Guidance

Storing waste at a collection point: RPS 269

Published 26 March 2025

Applies to England

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/storing-waste-at-a-collection-point-rps-269/storing-waste-at-a-collection-point-rps-269

This regulatory position statement (RPS) does not change your legal requirement to get an environmental permit to temporarily store food waste, separately collected recyclable waste and mixed municipal waste.  

However, the Environment Agency will not normally take enforcement action against you if do not comply with these legal requirements provided:

  • 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 to the temporary storage of the following waste types before it is transported to a suitable permitted facility for recovery:

  • food waste (waste code 20 01 08)

  • glass - such as drinks bottles and rinsed empty food jars (waste code 15 01 07)

  • metal - such as drinks cans and rinsed empty food tins, aluminium foil, aluminium food trays and tubes (waste code 15 01 04 and 20 01 40)

  • plastic - such as rinsed empty food containers and bottles and other plastics (waste code 15 01 02 and 20 01 39)

  • paper and cardboard - such as old newspapers, envelopes, delivery boxes and packaging (waste code 15 01 01 and 20 01 01)

  • mixed municipal waste (waste code 20 03 01)

  • dry mixed recyclables and composite packaging (waste codes 15 01 05 and 15 01 06)

This RPS is aimed at waste collections using small waste collection vehicles to navigate areas where standard waste collection vehicles cannot go, for example, around inner-city boroughs such as Westminster.

This RPS cannot be used at sites with an existing environmental permit for a waste operation or installation.

2. Conditions you must comply with

You must:

  • only receive food and mixed municipal waste which is in sealed bags or containers

  • store waste in sealed containers

  • store waste in a secure location

  • keep records for 2 years to show that you have complied with this RPS and make these records available to the Environment Agency on request

You must notify the Environment Agency before you use this RPS by emailing wastetreatment@environment-agency.gov.uk and put `RPS 269’ in the subject. Include:

  • the operator name
  • the addresses of all your locations that will be using this RPS
  • your contact details

You must not:

  • mix food waste with municipal waste

  • mix source-segregated waste

  • store more than 2,400 litres of food waste at any one time

  • store more than 11,000 litres of municipal waste at any one time

  • store more than 11,000 litres of separately collected recyclable wastes

  • store waste for longer than 48 hours before onwards transportation for recovery

  • carry out any waste treatment activities other than bulking up.

3. Things to note

A sealed container must be leak-proof and weather-proof. It includes a closed-lidded wheelie bins up to 1,100 litres. A tied plastic bag does not qualify as a sealed container.

A secure location is where unauthorised access is prevented.

This RPS relates to activities that the Environment Agency considers are potentially suitable to be an exemption under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

4. When you must check back

The Environment Agency will review this RPS by 1 March 2028.

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

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 wastetreatment@environment-agency.gov.uk with RPS 269 in the subject.

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