Guidance

U8: using waste for a specific purpose

U8 exemption allows you to use waste materials (that do not need treating) for a specific purpose to reduce the use of virgin or non-waste materials.

From:
Environment Agency
Published
28 April 2014
Last updated
1 July 2025 — See all updates

Applies to England

There’s a charge for most waste exemptions

This exemption is in band 2. Read waste exemption charges to find out what the charges and charging bands are.

Types of activity you can carry out

These include using:

  • paper pulp or sawdust as animal bedding
  • waste paint in community projects
  • compost produced for growing mushrooms
  • waste wood or stones to construct walls or structures
  • waste water treatment sludge or solutions for treating water

Types of activity you cannot carry out

You cannot:

  • use waste that needs treating before you can use it
  • treat waste under this exemption, see related exemptions
  • mix hazardous waste with other hazardous or non-hazardous waste

Types and quantities of waste you can use

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

Waste code Type of waste Purpose Quantity limit (at any one time)
03 01 05
19 12 07		 Untreated wood shavings, woodchip and sawdust, and oversized compost only Horse manèges 1,000 tonnes
19 12 04 Shredded or granulated rubber and end-of life tyres only Horse manèges 1,000 tonnes
19 12 01 Shredded paper and cardboard Animal bedding 100 tonnes
03 03 05
03 03 10
03 03 11		 Paper fibre, de-inked paper pulp and de-inked paper sludge from paper manufacturing only Animal bedding 100 tonnes
03 01 05
19 12 07		 Untreated wood shavings, woodchip and sawdust, and oversized compost only Animal bedding 100 tonnes
16 01 03 End-of-life tyres Weight on cover sheeting on farms or as crash barriers 40 tonnes
15 01 02 Geotextile bags (flexible intermediate bulk containers) only Reinforcement in construction 100 bags
02 02 02 Shellfish shells (flesh removed) Ornamental purposes 50 tonnes
19 12 05 Crushed glass only Ornamental purposes 50 tonnes
20 01 27*
20 01 28
08 01 11*
08 01 12		 Paints (excluding industrial paint, wood preservatives, aerosol and spray paints, inks, adhesives and resins) Paint 1,000 litres
19 05 99 Compost produced for growing mushrooms only Growing mushrooms 1,000 tonnes
17 01 02
17 09 04		 Stones and bricks in their existing state only Construction of buildings, fencing, barriers, containment or similar above ground construction 100 tonnes
17 02 01
19 12 07
20 01 38		 Non-hazardous wood, including telegraph poles and railway sleepers. Lock gates including balance beams Construction of buildings, fencing, barriers, containment or similar above ground construction 100 tonnes
11 01 05*
11 01 07*		 Ferric chloride and aluminium hydroxide only Treating municipal waste water effluent 50 cubic metres
11 01 05*
11 01 07*		 Ferric chloride and aluminium hydroxide only Treating drinking water 50 cubic metres
19 09 02
19 09 03
19 09 06		 Sludge and solution from treating water only Treating municipal waste water effluent 50 cubic metres
10 02 01
10 02 02
17 05 04
19 12 09		 Blast furnace slag and stones only Filter media at waste water treatment works 50,000 tonnes
17 02 04*
19 12 06*
20 01 37*		 Hazardous wooden telegraph poles and railway sleepers, lock gates including balance beams Construction of buildings, fencing, barriers, containment or similar above ground construction 100 tonnes

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

Key conditions

You should not use any more waste than you need to or this will be considered as waste disposal and will not be exempt.

The waste must not be treated or need to be treated before being used.

In relation to using aluminium hydroxide, ferric chloride and sludges and solutions from treating water:

  • the waste must be stored within secondary containment and in a location with sealed drainage
  • no more than 10 tonnes of ferric chloride or aluminium hydroxide may be used per day within the limit of 50 cubic metres
  • in relation to waste tyres, within the 40 tonnes that can be used for the specified purpose, you can only store piles up to 10 tonnes, each with a gap as a fire break between each pile

Other things you need to know

Hazardous waste is subject to the requirements of the Hazardous Waste Regulations.

Register a U8 exemption

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

Updates to this page

Published 28 April 2014
Last updated 1 July 2025 show all updates

  1. Updated with a link to new information about charges and charging bands for waste exemptions.

  2. Updated the table heading to 'Quantity limit (at any one time)'.

  3. First published.

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