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Guidance

Waste exemption: T21 recover waste at a waste water treatment works

From:
Environment Agency
Part of:
Waste exemptions: treating waste and Water
Published:
28 April 2014

Allows you to recover waste, such as sludge from a septic tank or cesspool, which needs further treatment at a waste water treatment works.

Types of activity you can carry out

Includes storing and treating septic tank sludge at a sewage treatment works.

Types of activity you can’t carry out

You can’t:

  • use this exemption to treat waste at locations other than at a water treatment works
  • treat hazardous waste

Type of waste you can treat

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
190801 Screenings
190802 Sewage grit (waste from de-sanding) only
190805 Sludge from treating urban waste water
190899 Centrate liquor only
190902 Sludge from water clarification
190903 Sludge from decarbonation
190906 Solutions and sludge from regeneration of ion exchangers
200304 Septic tank sludge
200306 Waste from sewage cleaning
200399 Cesspool waste and other sewage sludge only

Quantity of waste you can treat

You can treat up to 100,000 cubic metres of waste over any 12-month period.

Key conditions

The waste must be stored and treated in a secure location with sealed drainage.

T20 – treating waste at a water treatment works.

Register this exemption

You must register this exemption with the Environment Agency if you will meet the requirements:

Register an exemption.

Definitions

Hazardous waste – see How to classify different types of waste.

Sealed drainage – a drainage system with an impermeable surface that makes sure that:

  • no liquid will run off the surface apart from via the system
  • except where they may be lawfully discharged, all liquids entering the system are collected in a sealed sump

Secure – a container, lagoon or other place is secure in relation to waste kept in it if:

  • all reasonable precautions are taken to make sure the waste can’t escape
  • members of the public can’t gain access to the waste
Contents

Document information

Published: 28 April 2014

From: Environment Agency

Part of: Waste exemptions: treating waste Water