Skip to main content
Guidance

Accepting and treating gypsum-based waste: RPS 335

Published 26 January 2026

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2026

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/accepting-and-treating-gypsum-based-waste-rps-335/accepting-and-treating-gypsum-based-waste-rps-335

This regulatory position statement (RPS) does not change your legal requirement to comply with your environmental permit when you accept gypsum and cement-based waste for treatment.

However, the Environment Agency will not normally take enforcement action against you if you do not comply with these legal requirements 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 if you treat gypsum or cement-based waste from plasterboard manufacturers coded and described as:

  • 10 13 01 waste raw material containing gypsum
  • 10 13 06 particulates and dust containing gypsum
  • 10 13 99 other gypsum wastes not otherwise specified
  • 16 03 04 off-specification products containing gypsum or cement
  • 19 12 12 processed gypsum waste not meeting PAS109 specification

2. Conditions you must comply with

You must tell the Environment Agency before you use this RPS by emailing RPS335gypsumenquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk with:

  • your site address and permit reference number
  • a description of the waste you are taking
  • the final end-use of the treated waste, for example for plasterboard manufacturing or as soil conditioner
  • ‘RPS 335 – plasterboard manufacturing waste’ in the subject of the email

You must:

  • have a permit which allows you to accept and treat waste plasterboard coded as 17 08 02 or waste cement-based products coded as 17 09 04
  • apply to vary your permit to include at least one of these codes: 10 13 01, 10 13 06, 10 13 99, 16 03 04 or 19 12 12 by 26 June 2026
  • only accept the plasterboard manufacturing waste if you intend to recover it for use
  • keep records for 2 years from the date of the last use of the RPS to show that you have complied with this RPS and make these records available to the Environment Agency on request

3. Things to note

This RPS does not apply to gypsum or cement-based waste coming from construction and demolition activities.

4. When you must check back

The Environment Agency intends to withdraw this RPS by 21 January 2029. 

The Environment Agency can withdraw or amend this regulatory position before the withdrawal 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 withdrawal 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.

You can subscribe to email updates about this RPS. These will tell you if the RPS has changed and when it has been withdrawn. Use the ‘Get emails about this page’ feature on the RPS publication page.

5. If you cannot comply with this RPS

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

6. Contact the Environment Agency

If you have any questions about this RPS, email RPS335gypsumenquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk with RPS 335 in the subject.

Back to top