Guidance

Pet cemeteries: bury and spread ash regulatory position statement

Published 19 June 2013

This guidance was withdrawn on

We have replaced this regulatory position statement with Scattering or burying ash at a pet cemetery: Low Risk Waste Position 89.

Applies to England and Wales

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pet-cemeteries-bury-and-spread-ash-regulatory-position-statement/pet-cemeteries-bury-and-spread-ash-regulatory-position-statement

You usually need a permit if you bury or spread ash.

However, if your site is in England or Wales and you comply with the conditions in this guidance you don’t need to apply for an environmental permit to bury or spread ash.

You don’t currently need a permit under these specific circumstances because the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) consider it to be low risk and have issued this ‘regulatory position statement’ (RPS).

1. Activity and conditions you must comply with

This RPS covers the burial and scattering of ashes arising from the cremation of pet carcasses and their immediate wrappings provided the:

  • burial or scattering is carried out at a pet cemetery registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)
  • ash is buried at a density which does not exceed an average of 20kg per square metre
  • burial or scattering of ash is not carried out on grazing land

You must make sure the burial and scattering 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

In England, if you can’t meet all of the above criteria you must apply to the Environment Agency for a bespoke permit to bury or spread ash.

In Wales, if you can’t meet all of the above criteria you must apply to NRW for a bespoke permit to bury or spread ash.

2. Comply with the regulatory position statement

This RPS means that the Environment Agency and NRW will not normally take enforcement action against you if you haven’t applied for a permit, provided:

  • your activity meets the description set out in this RPS
  • you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS
  • your activity doesn’t (and isn’t likely to) cause environmental pollution or harm human health

3. When to check back

This RPS will be reviewed by August 2017.

You’ll need to check back then to see whether the statement still applies or if you need to apply for a permit.

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