Guidance

S2 waste exemption: storing waste at a secure site

The S2 waste exemption allows you to store specific waste at a secure intermediate site, separate to where the waste was produced, before transportation to another site for recovery.

From:
Environment Agency
Published
12 September 2019
Last updated
10 May 2024 — See all updates

Applies to England

Waste exemptions are changing and this will affect anyone who carries out a waste exemption activity. Defra’s consultation supplementary response document and its annexes explain the changes. This sets out which exemptions will be withdrawn or restricted. Changes to the exemptions are likely to start in 2025 but timescales have not been finalised.

Types of activity you can carry out

These include:

  • storing construction and demolition waste that can be reused without treatment, at an intermediate site before it is moved to another place to be reused
  • storing olive pulp and marble chips at a port before it is moved to another place to be recovered

Types of activity you cannot carry out

You cannot:

  • treat waste under this exemption - see the section ‘related exemptions’
  • store waste destined to be disposed of - see the section ‘related permits’
  • store mixed waste
  • mix hazardous with non-hazardous waste.
  • register this exemption to increase the storage capacity at the place where another treatment exemption such as T1, T4, T11 or a U activity is carried out

Types of waste you can store

The waste codes are those listed in the List of Wastes (LoW) Regulations. You need to make sure your waste fits within the relevant waste code and description.

Waste code Type of waste Storage limit (at any one time) Period (months)
161002 aqueous paint related waste only 1,000 litres 6
160601 *
160602 *
160603 *
160604
160605
200133 *
200134		 batteries 10 tonnes 6
150104
200140		 cans and foil only 500 tonnes 12
140601 * CFCs, HCFCs and HFCs 18 tonnes 6
170101
170102
170103
170107
170202
170203
170401 to 170407
170504
170604
170802		 construction and demolition waste (non-hazardous) capable of being used in existing state only 100 tonnes 12
200125 edible oil and fat only 5,000 tonnes 12
100207 * electric arc furnace dust only 2,500 tonnes 3
020104 farm plastics (non-packaging only) 500 tonnes 12
070213
150101
150102
150105
200139		 Food and drink cartons 500 tonnes 12
101112
150107
160120
170202
191205
200102		 glass 5,000 tonnes 12
020102 mammalian protein only 60,000 tonnes 12
020202 mammalian tallow only 45,000 tonnes 12
200307 mattresses only 5 tonnes 3
010408
191209		 marble chips only 5,000 tonnes 12
020304 olive pulp/pellet only 5,000 tonnes 3
080111 *
080112
200127 *
200128		 paints (excluding specialist and industrial paints, wood preservatives, aerosol and spray paints, inks, adhesives and resins) pending reuse as paints only 10,000 litres 6
030307
030308
150101
191201
200101		 paper and cardboard (excluding food and drink cartons) only 15,000 tonnes 12
090107
090108		 photographic films and papers 50 tonnes 12
070213
120105
150102
160119
191204
200139		 plastic 500 tonnes 12
100101 poultry litter ash only 3,000 tonnes 12
080318
150102
160216
200139		 printer cartridges only 5,000 units 6
170301 *
170302
170504		 road planings, waste road chippings, road sub-base only 500 tonnes 12
020110
160117
160118
170401
170402
170403
170404
170405
170406
170407
170411
191202
191203		 scrap metal 15,000 tonnes 6
090110
090111 *
090112		 single use cameras 400 cubic metres 6
020401
020399		 soils from cleaning fruit and veg only 100 tonnes 6
100316
100405 *
100504
100511
100604
100811
100899		 solder metal, skimmings, ashes and residues 100 tonnes 3
140602 *
140603 *
200113 *		 solvents and solvent mixtures 5 cubic metres 6
100101
100102
100105
100115		 synthetic gypsum and pulverised fuel ash only 2,500 tonnes 3
040222
150109
191208
200110
200111		 textiles and clothes 1,000 tonnes 12
160103
191204		 tyres, tyre chip and crumb 40 tonnes 3
110113 *
120301 *
160708 *		 waste cleaning solution containing 2% sodium metasilicate and 1 to 2% waste oil only 3 tonnes 3
160211 *
160213 *
160214
160216
200121 *
200123 *
200135 *
200136		 WEEE 400 cubic metres 6
030301
150102
150103
200138		 wine bottle corks only 500 tonnes 12
030105
170201
170204 *
191206 *
191207
200137 *
200138		 Wood, including telegraph poles and railway sleepers (hazardous and non-hazardous) 100 tonnes 12

(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.

Conditions

The conditions are:

  • each type of waste must be stored separately
  • the storage must take place at a secure place
  • the storage of the waste is pending its recovery elsewhere
  • each waste shall not be stored for longer than the specified time period

The additional specific conditions apply to some specified types of waste.

Aqueous paint related waste only

  • the waste is stored in a container
  • the waste is stored with secondary containment

Batteries:

  • the waste is stored in a container
  • the storage place has sealed drainage

CFCs, HCFCs and HFCs:

  • the waste is stored in a container
  • the waste is stored with secondary containment

Edible oil and fat only:

  • the waste is stored in a container
  • the waste is stored with secondary containment

Electric arc furnace dust only:

  • the waste is stored indoors
  • the waste is stored at a dock before being exported or after being imported
  • the waste must arrive at the storage place in bags and must be stored there in bags or in drums

Farm plastics (non-packaging):

  • the waste is stored indoors

Glass:

  • the storage place has sealed drainage

Mammalian protein only:

  • the waste is stored indoors

Mammalian tallow only:

  • the waste is stored indoors

Mattresses only:

  • the waste is stored indoors

Olive pulp and pellet:

  • the storage place has sealed drainage
  • the waste is stored with secondary containment
  • the waste is stored at a dock before being exported or after being imported

Paints (excluding specialist and industrial paints, wood preservatives, aerosol and spray paints, inks, adhesives and resins) pending reuse as paints:

  • the waste is stored in a container
  • the waste is stored with secondary containment

Paper and cardboard (excluding food and drink cartons):

  • the waste is stored in a baled form, in a container or indoors
  • within the quantity limit specified and despite this additional specific condition, up to 1,000 tonnes may be stored outdoors as long as it is stored in an enclosure designed and maintained to prevent litter escaping

Photographic films and papers:

  • the waste is stored in a baled form, in a container or indoors

Poultry litter ash only:

  • the waste is stored indoors
  • the waste is stored at a dock before being exported or after being imported

Printer cartridges only:

  • the waste is stored indoors

Scrap metal:

  • the storage place has sealed drainage
  • the waste is stored at a dock before being exported or after being imported

Solder metal, skimmings, ashes and residues:

  • the waste is stored in bags or in drums

Solvents and solvent mixtures:

  • the waste is stored in a container
  • the waste is stored with secondary containment

Synthetic gypsum and pulverized fuel ash only:

  • the waste is stored indoors
  • the waste is stored at a dock before being exported or after being imported
  • the waste must arrive at the storage place in bags and must be stored there in bags or in drums

Tyres, tyre chip and crumb:

  • the total quantity of waste stored together does not exceed 10 tonnes; this is to reduce the risk of fire spreading

Waste cleaning solution containing 2% sodium metasilicate and 1% to 2% waste oil only:

  • the waste is stored in a container
  • the waste is stored with secondary containment

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE):

  • you must comply with the requirements in paragraph 1 of Annex VIII of the WEEE Directive
  • the WEEE is stored on an impermeable surface
  • where you are storing WEEE containing hazardous materials or fluids, or storing whole appliances or parts that are to be reused, the WEEE is stored with weatherproof covering

What else you need to know

Hazardous waste is subject to the Hazardous Waste Regulations.

T1: Cleaning, washing, spraying or coating relevant waste

T2: Recovering textiles

T4: Preparatory treatments, such as baling, sorting, shredding

S1: Storing waste in secure containers

You will need an environmental permit if you want to store:

  • waste at an intermediate site for treatment or use not covered in related exemptions or under a permit for recovery
  • mixed waste at an intermediate site for treatment
  • waste prior to disposal

Find out more about environmental permits for waste.

Register a S2 exemption

You need to register this exemption with the Environment Agency if you meet the requirements.

Updates to this page

Published 12 September 2019
Last updated 10 May 2024 show all updates

  1. Updated the message at the start to say changes to exemptions are expected to start in 2025 but that timescales have not been finalised.

  2. Clarified the conditions for waste electrical and electronic equipment.

  3. We have added information about changes to this waste exemption that are likely to happen during 2024 to 2025.

  4. First published.

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