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15th October 2025

Management and Compliance Bulletin - 13th October 2025

Maria Priestley Senior Environmental Consultant

Your monthly update on legislation, guidance, interesting news articles, and webinars from the environmental sector.

Guidance

Treatment and disposal of invasive non-native plants: RPS 178

The Environment Agency (EA) originally published this guidance on 23rd November 2016. The EA has revised the review date which has been changed to 12th August 2028.

Source: GOV.UK For the updated guidance, click here.

Storing dead animals collected from highways and public areas: LRWP 39

The EA withdrew Low Risk Waste Position (LRWP) 36 on 16th September 2025 and was replaced by the LRWP 39.

This LRWP applies if you store dead animals collected from highways and public areas. If you follow the conditions in this LRWP you can carry out the activity without an environmental permit for a waste operation.

Conditions you must comply with:

You must:

  • only store up to 5m3 of dead animals at any one time,
  • only store dead animals for up to six months,
  • only store dead animals in a freezer,
  • register your storage facility with the Animal and Plant Health Agency under the Animal By-Products Regulations.

You must make sure your activities do not endanger human health or the environment.

You 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.

A LRWP means that the EA will not normally take enforcement action against you provided:

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

Source: GOV.UK

For the updated guidance, click here.

Storing and treating animal bedding to make a briquette: RPS 356

This Regulatory Position Statement (RPS) does not change your legal requirement to have an environmental permit for a waste operation when you store and treat waste animal bedding from horse stables to make briquettes or pellets for burning as a fuel. 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.

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 odour,
  • adversely affect the countryside or places of special interest.

This RPS does not apply to the burning of the briquettes or pellets.

You must:

  • use animal bedding from horse stables only,
  • use animal bedding that’s made only of woodchip, paper or straw,
  • treat by drying or compaction or both only,
  •  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:

  • store more than 50 tonnes of waste animal bedding at any one time,
  • treat more than 50 tonnes of animal bedding over any seven-day period.

Finished briquettes and pellets for burning as a fuel must meet the end of waste test if permitting requirements do not apply.

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

Source: GOV.UK

For the full guidance, click here.

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) collection: code of practice

The guidance was originally published on the 15th January 2016. The EA have updated the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) collection streams section 4.1. The WEEE collection streams now include photovoltaic panels (E) and vapes and electronic cigarettes (F). All other WEEE has been reordered to the end of the list (G) see section 4.1 below.

Section 4.1 WEEE collection streams

The seven WEEE collection streams are:

  • A – large household appliances,
  • B – display equipment,
  • C – cooling equipment,
  • D – lamps (excluding filament light bulbs),
  • E – photovoltaic panels,
  • F – vapes and electronic cigarettes (devices in category 7.1 of Schedule 3),
  • G – all other WEEE (also known as ‘small mixed WEEE’),

You must meet the hazardous waste rules when you deal with hazardous WEEE.

For large household appliances (A) and cooling equipment (C), you must provide space for containers or an impermeable surface. For display equipment (B), lamps (D) and all other WEEE (G), you must provide space for containers of the appropriate type and size.

You must take steps to store de-humidifiers, water coolers and air conditioners with cooling equipment.

For photovoltaic panels, you do not have to provide dedicated space for collection as you’re unlikely to receive them from households in a big enough quantity. If you do receive these panels, they should be kept separate from other waste and you should contact your contracted Producer Compliance Scheme (PCS) to arrange separate collection, treatment, recovery and sound environmental disposal.

Household items powered by solar (such as patio lamps) need to be put in the most appropriate collection stream. For vapes and e-cigarettes (F), the PCS will supply an approved container.

You should collect microwaves, fans and heaters under stream G (all other WEEE), rather than stream A (large household appliances). This is because they might contain Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

If you’ve been unable to store WEEE in containers, your PCS (or its appointed contractor) is responsible for handling the WEEE off site.

If you cannot collect each of the seven WEEE streams separately, you must get Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) approval to collect fewer streams. You:

  • may collect large household appliances (A) and small mixed WEEE (G) together,
  • must separate display equipment (B) and lamps (D),
  • must ensure cooling equipment (C) is easy to separate.

You must provide DEFRA evidence to show:

  • why you are restricted, such as lack of space,
  • the options you have explored, such as use of smaller containers or more frequent collection,
  • your local authority provides facilities for other WEEE streams that are accessible to all and offers an equivalent service.

Other updates across the page ‘Designated Collection Facilities (DCFs) operator responsibilities’ section 4, which has been added to the list of requirements, clarified where to collect different streams, and clarified that DCFs should not receive income if they contract a PCS, see below.

Section 4 DCF operator responsibilities

You must:

  • aim to maximise separate collection of WEEE,
  • provide sufficient space to collect the seven waste streams separately (see section 4.1),
  • provide suitable information and signage for the public,
  • manage the WEEE as waste unless the item is left at an area of a household waste recycling centre set aside for reuse,
  • give access free of charge to your contracted PCSs to collect all WEEE received, unless you are a local authority DCF with approval from DEFRA to retain specific collection streams,
  • not compact WEEE,
  • comply with EA appropriate measures guidance (if you’re based in England) and other applicable treatment standards.

You must take steps to:

  • prevent mixing WEEE with non-WEEE waste,
  • minimise contamination within separately collected WEEE and ensure it is safe and can be transported and treated appropriately.

Examples of contamination for each WEEE stream include:

  • cooling equipment: food and organic waste,
  • all other WEEE: loose batteries, cardboard, plastic bags, out of scope lighting, scrap metal.

You must get approval from your PCS to:

  • contact an Approved Authorised Treatment Facility (AATF) to request collection,
  • remove any WEEE from the DCF site.

The ‘Third party arrangements’, Section 6 has clarified what the local authority retains responsibility for, which are shown below.

Section 6 Third party arrangements

If a local authority subcontracts its site operation to a waste management company or other organisation, the local authority remains responsible for ensuring:

  • the appropriate environmental permit, exemption registration or environmental authorisation is in place,
  • compliance with the WEEE Regulations and this code of practice,
  • the correct authorisations are in place when the WEEE is transported from the site,
  • all separately collected WEEE is available to a PCS to collect for reuse or treatment,
  • it gets approval from DEFRA to retain specific WEEE collection streams for reuse and treatment at its own cost, in accordance with the regulations.

The PCS contracted to the DCF is responsible for deciding which AATFs or approved exporters (AEs) will treat the separately collected WEEE.

If the waste management company or DCF operator also runs an AATF or AE, they must get advance agreement with the relevant PCS to have the WEEE treated at their AATF or AE site.

Evidence can only be issued on WEEE delivered from the DCF to the AATF where the PCS has agreed to this arrangement. See the WEEE evidence and national protocols guidance.

Section 7 ‘DCF: site practice’ states that, if possible, place the containers for small mixed WEEE and batteries close together to encourage householders to remove easily accessible batteries from electricals, and clarified items DCF operators must pay for below.

Section 7 DCF: site practice

As the DCF operator, you will cover the cost of:

  • containers for the WEEE you clear yourself,
  • running the site – for example, the layout, facilities, staff, training, and health and safety,
  • signs and public information, unless the PCS provides these under a separate arrangement.

Source: GOV.UK

For the full guidance, click here.

Waste containing POPs at wastewater treatment works: RPS 357

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 permitted waste operations or installation activities where all the following apply:

  • accept, store or treat waste which contains Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs),
  • discharge waste containing POPs into a wastewater treatment works,
  • take place at or adjacent to a wastewater treatment works,
  • have an environmental permit issued between 1st May 2023 and 31st March 2025.

You must:

  • accept, store or treat wastes which only contain POPs below the thresholds specified within the POPs Regulations,
  • discharge wastes which only contain POPs below the thresholds specified within the POPs Regulations into a wastewater treatment works,
  • reject wastes which contain POPs above the thresholds specified within the POPs Regulations,
  • 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:

  • mix or blend POPs waste to dilute concentrations of POPs below the thresholds specified within the POPs Regulations,

This RPS corrects an exclusion in waste operation and installation activities at waste water treatment works in permits issued between 1st May 2023 and 31st March 2025. This will be corrected when the permit is next reviewed.

Wastes, such as landfill leachate, which may contain POPs, will need to be sampled and tested to ensure the waste can be accepted.

Technical Guidance WM3: Waste Classification – Guidance on the classification and assessment of waste provides guidance to operators on waste classification.

“POPs Regulations” means the Persistent Organic Pollutants Regulations SI 2007 No.3106. The thresholds for POPs are specified in Identify and classify waste containing persistent organic pollutants published on 19th December 2022 and updated on 8th May 2025.

The EA will review this RPS by 22nd September 2028. The EA can withdraw or amend this regulatory position before the review date if they consider it necessary. This includes where the activity that this RPS relates to has not changed.  You will need to check back from time to time, including at and before the review date, to see if this RPS still applies. This RPS remains in force until it is removed from GOV.UK or is otherwise identified as having been withdrawn.

Source: GOV.UK For the full guidance, click here.

Storing, treating and using asphalt waste: RPS 157

This RPS does not change your legal requirement to have an environmental permit when you store and treat Bitumen-Based Asphalt Waste (BBAW) (waste code 17 03 02) or Asphalt Waste Containing Coal Tar (AWCCT) (waste code 17 03 01*) either:

  • at a site with a Part B mobile plant permit,
  • when you use treated AWCCT in construction activities.

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.

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 storing and treating of:

  • AWCCT coded 17 03 01* (bituminous mixtures containing coal tar) which is then used in a cold mix coating process under a Part B mobile plant permit issued by a local authority,
  • BBAW coded 17 03 02 (bituminous mixtures other than those mentioned in 17 03 01) which is then used in a coating process under a Part B mobile plant permit issued by a local authority.

The storage and treatment must be at the same site as, and for, the Part B mobile plant coating activity.

This RPS also applies to the use of AWCCT coded 17 03 01* (bituminous mixtures containing coal tar) in the construction activities covered by this RPS.

You must:

  • store and treat AWCCT coded 17 03 01* separately from other waste and on an impermeable surface with sealed drainage,
  • crush, grind, screen or grade BBAW or AWCCT in a Part B mobile plant permitted by a local authority,
  • operate any subsequent coating activity at the same site under a Part B mobile plant authorisation,
  • keep records for three 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 tell the EA each time you use this RPS for storage and treatment.

You must not:

  • store or treat any type of asphalt waste intermittently or continuously at the same site for more than 12 months in any three-year period,
  • store more than 500 cubic metres of AWCCT coded 17 03 01* (or 1,000 cubic metres when stored under cover) at any one time, or 20,000 tonnes within 12 months,
  • store more than 50,000 tonnes of BBAW coded 17 03 02 within 12 months.

You must only use treated AWCCT:

You must not use treated AWCCT in:

  • surface applications,
  • minor highway repair works (for example pothole filling),
  • the manufacture of blocks or concrete products.

You must submit quarterly hazardous waste consignee returns in line with the hazardous waste consignee returns guidance.

If you cannot meet the conditions in this RPS you must apply for an environmental permit.

The lifting, storage, treatment and reuse of asphalt at the same site, for example the same stretch of road, are not waste activities and therefore not subject to waste management controls. However, these activities may need a Part B mobile plant permit from a local authority.

The treatment of AWCCT at a site is usually authorised by either a:

  • Part A authorisation under Section 5.3 and the storage under Section 5.6 Part A(1) of Schedule 1 of the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 (as amended).
  • Part B installation permit under Section 3.5 of Schedule 1 where the activity does not fall into Part A(1) Section 5.3 and or Section 5.6, because of the capacity threshold.

The coating of BBAW coded 17 03 02 (or recycled roadstone which meets the aggregates from inert waste quality protocol standard) at a site is usually authorised by a Part B permit issued by a local authority under Section 3.5 of Schedule 1 of the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 (as amended). You also need a waste operation permit from the EA for the storage and treatment by crushing, screening and blending of BBAW prior to the coating.

When coating of BBAW coded 17 03 02 (or recycled roadstone) is authorised by a Part B mobile plant, you need either:

  • to meet the conditions in this RPS,
  • a waste exemption,
  • a waste operation permit

for the temporary storage and treatment by crushing, screening and blending of BBAW prior to the coating. A T5 waste exemption can be used on the site where the waste is produced or is to be used. The T5 allows storage and treatment by crushing, screening and blending of asphalt waste coded 17 03 02, prior to use in a Part B mobile plant coating process at the same site.

If you cannot meet the conditions in this RPS or waste exemption, you will need a waste operation permit for the temporary storage and treatment by crushing, blending and screening of BBAW.

An impermeable surface means for example, concrete or an impermeable geotextile membrane, with sealed drainage. A sealed drainage system is impermeable – it does not leak. It ensures that:

  • no liquid will run off the surface otherwise than via the system,
  • except where they may lawfully be discharged to foul sewer, all liquids entering the system are collected in a sealed sump.

The temporary storage of BBAW and AWCCT pending recovery elsewhere can be covered by an S2 waste exemption, subject to the exemption requirements.

For more information see the guidance on waste exemptions and environmental permits to store, treat and use BBAW.

For quarterly hazardous waste consignee returns submissions, treated AWCCT is still classified as 17 03 01* after treatment, and the use of this waste is an R5 activity.

A new version of the MCHW will be published in 2025. The relevant clauses in this document are expected to be CC201.10 and CC202.6.

The EA intends to review this RPS by 31st December 2026. The EA can withdraw or amend this regulatory position before the review date if they consider it necessary. This includes where the activity that this RPS relates to has not changed. You will need to check back from time to time, including at and before the review date, to see if this RPS still applies. This RPS remains in force until it is removed from GOV.UK or is otherwise identified as having been withdrawn.

Source: GOV.UK

To read the full guidance, click here.

Storing mixed fuel from misfuelled vehicles: RPS 9

This RPS does not change your legal requirement to have an environmental permit for a waste operation when you store mixed fuel from misfuelled vehicles.

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.

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:

  • Apply for a new bespoke permit for the storage of mixed fuels by 1st October 2024.
  • If you operate under this RPS notify the EA by emailing them.

You can continue to use this RPS until a permit has been issued or your permit application has been refused.

If your permit application is refused, you must:

  • stop taking mixed fuel,
  • remove all stocks of mixed fuel from the site within four weeks of the date of refusal.

You must:

  • only store mixed fuel consisting of petrol and diesel.
  • store no more than 15,000 litres of mixed fuel at any one time in no more than three storage tanks or containers.
  • only store mixed fuel in tanks that comply with BS EN 12285-2:2005 or UL 2085.
  • only store mixed fuel in tanks that comply with HSG176 Storage of flammable liquids in tanks.
  • only store mixed fuel in fit for purpose containers that comply with HSG51 Storage of flammable liquids in containers.
  • only store mixed fuel in tanks or containers with secondary containment in line with CIRIA guidance 736 Containment systems for the prevention of pollution.
  • only use tanks or containers with an overfill prevention system, such as a high level alarm.
  • only transfer mixed fuel to and from tanks (or containers) on areas with impermeable pavement with self-contained drainage.
  • make sure that only trained vehicle operators transfer the mixed fuel into the storage tank or container – they must do this using the vehicle’s flame-proof pump and without undue delay.
  • have procedures in place to respond to overfill incidents.
  • have appropriate spill kits available so vehicle operators can respond quickly to control any spills.
  • either be present to help with delivery, or only accept mixed fuel from collectors who have completed the SPA vehicle mis-fuellers course.
  • comply with the requirements of the Health and Safety Executive approved Code of Practice and guidance on unloading petrol from road tankers.
  • keep records of consignment notes for mixed fuel received and removed, and quarterly hazardous waste return submissions.
  • send quarterly returns to the waste producer and the EA to report the receipt of these wastes.
  • 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:

  • use underground tanks and pipework,
  • store the mixed fuels within:
    • 200 metres of a European Site or Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI),
    • a groundwater Source Protection Zone (SPZ) 1 or 2, or if a source protection zone has not been defined then within 50 metres of any well, spring or borehole used for the supply of water for human consumption (this includes private water supplies),
    • 50 metres of a dwelling.

You must comply with the regulations on managing hazardous waste which require you to consign mixed fuel from:

  • any misfuelled vehicle that is located at a fuel station,
  • non-domestic misfuelled vehicles that are at other locations, such as by the roadside,
  • a storage site operating under this RPS.

Non-domestic vehicles are ‘vehicles that are not a domestic private vehicle at home or at the roadside. This includes vehicles used to transport goods or materials, or fare paying passengers’.

The guidance on roadside breakdown services explains how you can:

  • use a summary consignment note for several collections in the same vehicle,
  • avoid consignee returns if you are both the mixed fuel collector and the operator of the storage site.

You do not need to pre-notify or consign movements between England and Scotland of mixed fuel from non-domestic misfuelled vehicles. This is provided you are taking it to a bulk storage location before it goes for treatment elsewhere.

You must:

  • use collection vehicles that are designed and constructed to remove and transport mixed fuel from vehicles.
  • make sure the mixed fuels are collected by a fuel tanker that is approved by the Carriage of Dangerous Goods, or if the mixed fuel is to be transported as a ‘small load’, that the correct thresholds apply.

The EA will withdraw this RPS on 1st October 2026. The EA can withdraw or amend this regulatory position before the withdrawal date if they consider it necessary. This includes where the activity that this RPS relates to has not changed. You will need to check back from time to time, including at and before the withdrawal date, to see if this RPS still applies.

Source: GOV.UK

For the full guidance, click here.

Exceeding waste storage limits at permitted sites: RPS 352

The EA originally published RPS 352 on the 16th June 2025. The EA have made corrections to a waste code, 17 02 01 waste wood destined for incineration. This RPS only applies where the EA has agreed to this in writing before 30th September 2025.

The EA intends to withdraw this RPS on 31st December 2025. Operators can continue beyond this date if agreed to by the EA in writing. The EA can withdraw or amend this regulatory position before the withdrawal date if they consider it necessary. This includes where the activity and circumstances that this RPS relates to has not changed. You will need to check back from time to time, including before the withdrawal date, to see if this RPS still applies. This RPS remains in force until it is removed from GOV.UK or is otherwise identified as having been withdrawn.

Source: GOV.UK

For the updated guidance, click here.

Temporary community waste collection points: RPS 223

The EA originally published RPS 223 on 17th May 2019. The EA clarified in section ‘Conditions you must comply with’ that you must not store any hazardous waste (other than WEEE).

The EA will review this RPS by 31st January 2026. You will need to check back then to see if it still applies or if you need to apply for an environmental permit. The EA can withdraw or amend this RPS before the review date if they consider it necessary. This includes where the activity that this RPS relates to has not changed. You will need to check back from time to time, including at and before the review date, to see if this RPS still applies. This RPS remains in force until it is removed from GOV.UK or is otherwise identified as having been withdrawn.

Source: GOV.UK

For the updated guidance, click here.

Consultations

England

Changes to standard rules permits for medium combustion plants and specified generators

The EA consultation seeks views on proposals to change the standard rules permits medium combustion plant and specified generators.

The EA are proposing to:

  • remove specific standard rules sets which are currently underused,
  • correct errors in tables in other standard rules,
  • add gas oil substitutes and hydrogen as a fuel,
  • remove the restriction on caps and cowls and horizontal stacks.

The consultation ends on the 9th November 2025.

Source: GOV.UK

For the full consultation documents, click here.

Standard rules consultation No 31 – Proposal for an update to standard rules permit SR2008 No 9: storage of asbestos waste

The EA wants your views on the proposal for a revised standard rules permit for storage of asbestos waste to improve the design and operation of permitted facilities in the asbestos waste sector.

This consultation is to seek your views on the proposed revised SR2008 No 9: storage of asbestos waste.

New measures in the revised permit include the following requirements.

You must not:

  • transfer asbestos between different bulk containers,
  • store asbestos loose or in bays,
  • store asbestos on site for more than six months,
  • stack bulk containers,
  • use mechanical equipment, for example loading shovels, chutes and conveyors to move asbestos waste.

A new condition (3.1.1) will be added about point source emissions to water, air or land, previously covered in the introductory note.

The EA will also seek your views on the generic risk assessments associated with each standard rule set.

The consultation ends on the 22nd December 2025.

Source: GOV.UK

For the full consultation documents, click here.

Environmental permitting: standard rules consultation 32

The EA want your views on three proposed standard rules permits to cover small sewage discharge activities that are currently regulated using bespoke permits.

The consultation document sets out three standard rules and the supporting generic risk assessments. They cover:

  • discharges of treated sewage effluent to ground of more than two cubic metres per day but not more than five cubic metres per day (SR2025 No 5),
  • discharges of treated sewage effluent to ground of no greater than 1.5 cubic metres per day which are discharged using a shallow drainage system that does not conform to the British Standard, and which are replacing an existing discharge to surface water or to ground (SR2025 No 6),
  • discharges of treated sewage effluent to surface water which achieve secondary treatment using equipment that does not conform to the British Standard or where the receiving watercourse does not always have flow, or both (SR2025 No 7).

The consultation ends on the 12th November 2025.

Source: GOV.UK

For the full consultation documents, click here.

Consultation on modernising environmental permitting for industry

The EA consultation seeks views on reforms to modernise the environmental permitting framework for industry and energy sectors.

The consultation sets out a wide variety of regulatory reforms to support innovation in emerging technologies, streamline permitting and provide the regulatory certainty our businesses need to succeed, grow and invest, while maintaining essential environmental and health protections.

It covers the permitting of ‘industrial’ activities under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 (EPRs), which are taken to include installations, medium combustion plant and specified generators, small waste incineration plant, solvent emission activities, Part B mobile plant and mobile medium combustion plant. The consultation does not cover waste operations, mining waste operations, radioactive substances activities, water discharge activities, groundwater activities or flood risk activities.

This consultation is for England only, however, the devolved governments have been engaged during the preparation of the consultation and the EA intend to continue working closely with them in further developing the policy options outlined in this document.

The EA are seeking views from the businesses and sectors in scope of these reforms as well as wider organisations and individuals across civil society, local government and academia.

The consultation ends on the 21st October 2025.

Source: GOV.UK

For the full consultation documents, click here.

Wales

Delivering a deposit return scheme for drinks containers in Wales

The Welsh Government are holding a consultation on the ‘Delivery of a deposit return scheme for drinks containers in Wales’. Feedback will help shape a system that promotes reuse, reduces waste and moves to a more sustainable future for Wales.

The consultation ends on the 10th November 2025.

Source: GOV.Wales

For the full consultation documents, click here.

Promoting awareness of air pollution delivery plan – consultation

The Welsh Government are holding a consultation to gather feedback on a draft Promoting Awareness Delivery Plan, which outlines the steps to be taken to raise awareness in Wales about the risk to human health and the natural environment caused by air pollution, as well as ways to reduce or limit air pollution. The consultation responses will help ensure that the plan is comprehensive and effective in addressing these issues and will contribute to the creation of strategies that reflect the needs and concerns of the community.

The consultation ends on the 28th October 2025.

Source: GOV.Wales

For the full consultation documents, click here.

Scotland

Nitrate Vulnerable Zones Action Programme review

The Scottish Government are inviting stakeholders to respond to the review of the Action Programme for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (Scotland) Regulations 2008.

The Scottish Government are reviewing the measures in the current Nitrate Vulnerable Zones Action Programme to evaluate whether they remain sufficient to achieve the aims of the Nitrates Directive. The review considers the latest scientific research and new evidence affecting Action Programme measures – taking account of the variation in agricultural, soil and climatic conditions.

The Protection of Water Against Agricultural Nitrate Pollution (Scotland) Regulations 1996 introduced into Scotland the requirements of the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC), which aims to control and reduce the loss of nitrate from farming to protect drinking water sources and the water environment, in general.

The Scottish Government designate areas as Nitrate Vulnerable Zones where nitrate concentrations in water have reached or are approaching 50 milligrams per litre. In Scotland 10% of the land is designated as Nitrate Vulnerable Zones. Within these Nitrate Vulnerable Zones measures, designed to limit the quantities of nitrate lost from farms into Scotland’s water environment based on best farming practice, are implemented through an Action Programme.

The consultation paper contains full background information for this consultation. You may find it useful to read or refer to while responding.

The consultation ends on the 13th October 2025.

Source: Scottish Government

For the full consultation documents, click here.

Northern Ireland

Fisheries and Water Environment Bill – Protection of the Water Environment

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has launched a consultation on the water quality policies to inform the development of a Fisheries and Water Environment Bill.

Good water quality and habitats are not only essential for fish stocks but for health, hygiene and overall well-being.  For businesses, good water quality is critical for operational efficiency, product safety and regulatory compliance.

DAERA wishes to deter polluters and non-compliant operators, supporting the departmental priority of protecting and restoring the water environment and delivering improvements to water quality.

The consultation on policies to protect the water environment will inform the drafting of new legislation in the form of a Fisheries and Water Environment Bill.

The consultation ends on the 6th November 2025.

Source: DAERA

For the full consultation documents, click here.

Articles

Extended producer responsibility: what’s it for?

The DEFRA have produced a blog regarding the widespread coverage of the introduction of the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) scheme in recent days.

pEPR represents a major shift in the way that the costs of waste are handled. It works in lockstep with two other significant reforms which DEFRA are introducing: Simpler Recycling collections for bins in England, and a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers.

The scheme works by charging fees to the businesses that use packaging to meet the costs of collecting and recycling it. From year two of the scheme, it will introduce modulation where the costs are higher for hard-to-recycle materials. Where packaging can be reused or refilled, fees are lower. This will encourage businesses to reduce the amount of packaging they use, shift to more recyclable materials and design new products that can be recycled and reused more easily, stopping waste from going to the nation’s landfills or incinerators. Steel, aluminium and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastic drinks containers across the United Kingdom (UK) are not charged under pEPR, as they will be covered under the UK’s Deposit Return Scheme.

Household recycling rates have flatlined for years meaning huge quantities of waste are still being sent to landfill or incinerators. Packaging is a major source of this tide of rubbish. Moreover, the bill for disposing of items like chunky delivery boxes, polystyrene crates and plastic multipacks is currently footed by local councils. It is right for businesses who produce packaging to pay their fair share of the recycling costs, rather than the burden falling solely on councils. As materials which are easier to recycle, refill or reuse are liable for lower fees, businesses will be rewarded for shifting to those materials and designing greener products – helping us clean up Britain and end the throwaway society.

This will shift the UK towards a circular economy and boost growth: industry estimates suggest the reforms will support 25,000 new jobs and underpin £10 billion of investment in new sorting and processing facilities over the next decade. The UK Government, DAERA in Northern Ireland, Scottish Government and Welsh Government announced their commitment to introducing the scheme and consulted widely with industry and the public in 2021. Since then, DEFRA have been in constant discussion with businesses, local authorities and other key stakeholders around the best design of the scheme.

Throughout the runup to the launch of pEPR, DEFRA set out indicative base fees for industry based on the packaging data which businesses submitted to DEFRA. The final base fees were published in June 2025 and represented a significant reduction in costs for every single material except fibre composite, which saw a small increase. Some of the biggest high-street businesses are already introducing innovative packaging and exploring refill and reuse schemes.

Smaller businesses, with a turnover of under £2 million or who produce less than 50 tonnes of packaging annually, are exempt from pEPR fees. All councils in England must use this funding to deliver improved waste collection services for their communities. PackUK, the administrator for pEPR, is empowered to reduce future allocations if evidence shows that funding has been used for other purposes.

DEFRA will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to ensure the scheme is working as intended. Any decision to pass costs on as price increases for consumers is for retailers alone to make. The money raised through pEPR will be funnelled directly into council waste collection to ensure prompt and straightforward services for households. Over £1.1 billion will be distributed to councils in England.

The Simpler Recycling collections will mean an end to the confusing patchwork of different systems across England. Councils will offer free weekly food waste collections to homes from March 2026, and the same set of materials will be collected for recycling, whether at home, work or school.

As more businesses use sustainable practices we’ll all be able to recycle the products we buy more easily, and we’ll see more options for refilling and reusing containers in shops. These changes will help us build a circular economy, where instead of throwing things away, we repair, reuse and recycle them to reduce waste, while also helping to create skilled green jobs and grow our economy.

Source: DEFRA

For the full article, click here.

Tories pledge to scrap landmark climate legislation

The Conservative Party, led by Kemi Badenoch, has pledged to repeal the Climate Change Act 2008, replacing it with a new strategy focused on “cheap and reliable” energy.

The Act was introduced by Labour and strengthened under Theresa May’s Conservative government. It legally committed the UK to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050, later updated to net zero by 2050. It also established the Climate Change Committee (CCC) to advise and monitor progress.

Badenoch argues the law imposed costly red tape, harmed the economy, and failed to reduce global emissions. She promises to prioritise economic growth, cheaper energy, and natural landscape protection. The party criticises measures like fines for boiler manufacturers missing heat pump targets, calling them a “boiler tax”.

Labour calls the move an “economic disaster” and a “betrayal of future generations”. Theresa May and Lord Alok Sharma (former COP26 president) both criticised the decision as regressive and damaging to the UK’s climate leadership. Environmental groups warn it would be “national self-harm” and risk the UK’s future. Liberal Democrats argue renewables are the key to economic growth and energy security.

The UK has some of the highest electricity costs in Europe. The political consensus on net zero has fractured, with Reform UK also opposing the 2050 target.

Source: BBC

For the full article, click here.

Pope Leo condemns climate change critics

In his first major climate statement, Pope Leo XIV condemned those who minimise or ridicule the reality of climate change, calling its impact “increasingly evident.”

His remarks are widely seen as a rebuke of US President Donald Trump, who recently called climate change a “con” and dismissed renewable energy as a hoax.

The Pope urged people worldwide to actively engage in political decisions and pressure leaders to address environmental damage. He emphasised that caring for the planet is a divine responsibility, asking whether humanity has truly cared for creation and each other.

The speech marked 10 years since the publication of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’s landmark climate encyclical, which helped shape global climate policy, including the Paris Agreement.

Brazil’s government invited Pope Leo to attend COP30 in Belém, hoping his presence will elevate the summit’s significance.

Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger praised the Pope’s environmental leadership, noting his commitment to installing solar panels across Vatican buildings.

Source: BBC

For the full article, click here.

Enforcement Action

Skip hire boss ordered to pay back cash after waste crime

A Merseyside skip hire boss has been ordered to pay back £250,000 after they were found to have profited from illegal waste crime. The EA secured a confiscation order on the 1st September 2025 against the skip hire boss after they were previously jailed for operating a waste company illegally. The skip hire boss was convicted for illegal waste activity at Liverpool Crown Court in March 2022 and was jailed for a year and banned from being a company director for five years.

The skip hire boss was given three months to pay the order or face up to three years in jail. They were also ordered to pay £25,000 in costs.

In the original case, following extensive investigation by the EA, the individual’s company had its environmental permit revoked after a series of breaches and was issued with an enforcement notice to clear the land of waste. Despite this, the waste continued to be stored and burned illegally. The individual’s son was also jailed for eight months and a confiscation order was secured against him for £40,000 in December 2024, which has been paid.

Source: GOV.UK

For the full article, click here.

£75,000 to be confiscated from Lincolnshire waste criminals

Five men convicted of offences in connection with an illegal waste site at Long Bennington, Lincolnshire, have had confiscation orders totalling £74,751.16.

The EA secured Proceeds of Crime Awards against individuals who blighted Long Bennington. The latest hearing follows major investigations by the EA into the site in rural Lincolnshire. Twelve people were found guilty in 2024 of waste crime charges relating to a site at Fen Lane, Long Bennington. Lorry loads of shredded waste were regularly burnt on land close to people’s homes. Seven defendants received custodial sentences and four received suspended sentences, with the remaining defendants fined on 12th September.

Confiscation orders were made against five of those convicted with more to follow. To date, the Proceed of Crime total secured by the EA now stands at £112,338.29 and there is still more to come from key players in this case.

Source: GOV.UK

For the full article, click here.

£10,000 fine after Lancashire illegal waste operations uncovered

The EA has secured convictions against a director and former director for operating waste sites without the required environmental permits. They were also charged with falsifying documents connected to hazardous waste disposal. Both were previously directors of another company which was operating a regulated facility without a permit between January and June 2020. Following a visit from the EA in October 2021, this company ceased trading. However, the current director had commenced trading under another name in a separate unit within the same trading estate until January 2022.

On 12th September at Preston Crown Court, the company was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £6,000 in costs.

The director received a 12-month community order requiring 200 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £5,360 in compensation to the EA along with £6,000 in costs.

The former director received a 12-month community order requiring 150 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £6,000 in costs.

During sentencing, the judge noted that both men had long experience in the waste industry, including work with hazardous material, and said they should therefore have been fully aware of their legal responsibilities. The judge described their conduct as reckless at the outset, but later deliberate and financially motivated, with falsified paperwork used to conceal their actions. Their disregard for regulations demonstrated that they ‘didn’t care about obligations and didn’t care about the impact on people, property or the environment.’

Source: GOV.UK

For the full article, click here.

Cura Terrae Services

Environmental Permit Applications and Support

Operating legally in the UK often requires businesses to obtain environmental permits and consents. Navigating these applications can be challenging. We provide comprehensive support throughout the entire permitting process, from identifying the necessary permits to liaising with the EA or other regulatory bodies on your behalf, streamlining the process.

Our Environmental Permit Applications and Support services help businesses secure the necessary environmental permits and consents required by law. We offer expert guidance in identifying, preparing, and submitting applications for environmental permits, as well as support in permit variations, surrendering permits, and developing essential management plans. With our service, you can focus on your core business activities while we handle the finer details of environmental compliance. The links below cover the types of applications Curra Terrae can support your business with.

For further information, click here.

Phase One Environmental Due Diligence Assessment

Cura Terrae’s experienced consultants provide a comprehensive environmental audit service for businesses as part of legal and commercial due diligence. It identifies actual, potential and latent material issues with the target company, so you can identify your environmental risks prior to acquisition or purchase. This assessment allows you to make an informed business decision around your acquisition or purchase by:

  • Determining any existing issues so they can be managed appropriately.
  • Establishing any barriers to growth.

What are the benefits of a Phase One Environmental Due Diligence Assessment?

  • Ensures your environmental legal compliance.
  • Avoid any identified barriers to growth with access to environmental compliance expertise.
  • Save costs – avoid environmental clean-up liabilities that may be inherited.

What to expect from our Phase One Environmental Due Diligence service?

This service provides insurers, solicitors, intermediaries and investment managers with an in-depth, independent review to determine:

For further information, click here.

Events

The EPR Conference

12th November 2025, The IET, Savoy Place, London

This event is specifically designed to provide you with the latest insights, expert guidance, and practical strategies to navigate the new packaging Extended Producers Responsibility (pEPR) regulations which will impact producers across the UK.

Key themes:

  • Overview and Understanding of EPR Policy and System: Understanding the regulatory framework, the roles of various stakeholders, and the anticipated changes to legislation.
  • Compliance, Costs, and Enforcement: The complexities surrounding compliance with the EPR system, potential costs, and data management challenges.
  • Diverse Perspectives on EPR Implementation: Insights from waste management, compliance experts, producers, and local authorities.
  • Material-Specific Focus and Challenges: Examining specific material streams and the unique challenges and opportunities they present within the EPR framework.
  • Case Studies and International Comparisons: Lessons learnt and the approaches being taken by producers in preparation for EPR.

The EPR scheme changes are set to transform how businesses are held accountable for the environmental impact of their packaging. With the new regulations coming into effect soon, it is crucial to understand your obligations and the steps businesses must take to comply.

Source: Letsrecycle.com

For further details, click here.

International E-Waste Day

14th October 2025  On-line

What’s e-waste?

International E-Waste Day sheds light on ‘invisible’ electronic waste. This refers to those items you probably don’t even realise you can recycle. It includes things like smoke detectors, electronic toys, e-cigarettes and even cables. Even that broken remote control you’ve got in a drawer could be recycled.

Source: WEEEforum

For further details, click here.

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