Guidance

Temporary storage of recyclable waste at collection points by or for charities: RPS 239

Updated 31 October 2022

Applies to England

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/temporary-storage-of-recyclable-waste-at-collection-points-by-or-for-charities-rps-239/temporary-storage-of-recyclable-waste-at-collection-points-by-or-for-charities-rps-239

This regulatory position statement (RPS) does not change your legal requirement to get an environmental permit when you temporarily store recyclable waste at collection points by or for charities.

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

  • your activity does not cause (and is not likely to cause) pollution of the environment or harm to human health

When this RPS applies

Recycling scheme providers can offer rewards to establishments or undertakings that temporarily store recyclable waste at collection points. Rewards can include payments to the establishment or undertaking that is storing the waste, or financial donations to charities.

Owners of these collection points would normally need an environmental permit for a waste operation if they are paid for collecting this waste.

However, the Environment Agency recognises that small waste collection points encourage people to recycle waste.

This RPS only applies to:

  • activities carried out by a charity, for example a school

  • activities carried out by an establishment or undertaking that gives all the financial benefit for collecting the waste to a charity

  • waste electrical and electronic equipment that can be recycled

  • non-hazardous waste that can be recycled

Conditions you must comply with

You must:

  • store waste in secure containers

  • store waste in a secure place – one where you have taken all reasonable precautions to prevent waste escaping

  • 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 not:

  • store more than 5 cubic metres of waste at any one time

  • store waste for longer than 3 months

  • carry out any waste treatment activity

  • mix different types of waste

When you must check back

The Environment Agency will review this RPS by 31 October 2025. You will need to check back then to see if it still applies or if you need to apply for an environmental permit or take appropriate alternative action.

The Environment Agency can withdraw or amend this enforcement position before it expires if they consider it necessary. This includes where the activity that this RPS relates to has not changed.

If you cannot comply with this RPS

If you operate under this RPS but think you may no longer be able to comply with its conditions, you must tell the Environment Agency immediately.

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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