Guidance

Storage of non-hazardous waste collected at transport hubs: RPS 240

Published 23 February 2024

Applies to England

This regulatory position statement (RPS) does not change your legal requirement to have an environmental permit for a waste operation when you collect non-hazardous waste at a transport hub.

However, the Environment Agency will not normally take enforcement action against you if you do not comply with this legal requirement provided that:

• your activity meets the description set out in this RPS

• you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS

In addition, your activity must not cause (or be likely to cause) pollution of the environment or harm to human health, and must not:

• cause a risk to water, air, soil, plants or animals

• cause a nuisance through noise or odours

• adversely affect the countryside or places of special interest

1. Activity this RPS applies to

This RPS applies to the collection of non-hazardous waste produced:

• by passengers on public transport networks

• at separate premises within a single identifiable transport hub – this includes train and bus stations, ports, airports and associated depots

Collecting waste means gathering waste. It includes storing it and treating it so that it can be transported to an authorised waste management facility. Treatments may include:

• compacting paper and cardboard
• shredding confidential papers
• breaking up large items
• separating recyclables from each other and from mixed waste

2. Conditions you must comply with

You must:

• treat and store the waste in a secure place at the transport hub – you must take all reasonable precautions to prevent waste escaping and make sure members of the public cannot access it

• only store waste you are collecting for onward transportation

• store putrescible waste (organic matter that will decompose) in fully enclosed containers to minimise odour and prevent access by vermin and pests

• store liquid waste in a leak-proof container with secondary containment, such as a bund or any other system that prevents waste escaping

• keep records for 2 years to show that you have complied with this RPS and make these records available to the Environment Agency on request

You must not:

• collect international catering waste subject to Animal and Plant Health Agency controls

• mix different types of waste together, for example separately collected paper and plastics

• treat food waste

• change the chemical or biological nature of the waste

• store more than 200 cubic metres of non-liquid waste or 1,000 litres of liquid waste at any site at any one time

You must not store waste for longer than is needed to allow onward transportation to a waste management facility and no longer than:

• 1 week for putrescible waste
• 1 month for non-putrescible waste

3. When you must check back

The Environment Agency will review this RPS by 8 January 2027.

The Environment Agency can withdraw or amend this regulatory position before the review date if they consider it necessary. This includes where the activity that this RPS relates to has not changed.

You will need to check back from time to time, including at and before the review date, to see if this RPS still applies.

This RPS remains in force until it is removed from GOV.UK or is otherwise identified as having been withdrawn.

4. If you cannot comply with this RPS

If you operate under this RPS but can no longer comply with it, you must:

• stop the activity to which this RPS relates
• tell the Environment Agency immediately by emailing enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk and put RPS 240 in the subject

5. Contact the Environment Agency

If you have any questions about this RPS email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk.