Guidance

Check if your waste is suitable for deposit for recovery

Updated 29 June 2023

Applies to England

This guide sets out the types of waste and typical uses the Environment Agency will normally accept for deposit of waste for recovery.

Much of this will depend on the assessment the Environment Agency carries out when they determine your permit. Waste recovery plan assessment considers what waste types are suitable in principle to perform a function. However, it does not guarantee that waste will be accepted and included in the permit after site-specific technical assessment.

If you apply for a standard rules permit, you can only accept wastes that:

• meet the description in the standard rules set
• are included in your approved waste recovery plan

You must characterise your waste against the waste classification technical guidance (WM3).

If the waste is non-inert, or may be contaminated, you must sample and analyse the waste. You may need to carry out an environmental risk assessment to determine if the material:

• will affect groundwater or surface waters in the area
• is suitable for deposit at depth

The Environment Agency will consider this when they determine your permit application.

You must provide information and evidence in your waste recovery plan if you:

• want to deposit a waste not listed in this guide
• want to deposit waste for a use other than that specified (non-typical)
• will not meet the criteria specified in this guide

A suitably qualified person must confirm that the chemical and engineering properties of the waste:

• are suitable for the proposed use
• will not cause pollution

Wastes from non-metalliferous excavation: waste code 01 01 02

Acceptable uses:

• structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction
• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material
• agricultural improvement schemes
• ecological improvements, wetland schemes and lakes

Waste gravel and crushed rocks other than those containing dangerous substances: waste code 01 04 08

Acceptable uses:

• structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction
• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material
• agricultural improvement schemes
• ecological improvements, wetland schemes and lakes

Waste sand and clays: waste code 01 04 09

Acceptable uses:

• structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction
• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material
• agricultural improvement schemes
• ecological improvements, wetland schemes and lakes

Mollusc or crustacean shells from which the soft tissue or flesh has been completely removed: waste code 02 02 02

Acceptable uses:

• surface treatment of roads and tracks
• drainage

Soil from cleaning and washing beet: waste code 02 04 01

Acceptable uses:

• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material
• agricultural improvement schemes
• ecological improvements, wetland schemes and lakes

Material you deposit in place of non-waste topsoil must meet the British Standard for topsoil BS 3882:2015.

Bottom ash and slag from power stations (furnace bottom ash): waste code 10 01 01

Acceptable uses: structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction.

The waste must meet the relevant civil engineering standards for use.

Pulverised fuel ash from power stations: waste code 10 01 02

Acceptable uses:

• structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction
• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material

The waste must meet the relevant civil engineering standards for use.

Gypsum (solid only): waste code 10 01 05

Acceptable use: agricultural improvement schemes.

Gypsum (sludge only): waste code 10 01 07

Acceptable use: agricultural improvement schemes.

Incinerator bottom ash: waste code 10 01 15

Acceptable uses: structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction.

The waste must meet the relevant civil engineering standards for use.

Wastes from the processing of slag: waste code 10 02 01

Acceptable uses: structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction.

Unprocessed slag: waste code 10 02 02

Acceptable uses: structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction.

Furnace slag (from casting of ferrous pieces): waste code 10 09 03

Acceptable uses: structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction.

Furnace slag (from casting of non-ferrous pieces): waste code 10 10 03

Acceptable uses: structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction.

Waste ceramics, bricks, tiles and construction products (after thermal processing): waste code 10 12 08

Acceptable uses:

• structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction
• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material
• road or track construction and repair, hard surfacing or car parks

Waste concrete and concrete sludge: waste code 10 13 14

Acceptable uses: structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction.

End-of-life tyre bales: waste code 16 01 03

Acceptable uses:

• structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction
• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material

Baled tyres must meet the PAS 108:2007 specification.

Concrete: waste code 17 01 01

Acceptable uses:

• structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction
• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material
• road or track construction and repair, hard surfacing or car parks

Bricks: waste code 17 01 02

Acceptable uses:

• structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction
• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material
• road or track construction and repair, hard surfacing or car parks

Tiles and ceramics: waste code 17 01 03

Acceptable uses:

• structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction
• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material
• road or track construction and repair, hard surfacing or car parks

Mixtures of concrete, bricks, tiles and ceramics: waste code 17 01 07

Acceptable uses:

• structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction
• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material
• road or track construction and repair, hard surfacing or car parks

Road base and road planings other than those containing coal tar: waste code 17 03 02

Acceptable uses: road or track construction and repair, hard surfacing or car parks.

You must not deposit bituminous road planings more than 2 metres deep.

Soil and stones (topsoil, peat, subsoil and stones): waste code 17 05 04

Acceptable uses:

• structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction
• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material
• agricultural improvement schemes
• ecological improvements, wetland schemes and lakes

Material you deposit in place of non-waste topsoil must meet the British Standard for topsoil BS 3882:2015.

Dredging spoil: waste code 17 05 06

Acceptable uses:

• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material

You must remove water from dredgings before you use them.

Material you deposit in place of non-waste topsoil must meet the British Standard for topsoil BS 3882:2015.

Track ballast, soil and stones other than those containing dangerous substances: waste code 17 05 08

Acceptable uses:

• structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction
• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material
• road or track construction and repair, hard surfacing or car parks

Track ballast must be free from significant oil and organic contamination.

Material you deposit in place of non-waste topsoil must meet the British Standard for topsoil BS 3882:2015.

Bottom ash and slag (incinerator bottom ash): waste code 19 01 12

Acceptable uses: structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction.

The waste must meet the relevant civil engineering standards for use.

Washed sewage grit (waste from de-sanding only): waste code 19 08 02

Acceptable uses:

• agricultural improvement schemes
• ecological improvements, wetland schemes and lakes

Stone filter media only (if cleaned to remove sewage contamination): waste code 19 08 99

Acceptable uses:

• structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction
• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material
• road or track construction and repair, hard surfacing or car parks

Glass: waste code 19 12 05

Acceptable uses: structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction.

Minerals (such as sand and stones) from the treatment of waste aggregates that are otherwise naturally occurring minerals: waste code 19 12 09

This excludes:

• fines from treatment of any non-hazardous waste
• gypsum from recovered plasterboard

Acceptable uses:

• structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction
• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material

It does not include residual ‘fines’ from mechanical treatment of mixed waste at transfer stations. Source materials must be:

• properly classified as hazardous or non-hazardous
• accurately described (characterised)

Crushed bricks, tiles, concrete and ceramics, including mixtures of materials: waste code 19 12 12

This excludes:

• metal from reinforced concrete
• fines from treating any non-hazardous waste
• gypsum from recovered plasterboard

Acceptable uses:

• structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction
• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material

It does not include residual ‘fines’ from mechanical treatment of mixed waste at transfer stations. Source materials must be:

• properly classified as hazardous or non-hazardous
• accurately described (characterised)

Soil substitutes other than those containing dangerous substances only: waste code 19 12 12

Acceptable uses:

• agricultural improvement schemes
• ecological improvements, wetland schemes and lakes

A ‘soil substitute’ is a material that serves as a direct replacement and performs the same function as top soil. It can only be used on a site where there is no existing soil profile.

You should not include hazardous waste or dangerous substances. The soil substitute must be free from contaminants such as:

• asbestos fragments
• plastics
• glass
• metals
• treated timber
• foils and films

How to comply with your landspreading permit gives guidance on soil substitutes.

Material you deposit in place of non-waste topsoil must meet the British Standard for topsoil BS 3882:2015.

Treated bottom ash including incinerator bottom ash and slag other than that containing dangerous substances only: waste code 19 12 12

Acceptable uses: structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction.

Solid wastes from soil remediation other than those containing dangerous substances: waste code 19 13 02

Acceptable uses:

• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material

Soil and stones (topsoil, peat, subsoil and stones): waste code 20 02 02

Acceptable uses:

• structural fill for building, stabilising slopes, drainage and road construction
• construction of noise bunds, screening bunds, flood defence bunds, containment bunds and golf courses
• landscaping associated with construction work, restoration of mineral workings and general fill material
• agricultural improvement schemes
• ecological improvements, wetland schemes and lakes

Material you deposit in place of non-waste topsoil must meet the British Standard for topsoil BS 3882:2015.