Guidance

Using shredded waste carpet in equestrian surfacing: RPS 248

Updated 24 November 2023

This guidance was withdrawn on 19 January 2024

The Environment Agency has withdrawn this RPS due to the risk of chemicals and microplastics in waste carpet.

You now need an environmental permit to use waste carpet in equestrian surfacing.

Applies to England

This regulatory position statement only applies to waste carpet that has been shredded or is in fibre form before it is used, and is from the following sources:

• discarded carpet fibres and carpet offcuts from new carpets manufactured in the UK and the EU that are classed as waste
• treated post-consumer waste carpet with all physical contaminants including, but not limited to metal, carpet grippers and non-carpet based plastics removed

If you comply with all the requirements in this regulatory position statement (RPS) you can use shredded waste carpet in equestrian surfacing without an environmental permit for a waste operation.

This RPS does not apply to any other activity, even if it is under the same legislation. You may still need other permits or licences for other activities you carry out.

Conditions you must comply with

You must only use shredded waste carpet with these List of Waste codes:

• 19 12 08
• 04 02 09
• 04 02 21
• 04 02 22

You must only use:

• the minimum amount required, up to 6.5 tonnes per 100m² of shredded waste carpet (on its own or blended with non-wastes such as sand) to construct a new horse arena, menage, horse gallop or racetrack
• a maximum of 80 tonnes of shredded waste carpet (on its own or blended with non-wastes such as sand) to construct a new horse arena or menage
• a maximum of 420 tonnes of shredded waste carpet (on its own or blended with non-wastes such as sand) to construct a new horse gallop or racetrack
• the minimum amount required, up to 2.5 tonnes per 100m² of shredded waste carpet (on its own or blended with non-wastes such as sand) to top up a horse arena, menage, horse gallop or racetrack
• a maximum of 30 tonnes of shredded waste carpet (on its own or blended with non-wastes such as sand) to top up an existing horse arena or menage
• a maximum of 160 tonnes of shredded waste carpet (on its own or blended with non-wastes such as sand) to top up an existing horse gallop or racetrack

The waste producer and holder must have properly characterised and described the waste carpet as required by their duty of care. It must not contain Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) or display hazardous properties as detailed in the Waste classification technical guidance. The waste carpet must not contain POPs above the limits in the concentration limit table in the guidance identify and dispose of waste containing persistent organic pollutants.

You must only:

• use waste carpet equestrian surfacing which has been produced using waste pre-acceptance, acceptance and process controls which eliminate all physical contaminants
• construct waste carpet equestrian surfaces using construction controls designed to minimise the loss of microplastics, which must include (but not be limited to) a sub-surface membrane, wind breaks and retaining boards or kerbing

You must tell us before you use this RPS by emailing WasteTreatment@environment-agency.gov.uk and including ‘RPS 248’ in your email title. Include:

• your name and company name
• the address of the site where the shredded waste carpet has been produced
• the address where the shredded waste carpet will be used

You must not construct the equestrian surface within a source protection zone 1 or within 50 metres of a watercourse.

You must not construct the equestrian surface within 50 metres of:

• Sites of Special Scientific Interest
• Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)
• Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
• candidate SACs, possible SACs, potential SPAs and sites of community importance
• Ramsar sites
• other nature conservation sites, such as ancient woodlands and local and national nature reserves – check the map
• local wildlife sites

You must keep records for 2 years that show how you have complied with this RPS. You must make these records available to the Environment Agency on request.

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

An RPS means that the Environment Agency will not normally take enforcement action against you for operating without a permit for a waste operation provided:

• your activity meets the description set out in this RPS
• you comply with all the requirements 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

The Environment Agency will withdraw this RPS by 1 January 2024. 

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

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.