1 exemption
You need to register this exemption with us if you meet the requirements:
Last updated 10 May 2024 +show all updates
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Updated the message at the start to say changes to exemptions are expected to start in 2025 but that timescales have not been finalised.
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We have added information about changes to this waste exemption that are likely to happen during 2024 to 2025.
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Minor changes to the page title and description to improve search results. This will help customers find relevant exemption guidance.
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Changed reference of 'dangerous substances' to 'hazardous substances'.
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First published.