Management and Compliance Bulletin - 12th January 2026

Legislation

Producer Responsibility Obligation (Packaging and Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulation 2025

These regulations will amend the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024.

Exemptions for charities have been clarified, and new provisions will manage the transfer of obligations due to corporate mergers or changes in brand ownership.

Producers will also be able to offset fees for food-grade plastic packaging waste that is collected and recycled through a qualifying closed-loop system.

This legislation will apply across the UK.

The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 will amend the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 on 1st January 2026.

Updated Definitions

Definitions within the regulations will be updated. Significantly, this includes an updated definition of certain materials to ensure the system operates as intended:

• Fibre-based composite material: packaging material which is made of paperboard or paper fibres, with one or more layers of plastic, and which may also have layers of other materials, to form a single unit that cannot be separated by hand and is not in the paper or board packaging category
• Paper or board: packaging material which is within the description in sub-paragraph (i) of the definition of fibre-based composite material, if the producer who supplies the packaging can provide evidence that its layer or layers of plastic are not more than 5% of the packaging material by mass.
• Closed loop packaging waste:household packaging waste that meets all of the following conditions:
  • It is food-grade plastic household packaging waste.
  • It was supplied by a producer as filled packaging on or after 1st January 2024 and was included by the producer in reported packaging waste data.
  • This waste is collected directly from the consumer by or on behalf of the producer who supplied the packaging, and this is sent for recycling without being mixed with any materials other than household packaging waste supplied by the same producer that meets paragraphs 1 and 2 above.
  • Waste is sent by or on behalf of the producer for recycling by a single reprocessor.

Charity Exemption Scope Revision

Exemptions on charities are refined. This exemption will now only apply with respect to obligations on producers where these would otherwise apply to a charity.

Transfers of Obligations on Mergers and Transfers of Ownership

The regulations now include measures to address how obligations will be transferred in the event of corporate mergers or transfers of ownership of a brand or business.

Closed Loop Packaging Waste

Producers who send qualifying food grade plastic household packaging waste for closed loop recycling may now offset this against the weight of household packaging waste counted when determining producer disposal fees. Amendments made also require scheme administrators to take closed loop recycling data into account when determining whether packaging used reflects what is ‘reasonably necessary to fulfil its purpose’.

Records must be kept by producers collecting and sending qualifying packaging waste for recycling and data must be reported by producers.

Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO).

The amendments enable the introduction of a PRO, an independent, not-for-profit body intended to support the delivery of the extended producer responsibility for packaging.

Charges

Charges under Schedule 1 for producers, compliance schemes, the registration of producers, reprocessors and exporters are increased reflecting inflation.

Enforcement

The scheme administrator will gain powers to charge businesses that previously met producer thresholds but had failed to register, report required data or contribute to waste recycling costs. These powers aim to address unfair advantages that these businesses would otherwise have gained.

Further enforcement powers are also applied against pub operating companies and licensors that fail to meet their obligations under Schedule 10.

For the overview of the changes to the legislation, click here.

Source: Greenspace

The Energy Act 2023 (Commencement No. 4) Regulations 2025

Section 304 of the Energy Act 2023 came into full force on 2nd December 2025.

Section 304 amends the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, in relation to conditions for excluded disposal sites. Excluded disposal sites are sites which are exempt from complying with strict requirements, based on meeting permit conditions and handling only low-level nuclear waste.

For the overview of the legislation, click here.

Source: The Compliance People

Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes (Amendment) (No.2) Order 2025

This order will amend the Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes order 2023 to provide manufacturers with further flexibility on how to comply with the Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) standard schemes for new cars and vans.

Further ZEV allowances may be borrowed from future years and restrictions on converting allowance between schemes will be relaxed.

This amendment came into effect on the 1st January 2026.

For the legislation, click here.

Source: Greenspace

Upcoming legislation

Clean Heat Market Mechanism (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (1st April 2026)

The Clean Heat Market Mechanism (Amendment) Regulations 2025 will amend the Clean Heat Market Mechanism Regulations 2025 on 1st April 2026 and will apply across the UK.

The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) will become the only recognised certification standard.

The definition of a ‘hybrid heating system’ will also be updated so that systems combining a heat pump and a fossil fuel appliance are not required to provide hot water where the building does not need it.

This comes into effect from 1st April 2026.

For the full amendment of the legislation, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

The Noise Emissions in the Environment by Equipment for Use Outdoors (Amendment and Transitional) Regulations 2025 (13th April 2026)

These regulations will update the methods manufacturers and suppliers must use when assessing airborne noise for equipment subject to The Noise Emissions in the Environment by Equipment for Use Outdoors Regulations 2001. These assessment requirements mirror those applied in the European Union (EU) under Regulation (EU) 2024/1208.

This comes into effect from 13th April 2026.

For the full legislation, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2025 (31st October 2026)

These regulations will revoke and replace the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008. A new rating system will apply to energy performance certificates for domestic and non-domestic buildings in Scotland. Assessors will need to be accredited under approved schemes and site-based audits will be introduced for assessors.

This comes into effect from 31st October 2026.

For the overview of the legislation changes, click here.

Source: GOV.Scot

Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) (ESG Ratings) Order 2025 (29th June 2028)

The draft Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) (ESG Ratings) Order 2025 is expected to amend the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001.

Amendments include the provision of Environmental, Social or Governance ratings becoming a regulated activity under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, where ratings are likely to influence decisions to make investments.

The date for these amendments to come into force has not yet been confirmed, although the order is due to later come fully into force on 29th June 2028 and will across the UK.

For the overview of the legislation changes, click here.

Source: Greenspace

Soil Monitoring Law Directive (EU) 2025/2360 (17th December 2028)

This Directive will establish a soil monitoring framework for all soils in the territory of European Union (EU) Member States. Member States will be required to assess soil health, support soil resilience and identify and manage contaminated sites.

Regular soil assessments will be required and national registers will need to be established for potentially contaminated or contaminated sites.

This Directive will apply across all EU Member States, which are required to transpose it into national law by 17th December 2028.

For the overview of the legislation changes, click here.

Source: Greenspace

Guidance

Solidifying Wet Utilities Excavation Waste Using Non-Waste Absorbents: Regulatory Position Statement (RPS) 275

This RPS was first published in January 2023 and was updated on the 30th November 2025 to the new template, and to review and update conditions. This does not change your legal requirement to have an environmental permit where one is required and register an activity as exempt. However, the Environment Agency (EA) will not normally take enforcement action against you if you do not comply with these legal requirements provided that:

• your activity meets the description set out in this RPS,
• you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS.

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.

This RPS applies to solidifying wet excavation wastes and slurries generated during:

• ground excavations – including piling activities,
• drilling,
• tunnelling activities,
• watercourse maintenance,
• utilities excavation works repairing water infrastructure mains and connections.

Conditions you must comply with:

You must:

• only use non-waste stabilisers or absorbents to solidify saturated soils and slurries,
• solidify saturated soils and slurries at the place where they have been excavated or produced,
• solidify saturated soils and slurries to help with handling and transport,
• send the solidified soil or slurry for recovery or disposal at a suitably permitted facility,
• keep records for two years from the date of the last use of the RPS to show that you have complied with this RPS and make these records available to the EA on request.

You must not:

• solidify saturated soils and slurries which have been produced at other sites or locations,
• store or treat the saturated soils and slurries within ten metres of any watercourse.

Things to note:

The construction or excavation waste treated with non-waste stabilisers or absorbents must be correctly classified and characterised. Where this waste is destined for landfill, it must be tested and characterised to ensure it is suitable for landfill.

The EA will review this RPS by 30th November 2028. The EA can withdraw or amend this RPS before the review date if they consider it necessary.

For the full RPS, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Dewatering Bentonite Slurry Waste in a Bentonite Recirculation Plant: RPS 272

This RPS was first published in February 2023, and updated on the 30th November 2025 to the new template, and to review and update conditions. This does not change your legal requirement to have an environmental permit where one is required, nor to register an activity as exempt where an appropriate exemption is available.

However, the EA will not normally take enforcement action against you if you do not comply with these legal requirements provided that:

• your activity meets the description set out in this RPS,
• you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS.

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.

This RPS applies to the dewatering of waste bentonite slurry in a bentonite slurry recirculation plant.

The bentonite slurry waste must have been produced during piling works, or whilst constructing retaining or containment walls. It must be dewatered in plant located where these works are being carried out.

The retaining wall or containing walls must be for the following purposes:

• enabling and supporting excavations,
• supporting wing walls,
• retaining water to create drainage channels,
• stabilising slopes.

Conditions you must comply with:

You must:

• dewater the waste bentonite slurry through a bentonite recirculation plant at the site where the works are taking place,
• dewater the waste bentonite slurry to produce a filter cake to help with handling and transporting,
• send the filter cake for recovery or disposal at a suitably permitted facility,
• have the appropriate permit or trade effluent discharge consent to discharge liquid from the dewatering process, or send it for recovery or disposal at a suitably permitted facility,
• prevent runoff from entering any surface water drains, surface waters or groundwater during treatment and storage activities,
• keep records for two years to show that you have complied with this RPS and make these records available to the EA on request.

You must not:

• dewater waste bentonite slurries not produced on the site where the bentonite slurry treatment plant is located,
• dewater waste bentonite slurries from activities other than those specified in this RPS,
• store or treat waste bentonite within ten metres of any watercourse.

The EA will review this RPS by 30th November 2028. The EA can withdraw or amend this RPS before the review date if they consider it necessary.

For the full RPS guidance, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Heat Treating Waste Plastic For Reuse: RPS 112

This RPS was first published in March 2014 and updated on the 2nd December 2025 to extend the review date and update the ‘Things to note section’. This does not change your legal requirement to comply with the conditions in a T4 preparatory treatment, such as baling, sorting, shredding or U9 using waste to manufacture finished goods waste exemption when you:

• undertake preparatory treatments,
• use waste to manufacture finished goods under those exemptions.

However, the EA will not normally take enforcement action if you do not comply with this legal requirement if you meet the requirements in the RPS. The regulatory position does not apply to any other legal requirements.

Conditions you must comply with:

You must:

• register a T4 or U9 waste exemption,
• comply with all other conditions in the T4 or U9 exemption except for the restriction relating to heat,
• only heat waste plastic as part of an extrusion process,
• only treat non-brominated and non-hazardous plastics, or plastics that have been treated to remove brominated and hazardous plastics before being accepted on site,
• keep records for two years from the date of the last use of the RPS to show that you have complied with this RPS and make these records available to the EA on request.

You must not heat more than 100 tonnes of waste plastic a week.

The EA will review this RPS by 31st December 2027. The EA can withdraw or amend this RPS before the review date if they consider it necessary.

For the full RPS guidance, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Storing and treating waste spectacles: RPS 348

This RPS was published on the 2nd December 2025.  This does not change your legal requirement to have an environmental permit where one is required, or to register an activity as exempt where an appropriate exemption is available. However, the EA will not normally take enforcement action if you do not comply with these legal requirements if you meet the requirements in this RPS.   The regulatory position does not apply to any other legal requirements.

This RPS does not change your legal requirement to:

• have an environmental permit where one is required,
• register an activity as exempt where you are required to do so.

However, the EA will not normally take enforcement action against you if you do not comply with these legal requirements provided that:

• your activity meets the description set out in this RPS,
• you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS.

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.

This RPS applies to collection points who store waste spectacles and operators who store and treat waste spectacles for recovery (waste code 20 01 99).

Conditions you must comply with, you must only:

• store waste at a collection point for up to 12 months,
• store up to 25 tonnes of waste spectacles and their component parts at any one time,
• store and treat up to 200 tonnes of waste spectacles per year,
• treat the waste spectacles by sorting, separation and granulation,
• store and treat waste spectacles in an enclosed building with impermeable pavement.

You must minimise dust emissions from granulation using a dust extraction and abatement system.

You must keep records for two years to show that you have complied with this RPS and make these records available to the EA on request.

An ‘enclosed building’ means a construction designed to provide sheltering cover and minimise emissions of noise, particulate matter, odour and litter. It must be enclosed on all sides, and doorways must be as small as practicable.

The EA will review this RPS by 1st December 2028. The EA can withdraw or amend this RPS before the review date if they consider it necessary.

For the full RPS guidance, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Low risk waste position: miscellaneous

Low Risk Waste Position (LRWP) 76 was withdrawn on 2nd December 2025 and replaced by the RPS Storing and treating waste spectacles: RPS 348.

For the LRWP changes, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Using Whole Waste Tyres: RPS 301 Update

The RPS was first published in July 2024 updated on the 8th December 2025 to include storing and using whole waste tyres as crash protection barriers.

The RPS does not change your legal requirement to have an environmental permit for a waste operation when you store and use whole waste tyres:

• in building construction,
• in escape ladders in water storage reservoirs,
• for fendering systems at quaysides,
• as fendering on boats and vessels,
• as planters used for displaying flowers and plants,
• as barriers for crash protection.

However, the Environment Agency will not normally take enforcement action against you if you do not comply with this legal requirement provided that:

• your activity meets the description set out in this RPS,
• you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS.

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.

You must store whole waste tyres at the site of use. You must not:

• store more whole waste tyres than you are going to use,
• store waste tyres for more than three months before they are used.

You must also:

• get building regulations approval before you use waste tyres in building construction,
• only use waste tyres in structural areas such as foundations and retaining walls,
• ram-fill the waste tyres with earth or other similar inert materials for structural integrity.

You must not:

• store and use more than 1,000 whole waste tyres at any one site,
• use waste tyres in foundations that will be below the water table.

For waste tyres used in escape ladders in any single water storage reservoir, you must not store and use more than 1,000 whole waste tyres.

For waste tyres used in fendering systems at any one quayside, you must not store and use more than 1,000 whole waste tyres.

For waste tyres used in fendering systems on boats and vessels, you must not store and use more than 200 whole waste tyres.

For waste tyres used for planters to display flowers and plants, you must not store and use more than 50 whole waste tyres at any one site.

For waste tyres used as crash protection barriers at any one site, you must not store and use more than 1,000 whole waste tyres.

The EA will review this RPS by 1st December 2028. The EA can withdraw or amend this RPS before the review date if they consider it necessary.

For the full RPS guidance, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Using Backup Flares at Exempt Anaerobic Digestion Plants: RPS 120

This RPS does not change your legal requirement to:

• have an environmental permit where one is required,
• register an activity as exempt where you are required to do so.

However, the EA will not normally take enforcement action against you if you do not comply with these legal requirements provided that:

• your activity meets the description set out in this RPS,
• you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS.

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.

This RPS applies to anaerobic digestion plants which are operated under, and in accordance with, a T24 anaerobic digestion on farms or T25 anaerobic digestion not done on a farm waste exemption.

This RPS only applies if you use backup flares to:

• prevent the release of unburnt biogas and biomethane emissions to the environment, for example from pressure relief valves,
• protect the integrity of the plant during an emergency,
• burn gas if the appliance used for gas to energy cannot operate due to a breakdown, or during routine maintenance.

You must:

• only operate the flare for the minimum period of time needed to resolve the maintenance or emergency issue – prolonged releases to atmosphere are not allowed,
• record the date, time (including duration of use) and reason you carried out flaring,
• keep records for two years from the date of the last use of the RPS to show that you have complied with this RPS and make these records available to the EA on request.

Things to note:

Under these exemptions, operators can only burn gas produced in a specified appliance or more than one appliance with a net rated thermal input of less than 0.4 megawatts (MW) used for producing energy. There is no provision within the exemptions for using backup flares to dispose of biogas or biomethane.

All anaerobic digestion plants operating under these exemptions must have a standby flare available or a means to use and combust biogas and biomethane.

This RPS relates to an activity that the EA considers is potentially suitable to be an exemption under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016

The EA will review this RPS by 1st October 2028. The EA can withdraw or amend this regulatory position before the review date if they consider it necessary.

For the full RPS guidance, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Storing Vehicles Carrying Waste Seized By Regulator: RPS 258

This RPS was first published in July 2022. This RPS has been reviewed by the EA and updated on the 9th December 2025, this does not change your legal requirement to:

• have an environmental permit where one is required,
• register an activity as exempt where you are required to do so.

However, the EA will not normally take enforcement action against you if you do not comply with these legal requirements provided that:

• your activity meets the description set out in this RPS,
• you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS.

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.

This RPS applies to the storage of vehicles carrying waste that have been seized by or on behalf of a seizure authority, whilst carrying out their statutory duties.

You must:

• store the vehicle or vehicles carrying waste in a secure place to prevent unauthorised access,
• give the seizure authority that seized the vehicle or vehicles the storage site’s address and details of the vehicle or vehicles stored,
• keep the waste onboard the vehicle or vehicles, as it was when they were seized,
• store no more than 160 cubic metres of waste at any time at any site,
• to prevent pollution, all waste must be stored in a manner to prevent the ingress of water, reduce odour and to prevent litter or particles from escaping,
• seized vehicles carrying inert waste can be stored on a hardstanding,
• vehicles carrying biodegradable or liquid waste must be stored on an impermeable surface with a sealed drainage system,
• inspect vehicles with waste onboard at least weekly and take appropriate remedial action to stop the waste causing pollution,
• tell the EA as soon as possible if you receive complaints about pollution (using the incident telephone hotline 0800 80 70 60) – you must also tell the seizure authority that seized the vehicle if they are not the EA,
• store the vehicle carrying or transporting waste temporarily and for no longer than one month after the enforcement authority or court have decided to release the vehicle, either back to its owner or for resale or destruction,
• keep records relating to the storage of seized vehicles carrying waste, the disposal of such vehicles and the disposal of any waste contained in them, for a period of three years.

You must not:

• undertake any waste treatment, disposal, sorting or re-packaging activities unless there is a risk of pollution.

Things to note:

The only treatment this RPS allows is the repackaging of the waste in an emergency to prevent pollution. For example, putting a damaged chemical drum into an overdrum to contain leaks.

You must ensure that all vehicles carrying waste and the waste itself do not cause pollution of the ground, air, surface or groundwater.

All records required to be kept under this RPS should be made available to the EA upon request and demonstrate compliance with the RPS conditions.

The EA will review this RPS by 30th April 2028. The EA can withdraw or amend this regulatory position before the review date if they consider it necessary.

For the full RPS guidance, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Operating a Generator For Research, Development and Testing: RPS 220

This RPS was first published in January 2019 and updated on the 12th December 2025. This does not change your legal requirement to have an environmental permit where one is required.

However, the EA will not normally take enforcement action against you if you do not comply with this legal requirement provided that:

• your activity meets the description set out in this RPS,
• you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS,
• your activity does not cause (and is not likely to cause) pollution of the environment or harm to human health.

This RPS applies to generators that form a Tranche B specified generator and undertake research, development or testing of the generator.

You must:

• only test an individual generator with a maximum capacity of 20 Megawatt Thermal (MWth),
• only test more than one generator with a total capacity of less than 50 MWth at any one time,
• ensure the main purpose of operating the generator is for research, development or testing and not for generating electricity,
• write, implement and follow a management system that identifies and minimises the risks of pollution to air from oxides of nitrogen,
• notify the EA by email at combustion@environment-agency.gov.uk before you use this RPS, with RPS 220 in the subject,
• keep records for two years from the date of the last use of the RPS to show that you have complied with this RPS and make these records available to the EA on request.

You must not:

• cause a risk to local air quality,
• adversely affect the countryside or places of special interest.

The EA intends to withdraw this RPS by 31st December 2028. The EA can withdraw or amend this regulatory position before the withdrawal date if they consider it necessary.

For the full RPS guidance, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Dewatering and Depositing Silts From Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS) On Land: RPS 55

This RPS was first published in 2014 and updated on the 16th December 2025 to the new template and to extend the review date. This RPS does not change your legal requirement to:

• have an environmental permit for a waste operation or a groundwater activity where one is required,
• register an activity as exempt where you are required to do so.

However, the EA will not normally take enforcement action against you if you do not comply with these legal requirements provided that:

• your activity meets the description set out in this RPS,
• you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS.

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.

This RPS applies to those responsible for dewatering and depositing silt from sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) that are not inland waters on land. For example, local authorities with adopted SUDS systems, landlords or site owners and sewerage undertakers.

This RPS only applies to SUDS that collect surface water drainage from:

• roof drains,
• residential property driveways,
• private residential car parks,
• roads serving a limited number of residential properties, such as cul-de-sacs, home zones (residential streets where people and vehicles share the whole of the street space) and general access roads,
• private non-residential car parks, for example, at schools and offices, but excluding retail and industrial premises.

You must:

• do sight and smell checks to assess if hydrocarbons are present in the silt and whether further assessment is required,
• follow the waste classification technical guidance, if further assessment is required to make sure the silt is not hazardous,
• remove physical contaminants such as litter from the silt prior to deposit,
• manage silt assessed as hazardous waste through a suitably permitted facility,
• deposit the silt as close as possible to the SUDS where the silt was produced,
• deposit the silt outside the catchment area of the SUDS on land you are responsible for,
• take appropriate measures to prevent silt runoff from silt deposits during heavy rain or loss of storage capacity in the SUDS,
• keep records for two years from the date of the last use of the RPS to show that you have complied with this RPS and make these records available to the EA on request.

You must not:

• dewater and deposit the silt in a groundwater source protection zone 1,
• dewater and deposit more than five cubic metres of silt per hectare over any 12-month period,
• deposit silt onto land adjacent to the SUDS and then move the silt further away, unless any such further deposits are authorised under an environmental permit.

Some SUDS features may be classified as inland waters. Inland waters can, for example, include lakes or ponds, whether natural or artificial. If you remove silt from inland waters you may be able to do this under a D1: depositing waste from dredging inland waters waste exemption instead of this RPS.

The EA intends to review this RPS by 30th  November 2028. The EA can withdraw or amend this regulatory position before the review date if they consider it necessary.

For the full RPS guidance, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Exceeding Waste Wood Storage Limits at Permitted Sites: RPS 361

This RPS does not change your legal requirement to comply with the conditions of your environmental permit.

However, the EA will not normally take enforcement action against you if you do not comply with these legal requirements provided that:

• your activity meets the description set out in this RPS,
• you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS.

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.

This RPS applies to the temporary storage of waste wood destined for incineration, biomass or panel board manufacture in quantities that exceed the limits in your permit. This RPS only applies in circumstances set out in this RPS and where the EA has agreed to the use of this RPS in writing.

This RPS applies when unplanned downtime at your destination energy from waste incineration plant, biomass plant or panel board plants has placed pressure on waste storage capacity. There must be no reasonable contingency capacity available elsewhere.

You must:

• store waste wood in its largest form prior to shredding,
• store waste wood within the permitted boundary,
• store waste wood securely in a manner that prevents loss and access by the public,
• follow the ‘first in first out’ principle to make sure the oldest waste wood is always removed first,
• have the EA’s agreement in writing before you use this RPS,
• comply with any additional site specific and fire prevention requirements specified when we agreed your notification,
• keep records for two years from the date of the last use of the RPS to show that you have complied with this RPS and make these records available to the EA on request.

You must notify the EA by email at wastetreatment@environment-agency.gov.uk.

You must not:

• operate above your permitted waste storage limits without having received written agreement from the EA,
• store wood waste other than those listed in your permit,
• store more wood waste or different types of wood waste than that which has been agreed in writing,
• store waste for longer than has been agreed in writing.

The EA will review this RPS by 31st July 2026. The EA can withdraw or amend this regulatory position before the withdrawal date if they consider it necessary.

For the full RPS guidance, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) For Packaging Producer Data Requirements For 2024 And 2025: RPS 330

This RPS was first published in February 2025 and updated on the 16th December 2025, the RPS now includes a statement on plastic and paper bags supplied in England.

‘Collect 2025 plastic and paper bags data in accordance with regulation 38 of the Packaging Regulations for the period 1 January to 31 December 2025’.

This RPS applies to producer obligations to collect and report data relating to nation of sale, self-managed organisational waste and plastic and paper bags.

This RPS delays the introduction of nation of sale and plastic and paper bags data collection until 1st January 2026 and reporting on or before 1st April 2027.

For the full RPS guidance, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Environmental Permits For ‘Orphan’ Waste Effluent Treatment Plants: RPS 33

This RPS was first published on the 27th March 2014 and updated on the 17th December 2025. The EA have reviewed and updated this RPS.

This RPS does not change your legal requirement to:

• have an environmental permit where one is required,
• comply with the conditions of your environmental permit,
• register an activity as exempt where you are required to do so.

However, the EA will not normally take enforcement action against you if you do not comply with these legal requirements provided that:

• your activity meets the description set out in this RPS,
• you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS.

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.

This RPS applies to ‘orphan’ waste effluent treatment plants. Examples of ‘orphan’ waste effluent treatment plant covered by this RPS include:

• leachate treatment plant at historic landfills which no longer have, or never had, an environmental permit,
• small manufacturing sites that do not exceed the threshold for a Part A (1) installation under the Environmental Permitting Regulations.

A waste effluent treatment plant is ‘orphan’ if the activity it serves is not regulated under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, and one of the following applies:

• the discharge of the treated effluent is authorised by a Water Industry Act trade effluent consent or an Environmental Permitting Regulations schedule 21 stand-alone water discharge permit,
• the treated effluent is sent off site for further treatment or disposal.

This RPS does not apply where the activity is carried on as part of another activity which requires a permit.

You must:

• only treat liquid waste or wastewater produced on site,
• classify the effluent if you export it from your site – see waste classification technical guidance WM3,
• notify the EA by email at wastetreatment@environment-agency.gov.uk before you use this RPS,
• keep records for two years from the date of the last use of the RPS to show that you have complied with this RPS and make these records available to the EA on request.

You must also comply with the conditions in your:

• trade effluent consent if you discharge effluent to the sewerage system,
• stand-alone water discharge activity permit for discharge to surface water,
• groundwater activity permit for discharges to groundwater.

You must not:

• import liquid waste from other sites,
• treat effluent using anaerobic digestion.

The EA will review this RPS by 31st December 2027. The EA can withdraw or amend this regulatory position before the review date if they consider it necessary.

For the full RPS guidance, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Low Risk Waste Position LWRP 27: Storage Furnace Bottom Ash (Withdrawn)

The EA withdrew LWRP 27: storing Furnace Bottom Ash (FBA) at a dockside before export or after import, on the 9th December 2025, as it is no longer needed.

For the RPS storage guidance, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Noise and Vibration: Environmental Permit Application Guidance

The EA have developed guidance and a Noise Advisory Tool (NAT) to help you decide if you need to submit a Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment (NIA) and Noise and Vibration Management Plan (NMP).

When you apply for an environmental permit for an operation, you must consider the potential risk of noise and vibration associated with this. You can assess the risk of noise and vibration by carrying out a NIA.

You may need to carry out an NIA:

• at the permit application stage,
• when applying to vary a permit,
• to comply with specific permit conditions.

You may be asked to submit an NIA and NMP if:

• your activity uses noisy plant or machinery, for example, cooling equipment or fans,
• you’ll be doing any noise or vibration generating operations, such as loading or unloading, shredding, shearing, crushing, grinding, combustion, using trommels and conveyors or moving bulk materials,
• your activities are not contained within buildings,
• some or all of your activities take place at night,
• the area where you are planning to carry out your activity is sensitive to noise, for example, rural areas which may have quieter background sound levels than urban areas,
• there are sensitive receptors close to the site, for example, houses or habitats.

The EA may ask you to submit an NIA and NMP at any stage of the application process.

If your site has ongoing compliance investigations relating to noise and vibration, you must submit an NIA and NMP as part of your environmental permit application.

For assessing the risk of Low Frequency Noise (LFN), you must find out if LFN from proposed operations could cause pollution at surrounding noise sensitive receptors. If you have identified potential LFN pollution, you must submit an NIA and an NMP.

Check the EA’s guidance on Noise and vibration management: environmental permits for more details about assessing LFN.

For the full guidance on how to use the NAT at your site are here.

Source: GOV.UK

Extended Producer Responsibility For Packaging: Recycling Obligations and Waste Disposal Fees

The EA have updated the guidance to explain that you cannot accept any Packaging Recycling Notes (PRNs) or Packaging Export Recycling Notes (PERNS) to meet 2026 recycling obligations until the Report Packaging Data (RPD) service is updated. Currently, any PRNs or PERNS you accept in RPD will go towards your 2025 obligations. Keep any you wish to use towards 2026 obligations in ‘Awaiting acceptance’. This message will be updated when the 2026 obligations calculator is available in RPD.

For example, a PRN or PERN issued under the 2025 accreditation for March can only be accepted toward meeting 2025 recycling obligations. However, you can choose to accept a PRN or PERN issued for waste received or exported by an accredited reprocessor or exporter in December 2025 for meeting 2025 or 2026 recycling obligations.

For the full guidance with updates, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Extended Producer Responsibility For Packaging: Report Packaging Data

The guidance was first published on the 31st August 2023. The EA have updated the guidance with Year 2 illustrative fees added to document collection.

Under EPR for packaging, obligated large producers who supply or import packaging in the UK are responsible for the costs of dealing with packaging waste.

The purpose of this document is to give industry early visibility of the likely waste disposal fees for Year 2 (2026 to 2027). They are likely to change, as producers submit more data, and compliance is monitored by regulators.

Confirmed fees for Year 2 are expected to be published in June 2026.

For the full guidance, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Packaging Data: What to Collect For Extended Producer Responsibility

The guidance was originally published 24th November 2022. The EA have updated the guidance to include information about reporting plastic and paper bags supplied in England and the RPS issued by the EA and other UK nations. Information clarified on composite packaging and fibre-based composites.

The types of materials now include fibre-based composite. You should class a material as ‘fibre-based composite’ if both of the following are true:

• The packaging component contains paperboard or paper fibres.
• The packaging component has one or more plastic layers which are not more than 5% of the packaging material by mass

For the full guidance, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Broadly Equivalent Standards For Packaging And Equivalent Standards For WEEE and Batteries

The guidance was originally published on the 24th March 2015. This was amended on the 18th December 2025 to amend the broadly equivalent standards for packaging and equivalent standards for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and batteries for Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and Vietnam.

For the full guidance, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Materials Facilities: Waste Sampling and Reporting

The EA guidance is to check if you operate a materials facility. Understand your sampling, measuring, recording and reporting requirements.

If you have a permitted waste facility in England and Wales, you need to check if this qualifies as a ‘materials facility’. If it does, you are required to:

• routinely sample and test the composition of the waste material passing through your facility,
• report the results of sampling and testing to your environmental regulator.

This guidance is to help you understand:

• if your facility qualifies as a materials facility,
• the sampling, measuring, recording, and reporting requirements that apply to you if you operate a materials facility,
• how to notify your regulator.

A Welsh translation of this guidance will be added as soon as possible.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own regulations or codes of practice.

The sampling weights, frequencies, categories, recording and reporting requirements in this guidance are statutory requirements. To see the full statutory requirements, you should check The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2023.

For the full guidance, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Policy Papers and Consultations

England

Packaging Producer Responsibility Monitoring Plan 2026

This is the EA proposed monitoring plan for 2026. It includes their monitoring policy and the minimum number of persons they propose to monitor.

For the full policy paper, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Environment Permitting: H5 site condition report – Proposals for updated guidance

This consultation is to seek your views on the proposed updated guidance, including:

• Environmental permitting: produce an application site condition report
• Environmental permitting: maintain your site condition report
• Environmental permitting: produce a surrender site condition report
• Environmental permitting: stage 1 to 3 assessment completed examples
• Environmental permitting: site condition report template
• Withdrawal of the 2013 H5 Site Condition Report and Template PDFs,
• Withdrawal of the 2013 RGN9 – Surrender guidance
• the requirement for standard rules waste operations permits to produce a site condition report at application.

Once this guidance is published, the 2013 site condition report guidance and Regulatory Guidance Note 9 (RGN9) – Surrender will be withdrawn. It is also the EA’s intention to withdraw the 2013 H5 Site Condition Report (SCR) template and replace it with a revised template subject to responses received as part of this consultation.

The consultations close on the 18th January 2026.

For the full consultation documents, click here.

Proposals For Permitting Of Waste Motor Vehicles: Standard Rules Consultation 33

The EA are proposing a new standard rules permit for waste motor vehicles, and a new mandatory standards document that will apply to the standard rules permit. The proposed rules and standards relate to the storage and treatment of waste motor vehicles.

The EA would like your views on the proposed standard rules permit, risk assessment and standards document.

The consultation closes on the 10th March 2026.

For the full consultation documents, click here.

Reserving Water Abstraction Rights

Your comments to the consultation will be used to guide decisions about how to reserve water abstraction rights for the future while enabling continued access to water resources in the short-term.

This consultation focuses on regulating access to water directly from the environment and how the EA allocates water abstraction rights to new water resources proposals.

It does not consider:

• prioritisation of who gets water from water company supplies,

• the temporary reallocation of water abstraction rights during drought or prolonged dry weather,

• the removal of or restriction of existing water abstraction rights due to non-use, under-use, or inefficient use of water,

• the removal or modification of existing water abstraction rights due to the need to address unsustainable abstraction.

These proposals are relevant to:

• current water abstraction or impounding licence holders,

• groundwater investigation consent holders,

• future applicants for water abstraction rights.

Sectors potentially affected include:

• the water industry,

• agriculture,

• electricity supply (power) industry,

• industry/commercial and amenity.

The EA consultation invites you to:

1. Comment on the proposed framework, which is based on existing legislation. This includes seeking views on:

• the proposed approach to determine licence applications to reserve water abstraction rights for strategic water resources schemes,

• the proposed approach to allocate reserved abstraction rights when there are competing demands for water.

2. Consider what measures may need to be put in place in the future (for example, new legislation or governance) to improve the allocation of water abstraction rights as pressures on water resources grow.
3. Identify potential challenges or risks that could arise from implementing the proposed framework, and any suggestions for mitigation.

The consultation closes on 16th February 2026.

For the full consultation documents, click here.

Scotland

Duty Of Care: Code Of Practice For Managing Controlled Waste

The Scottish Government are consulting on the proposed update to the existing Duty of Care Code of Practice (the Code) for managing controlled waste. The Code explains waste management rules which apply to anyone who produces, keeps, imports or manages controlled waste in Scotland. The amended Code has been updated to account for changes since 2012 and implements the requirement for plastic film to be separated and collected for recycling from businesses across the UK.

The consultation closes on 5th February 2026.

For the full consultation documents, click here.

Proposed Amendment To The Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006

This consultation seeks your views on amending the Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006 to change the timing cycles from five years to ten years for all mapping and action plan requirements, remove the requirement to review strategic maps whenever a major development occurs, and to reflect the EU Environmental Noise Directive amendments.

The consultation closes on 11th February 2026.

For the full consultation documents, click here.

Articles

Record Year For Wind And Solar Electricity In Great Britain In 2025

Renewable energy in Great Britain set a record in 2025, generating 127 Terawatt-hour (TWh) of electricity, up from 119 TWh in 2024. Wind remained the largest source (85 TWh, ~30%), while solar power grew by over 30% to 18 TWh (6%), boosted by the sunniest year on record and 250,000 new rooftop installations. At times, solar supplied over 40% of electricity.

Despite progress, gas generation rose to 77 TWh (27%), making electricity slightly more carbon-intensive than in 2024 (126g CO₂/kWh vs. 124g). The UK’s 2030 clean power target of 95% from renewables and nuclear faces challenges due to reliance on gas during low renewable output, grid constraints, and the need for storage and infrastructure upgrades.

Government and experts stress the need for rapid scale-up of renewables, batteries, and nuclear to meet targets and reduce bills. Political debate continues over costs and feasibility.

To read the full article, click here.

Source: BBC

Co-Op To Introduce Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) Certification Across Fresh Produce

The Co-op has announced plans to improve its sustainability across its fresh produce supply chain by adding a policy which requires all UK-grown products to be LEAF Marque certified by January 2027.

The LEAF marque is a standard which recognises sustainable farming that promotes eco-friendly practices, including improving soil health, fostering biodiversity and protecting water resources.

The convenience store retailer plans to implement the environmental certification across its range of produce sourced from British growers and farmers.

The move supports the retailer’s commitment to promoting sustainability across its supply chain. The new certification will be implemented alongside other conservation schemes, including the Red Tractor.

For the full article, click here.

Source: Grocery Gazette

Enforcement Action

Arrest Made In Connection To Large-Scale Waste Dumping Incidents

On Saturday 6th December 2025, the Joint Unit for Waste Crime (JUWC) joined forces with Lancashire Police south rural taskforce and the National Crime Agency to arrest the man in relation to multiple sites of large-scale waste dumping on roadsides and lay-bys.  A 56-year-old man was arrested during a day of action to tackle waste crime in Lancashire.

The JUWC is hosted by the EA and involves 12 partner agencies. It has led or attended 361 multi-agency days of action, which resulted in 186 associated arrests by other agencies by September 2025.

The JUWC recently expanded, doubling in size and increasing its resource and skillset to shut down serious and organised waste criminals. Experienced EA enforcement and investigation officers and ex-police officers brought a wealth of crime-fighting knowledge and tactics.

The unit is targeting waste criminals that cause the most serious harm to the environment and communities, bringing them to justice through strong partnership, intelligence and action.

To read the full article, click here.

Source: GOV.UK

Suspended Prison Sentences For Men Who Ran Illegal Waste Site

An EA investigation discovered waste on a farm in Lincolnshire, including hazardous motor vehicle waste and mixed household and commercial waste. The site is also estimated to have imported around 27,000 tonnes of construction and demolition waste. One of the offenders admitted running a waste site without the necessary environmental permits. They also admitted to disposing of waste in a manner likely to cause environmental pollution, through burning the waste. The offender was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to clear the site of all unpermitted waste, including bonfire residue, by 14th August 2026. The court heard that by operating without a permit, the offender had avoided permitting fees, taxes and infrastructure costs amounting to over £500,000.

Another offender on site admitted operating an unpermitted vehicle breaking business on part of the farm with the above offender’s knowledge. They were given a 10-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months. A third offender admitted failing to take reasonable measures to prevent unpermitted deposits of waste. They received a conditional discharge for two years and a criminal behaviour order.

As part of the investigation by the EA, drone flights captured footage of skip lorries and a grabber machine dropping waste onto a bonfire on the farm site. On 13th April 2022, a court warrant was executed, with the support of Lincolnshire Police officers, and the regulator conducted an unannounced inspection of the farm.

The EA also accepted Enforcement Undertakings (EUs) from three companies which made regular deposits of unpermitted construction and demolition waste to the site without carrying out due diligence checks. This resulted in £98,000 going to environmental charities.

For the full article, click here.

Source: Circular

Cura Terrae Services

Environmental Management Systems (EMS) / ISO 14001

To support you, Cura Terrae have an experienced consultancy team that can help your business to develop, implement and maintain your Environmental Management System/ISO 14001.

Whether you are starting to prepare your system or it is already certified. We will work with you to ensure your system continues to demonstrate your commitment to continuous environmental improvement by protecting the environment and maintaining compliance with legislation.

• ISO 14001 Gap Analysis 
• Environmental Review/Legal Compliance 
• Environmental Management System (EMS) Development and Implementation
• Internal Auditing
• Internal Auditing Training

For further information, click here.

Events

Circular Economy and Resource Management in Site Restoration and Development

21st January 2026 09:30 – 12:00 [Online]

The UK Government’s 2025 consultation on Landfill Tax reform marks a significant shift in waste policy, particularly for developers delivering brownfield land schemes. It is intended to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and prompt circular economy principles, eliminate misdescription of waste and tackle waste crime.

However, the industry is warning that it will instead increase costs, complicate the supply chain and result in more barriers to the effective management and reuse of waste. This will make brownfield site development unviable and negatively impact the delivery of the 1.5 million homes target.

This online event will bring together a panel of speakers working in brownfield site remediation, restoration and development to discuss the challenges facing the sector with regard to the removal and reuse of waste and explore how to overcome barriers and find solutions to embrace a circular economy approach and achieve waste minimisation, resource efficiency and thus more sustainable outcomes.

To review the agenda and register, click here.

Source: Environment Analyst

Big Garden Birdwatch

26th – 28th January 2026

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is holding the Big Garden Birdwatch. The RSPB is asking you to spend an hour noting down every bird that you see in your garden, in a local park or from your balcony. Sign up, count the birds for one hour between the 26th and 28th January and then go online to the RSPB website and tell them what you saw.

Across the UK, over 590,000 people took part in Big Garden Birdwatch 2025, counting a whopping 9.1 million birds. House Sparrows took the top spot, but counts of these chirpy birds are down by 60% compared to the first Birdwatch in 1979. In fact, the UK has lost 38 million birds from its skies in the last 60 years. With birds facing so many challenges, it’s more important than ever to get involved in the Birdwatch. Every bird you do or don’t count will give the RSPB a valuable insight into how garden birds are faring.

How to register and take part, click here.

Source: RSPB