Guidance

Leaving decommissioned pipes in the ground: RPS 8

Updated 14 February 2018

This guidance was withdrawn on

You do not need an environmental permit for decommissioned pipes which remain undisturbed in the ground.

This is because certain wastes are excluded from meeting Waste Framework Directive requirements including:

  • land (in situ) including unexcavated contaminated soil and buildings permanently connected with the land

We believe ‘land in situ’ covers decommissioned pipes that are left ‘in situ’. Therefore leaving them undisturbed in the ground is not a waste operation under the Environmental Permitting Regulations.

Applies to England

Old pipes that are taken out of use (decommissioned) are classified as waste. If you leave the pipes in the ground you’re carrying out a waste disposal operation that would normally need an environmental permit.

If you follow the conditions in this regulatory position statement (RPS) you do not need to apply for a permit to leave decommissioned pipes in the ground when replacing them with new pipes.

This RPS does not affect other statutory requirements which apply to the way in which asbestos pipes are dealt with.

Conditions you must comply with

You must meet these conditions to follow this RPS.

You must:

  • remove from site any excavated sections or broken pieces of pipe that are not fully contained and take them to a suitably authorised site - following the requirements of the Hazardous Waste Regulations where relevant
  • keep records of the condition and location of pipes and, if asked, give these records to any person likely to work on the disturbed pipes
  • manage the disposal of any redundant asbestos cement pipe, or pipe burst material, as hazardous waste if they’re exposed by future activity

You must make sure that your activity does not endanger human health or the environment.

You 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

Enforcement

An RPS means that the Environment Agency will not normally take enforcement action against you provided:

  • your activity meets the description set out in this RPS
  • you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS
  • your activity does not (and is not likely to) cause environmental pollution or harm human health

When to check back

This RPS will be reviewed by April 2020. You will need to check back then to see if it still applies or if you need to apply for a permit.

Contact the Environment Agency

Contact the Environment Agency if you need help.

General enquiries

National Customer Contact Centre
PO Box 544
Rotherham
S60 1BY

Email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk

Telephone 03708 506 506

Telephone from outside the UK (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm GMT) +44 (0) 114 282 5312

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.