Regulatory Decision 099.2: Waste collection authorities - when you can operate additional temporary collection sites without an environmental permit
This Regulatory Decision (RD) is valid until 31 July 2027 by which time it will be reviewed. You should check back at that time to ensure the RD is still valid.
NRW can withdraw or amend this RD before the review date if we consider it necessary. This includes where the activities that this RD relates to have not changed.
Regulatory Decision
Waste collection authorities or their contracted providers may want to set up temporary waste collection centres for residents, in addition to their fixed, permitted Household Waste Recycling Centres.
This Regulatory Decision (RD) allows waste collection authorities to operate additional temporary collection sites without an environmental permit. Waste will be kept at these sites in containers before being delivered into the usual waste management system.
If you cannot comply with the conditions in this RD, you need to apply for an environmental permit.
Conditions you must comply with
You must meet these conditions to comply with this RD.
You must:
- Be a local authority or working on behalf of the local authority to provide waste management services to residents of the local authority
- Agree the list of additional sites to be used, and the start and finish dates, with Natural Resources Wales before any waste is accepted
- Have staff on site during all operational hours
- Place waste directly into secure containers or vehicles intended to carry waste, and not store it on the ground
- Make sure the site is secure. This means that you must take all reasonable precautions to make sure that waste cannot escape or be accessed by unauthorised persons
- Store no more than
- 30 cubic metres of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
- 100 cubic metres of non-hazardous waste that is not WEEE that will be recovered elsewhere
- 5 cubic metres of any other waste
You must not:
- store waste for longer than 7 days at the temporary site
- mix different types of waste
- carry out any kind of treatment on the waste other than directing different types of waste into different containers
- store any hazardous waste (for example asbestos or oil) - these waste types must be taken to a suitably permitted site
Enforcement
This RD does not change your legal requirement to have an environmental permit for a waste operation when operating additional temporary collection sites without an environmental permit.
However, NRW will not normally take enforcement action if you do not comply with the need for an environmental permit if you meet the requirements in this RD.
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