Bespoke waste permit applications: information about your waste activities

We will ask you for the following information when you apply for a new bespoke waste permit. 

If you are applying to change to, or vary, a bespoke waste permit, you only need to give us the information that will be affected by your proposed change.  

Site map

Your site map must:

• include the site boundary marked in green
• identify the part of the site you want to do your waste activities in
• include local features to help us place the site in its local environment
• be drawn to a defined scale
• include a date
  
  

Non-technical summary

We will need you to upload a summary that explains your application. It should be in non-technical language (as much as possible). Avoid technical terms, detailed data and scientific discussion.

Include a description of:

• the regulated facility
• the key technical standards
• the control measures arising from your risk assessment

If your application is for a mobile plant, you must tell us how the activities you want to carry out could impact land quality, describe the mobility of your plant and how you intend to operate.

You will be asked to provide more detailed answers on risk assessment and technical standards later in the application.

Waste activity you are applying for

You will need to describe the waste activity you are applying for at this facility. You can use the following or your own.

• Transfer of waste: household commercial and industrial
• Transfer of waste: clinical
• Transfer of waste: non-biodegradable
• Transfer of waste: hazardous
• Treatment of waste: physical
• Treatment of waste: physico chemical
• Treatment of waste: chemical
• Disposal of waste in lagoons
• Household waste amenity
• Materials recycling
• Mechanical biological treatment (MBT)
• End of life vehicle authorised treatment (ELV ATF)
• Incineration
• Composting
• Anaerobic digestion
• Other biological treatment of waste
• Pet cemetery
• Landfill gas engine (less than 3 megawatts)
• Deposit for recovery
• Inert landfill
• Closed landfill
  
  

Treating batteries

You will need to tell us if you plan to treat batteries and, if so, upload a document telling us how.

Disposal and recovery codes

Identify the Waste Framework Directive Annex I and II Disposal and Recovery codes that apply to each waste facility.

You should be aware of requirements:

• set out in the waste regulations
• in relation to mixing of hazardous waste that may affect your proposals

You will need to take all measures available to you, as are reasonable in the circumstances, to apply the waste hierarchy.

Types of waste accepted and restrictions

If your activities take waste you need to tell us which wastes you want to receive for each activity.

For each waste you want to receive activity, you need to provide the List of Wastes code and description.

If the waste is marked with an asterisk in the list of wastes, the waste is hazardous. Remember include the asterisk for that waste as it is part of the code.

Restrictions

You may wish to, or have to, restrict the type of waste you receive for a specified activity. This might be for safety or legal reasons. The restriction could be based on:

• the quantity of the waste (for example, 16 06 01* lead batteries – no more than 500 tonnes)
• the description of a particular waste within a code (for example, 16 01 03 – bicycle tyres only)
• hazardous property (for example, no corrosive waste (H8))
• physical form (for example, 06 03 11* solid salts and solutions containing cyanides – no liquids)
• the nature or attribute of the waste (for example, no odorous wastes)
• excluding specific substances [at specific concentrations] (for example, no chromium (VII) substances [greater than 1000 ppm])
• container type or size (for example, no intermediate bulk containers)
  
  

Depositing waste for recovery

If you are applying for a permit to deposit waste for recovery we will need a waste recovery plan. We strongly recommend you send this to us before you apply for a permit. 
 

Emissions to air, water and land

For each waste activity, you will need to tell us about point source emissions resulting from your operating techniques for each of your waste facilities.

The table will ask you for:

• Emission point reference and location: give the reference for each emission point and a description of the location, as shown on your site plan
• Source
• Parameter - for example, ‘Oxides of Nitrogen, expressed as NO2’
• Amount - maximum amount justified by H1 assessment
• Unit - for example, ‘mg/m3’

You will also need to upload your site plan that shows each emission point.

Technical standards

You will need to have read How to comply with your environmental permit and, where relevant, any activity specific technical guidance note that applies to your waste facility.

The activity-specific technical guidance notes are listed in Part 7 of How to comply with your environmental permit.

You will need to list the relevant technical note or notes you are planning to use. This will normally be 'How to comply’ plus any relevant activity specific notes referred to in Part 7.

Decide whether or not you can meet the technical standards

If you are using the relevant standard set out in the technical guidance note, we do not require you to justify it.

You should use the terminology from the technical guidance note and make reference to the relevant sections in the technical guidance. This will ensure that we are clear as to the technical standards you are proposing.

Where the technical guidance sets out a single standard, you need to list it to confirm you are adopting that standard.

Where:

• there is no technical standard
• the technical guidance is not detailed enough
• you propose an alternative standard

you must justify that your proposed technical standard is appropriate.

You must list the options you have chosen to control emissions from each waste facility. For mobile plant this must apply to the plant itself and not a deployment site.

Environmental risk assessment H1

The environmental risk assessment H1 provides a methodology for comparing different techniques both in terms of comparing impacts and cost and benefits.

You should use the H1 assessment options appraisal methodology to justify each of the decisions you have made in selecting technical standards. Where you wish to use an alternative methodology it must address the same issues as in H1 to an equivalent level of detail.

Your justification may be that your proposals provide the same or better environmental protection as those in the guidance. Where they provide lower protection, but you are hoping to justify them on the basis of lower cost, the H1 assessment provides a methodology for comparing different techniques both in terms of comparing impacts and cost and benefits. Where you wish to use an alternative methodology it must address the same issues as in H1 to an equivalent level of detail.

Upload the documents to the application. 

Illustrate the configuration using block diagram or diagrams to help describe the process.

Management systems

You must have an effective, written management system in place that identifies and reduces the risk of pollution. You may show this by using a certified scheme or your own system.

Your permit requires you (as the operator) to ensure that you manage and operate your activities in accordance with a written management system. We expect that your full management system will be in place by the time of the permit issue as it will be part of the first inspection of your site.

You must send a summary with your application. It must include enough information to allow us to assess whether your full system does meet the standards set out in our guidance.

You can find guidance on management systems in How to comply with your environmental permit. We have also developed environmental management toolkits for some business sectors which you can use to produce your own management system.

Management plans

You will need to provide some or all of the following for each waste activity.

Emissions management plan

Where the technical guidance note or H1 assessment shows that emissions, apart from those to land and water, are a key issue, you must send us your emissions management plan. Upload the documents to the application. Emissions to land and water should always be addressed.

Odour management plan

Where the technical guidance note or H1 assessment shows that odours are a key issue, you must send us your odour management plan. Upload the documents to the application. If you think that odour is unlikely to be a problem from your activities, please say so and briefly describe why.

Noise and/or vibration management plan

Where the technical guidance note, H1 or H3 assessment shows that noise or vibration are key issues, you must send us your noise and/or vibration management plan. Upload the documents to the application. If you believe that noise is unlikely to be a problem from your activities, please say so and briefly describe why.

Fire management plan

Where our fire guidance note shows that you store materials or are carrying out an activity for which the risk of fire is a key issue, you must send us your fire management plan. Upload the documents to the application.

Monitoring

Give a description of the measures you will put in place to monitor emissions.

This should:

• include any environmental monitoring (for example, bio-aerosol monitoring, surface water or groundwater, noise, ambient air monitoring, process and land monitoring)
• describe the frequency of any monitoring
• the measurement methodology you will use
• the procedure for evaluating your results

You must provide a permanent means of access to monitoring points.

Point source emissions to air only

To comply with the technical requirements of methods used to sample point source emissions to air, you must upload an appropriate sample location.

For new waste facilities, the sample location and associated facilities must be considered at the design stage.

Technical Guidance Note (TGN) M1 on sampling requirements for monitoring point source emissions to air, provides guidance on:

• the selection of the sampling position
• sampling plane and sampling points
• access, facilities and services required
• safety considerations
  
  

Waste facilities that accept clinical waste

You should refer to Clinical waste: EPR5.07 and decide whether you will meet the technical standards described.

If you do not meet the standards in EPR5.07 you must tick ‘no’ and provide a document giving justification for your alternative proposals that you feel are equivalent to those standards. We will check that they represent the Best Available Techniques for your activities.

If your procedures are fully in line with the standards set out in EPR5.07 then you should tick the ‘yes’ box and provide the procedure reference. There is no need for you to supply a copy of the procedure.

We will not give you a permit for a new waste operation if your standards do not meet those in EPR5.07 or reach an equivalent standard.

If you would like to accept a waste type not included in section 2.1 of EPR5.07 then you need to submit a full justification as part of the application.

Layout plans

Layout plans should be clear, legible and, where possible, drawn to scale. If drawn to scale, ensure that the scale is stated on the plan. The plan should be drawn to a scale/size that ensures it can be easily read, preferably on A3 size paper or bigger.

You should identify where the site is based by including and labelling local details (topographical features), such as named roads, watercourses and buildings. Site infrastructure should be identified and labelled and, where relevant, additional information provided, including storage capacities, types of waste that can be stored and emission points to air, ground, water and sewer. A key can be used to help identify the infrastructure shown on the plan and a colour code can be used to help distinguish between different areas of the site. The plan should identify the installation boundary of the regulated facility, along with the boundaries of any waste operations that are carried out on the same site.

Process flow diagrams should be provided for each plant shown on the layout plan and for each treatment activity that you are applying for. The diagrams should be clear, legible and easy to follow, using identified symbols and colours in a consistent way to represent the individual plant and processes that are used. The diagrams should be labelled and, where required, provided with a key. The diagrams should show the inputs (including raw materials, wastes and energy) to each treatment plant, the distinct stages of the treatment processes and their outputs (including emissions and residual wastes). The diagrams must clearly show the flow direction of the treatment process. The diagrams should also include other relevant details, such as bypasses, control loops, recirculation lines and connections with other associated plant, and relevant operational values such as minimum, normal and maximum flow, temperature and pressure, etc.

Upload the plan to your application.

Waste facilities that accept hazardous waste

if you are applying for an operation in the hazardous waste disposal or recovery sector for the relevant aspects of your waste operation based on Sector Guidance Note 5.06.

You should refer to Sector Guidance Note 5.06 (S5.06) and decide whether you will meet the technical standards described in that guidance.

If you do not meet the standards in S5.06 you must tick ‘no’ and provide the reference and a copy of the justification for your alternative proposals that you feel are equivalent to those standards. We will check that they represent the Best Available Techniques for your activities.

If your procedures are fully in line with the standards set out in S5.06 then you should tick the ‘yes’ box and provide the procedure reference. There is no need for you to supply a copy of the procedure.

Layout plans

The layout plans should be clear, legible and, where possible, drawn to scale. If drawn to scale, ensure that the scale is stated on the plan. The plan should be drawn to a scale/size that ensures it can be easily read, preferably on A3 size paper or bigger.

You should identify where the site is based by including and labelling local details (topographical features), such as named roads, watercourses and buildings. Site infrastructure (including storage tanks, bays, silos, reception areas, sumps, bunds, firewalls, interceptors, penstock valves, wash out areas, buildings/covered areas, areas of kerbing and hardstanding, areas of grass/ vegetation/grave, etc.) should be identified and labelled and, where relevant, additional information provided, including storage capacities, types of waste that can be stored and emission points to air, ground, water and sewer. A key can be used to help identify the infrastructure shown on the plan and a colour code can be used to help distinguish between different areas of the site.

The plan should identify the boundary of the regulated facility, along with the boundaries of any waste operations that are carried out on the same site.

Upload the plan to your application.

If you treat waste

If you treat waste, you need to tell us how you will do that treatment for each of the activities that you want permitted. Section 2.1.4 to Sector Guidance note S5.06 gives general principles for treatment and sections 2.1.5 to 2.1.15 gives specific principles for certain treatment processes; for example, oil processing, drum washing. You should tell us how your treatment follows these principles for each waste you want to process.

Treatment plant or plants should be identified and labelled, along with any associated infrastructure (including pipework), equipment and emission points.

Process flow diagrams should be provided for each plant shown on the layout plan and for each treatment activity that you are applying for. The diagrams should be clear, legible and easy to follow, using identified symbols and colours in a consistent way to represent the individual plant and processes that are used. The diagrams should be labelled and, where required, provided with a key. The diagrams should show the inputs (including raw materials, wastes and energy) to each treatment plant, the distinct stages of the treatment processes and their outputs (including emissions and residual wastes). The diagrams must clearly show the flow direction of the treatment process. The diagrams should also include other relevant details, such as bypasses, control loops, recirculation lines and connections with other associated plant, and relevant operational values such as minimum, normal and maximum flow, temperature and pressure, etc.

Upload the plan to your application.

Inert landfills

Refer to our ‘Inert Waste Guidance: Standards and Measures for the Deposit of Inert Waste on Land’ and decide whether you will meet the standards and recommendations laid out in that guidance. If you plan to deviate from these you must submit written justification for your alternative proposals that you feel are equivalent to those in the guidance. We will not give you a permit if your proposals do not meet those in the Inert Waste Guidance or an equivalent level.

After reading the Inert Waste Guidance and completing your H1 assessment you should submit documentation which shows how you will control emissions and manage your site, including monitoring plans, landfill engineering, development and maintenance of infrastructure, and so on.

As well as the risk assessments required by H1 Landfill Annex, the following are key issues for landfill and management plans should be uploaded as part of your application:

• Waste Acceptance Procedures
• Closure and aftercare procedures
  
  

Information to help us consult

We need to consult the right authorities if your waste operation will involve the release of anything to a sewer, harbour or any relevant coastal or territorial water.

You will need to tell us:

• the name of the sewerage undertaker if you will release anything to sewer
• the name of the harbour authority if you will release anything into a harbour
• the name of the fisheries committee if you will release anything into relevant territorial waters or coastal waters within the sea fisheries district of that fisheries committee