Guidance

Storing and drying waste wood before burning in a Part B co-incinerator: RPS 213

Updated 19 May 2021

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This regulatory position statement (RPS) applies if you want to store and dry waste wood before burning as fuel in a standalone Part B co-incinerator. For more information see Schedule 1, Section 5.1, Part B of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

If you follow the conditions in this RPS you do not need to apply for an environmental permit for a waste operation to store and dry waste wood.

If you cannot comply with the conditions in this RPS you need to apply for an environmental permit.

Conditions you must comply with

You must meet all these conditions to follow this RPS.

You must:

  • hold a Part B permit issued by your local authority which authorises the burning of waste wood
  • only store clean, untreated (grade A) waste wood which is ready to be used as fuel
  • only store and dry waste wood that is to be used in the standalone Part B co-incinerator
  • only store the amount of waste wood necessary to operate the Part B co-incinerator
  • store the waste wood securely and in piles no more than 4 metres high

You must not:

  • store more than 125 tonnes of waste wood at any one time
  • store any waste wood for more than one month
  • shred, chip or pre-treat the waste wood
  • carry out any other waste activity on site under a permit or waste exemption other than drying waste wood using heat from the co-incinerator

You must make sure your activities do 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

A RPS means that the Environment Agency will not normally take enforcement action against you if:

  • 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 30 April 2024. You’ll need to check back then to see if it still applies or if you need to apply for a permit.

Contact the Environment Agency

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.

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