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Guidance

Waste collection authorities contingency planning: RPS 79

Updated 30 June 2026

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2026

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/waste-collection-authorities-contingency-planning-rps-79/waste-collection-authorities-contingency-planning-rps-79

This regulatory position statement (RPS) does not change your legal requirement to:

  • have an environmental permit where one is required
  • comply with the conditions of your environmental permit

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

  • 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

Activity this RPS applies to

This RPS applies to:

  • waste collection authorities
  • contracted providers working for a waste collection authority

This RPS only applies to operating additional temporary collection sites for a waste operation during a period of disruption to normal services, such as strike action or adverse weather.

Conditions you must comply with

You must:

  • get the Environment Agency’s agreement by email before you use this RPS – you must give details about the additional sites you will use including the start and end dates

  • 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

  • have people on site during operational hours
  • place waste directly into containers or vehicles designed to carry waste and not store it on the ground
  • make sure the site is secure

You must not:

  • accept asbestos or oil – these waste types must be taken to a suitably permitted site
  • keep waste on site overnight

When you must check back

The Environment Agency intends to review this RPS by 30 May 2029.

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. Use the ‘Get emails about this page’ feature on the RPS publication page.

If you cannot comply with this RPS

If you operate under this RPS but can no longer comply with it, you must:

Contact the Environment Agency

If you have any questions about this RPS, email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk with RPS 79 in the subject.

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