Your monthly update on legislation, guidance, interesting news articles, and webinars from the environmental sector.
Upcoming Legislation
Climate Change Agreements (Administration, Energy-intensive Installations and Eligible Facilities) (Amendment and Revocation) Regulations 2026
These regulations
The regulations will expand the list of installations eligible for climate change agreements, including those undertaking the mechanical recycling of plastic, packaging spirits, or producing automotive-grade battery cells.
This legislation will apply across the UK.
For the full legislation, click here.
Source: Greenspace
Finance Act 2026: UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
The Finance Act 2026 establishes the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (UK CBAM), which will apply from 1 January 2027.
The UK CBAM will require qualifying importers of certain goods from the aluminium, fertiliser, cement, hydrogen and iron and steel sectors to register for this tax.
This tax will apply to the embodied emissions associated with the imported goods, aiming to tackle the risk of ‘carbon leakage’ when production is outsourced to countries with less strict climate change legislation.
Gov.uk guidance on UK CBAM can be found here.
For the full Act, click here.
Source: Greenspace
Guidance
[Withdrawn] Low Risk Waste Position (LRWP) 52: Storing and Using Waste Perlite to Make Facia
If the Environment Agency (EA) provides an LRWP for an activity, you can carry it out without an environmental permit for a waste operation, provided that you meet all the conditions.
LRWP 52: Storing and Using Waste Perlite to Make Facia Bricks has been withdrawn by the EA as it is no longer needed.
For the details, click here.
Regulatory Position Statement (RPS) 370: Drying Paper Manufacturing Wastes to Make Animal Bedding
On 26 May 2026, the EA published RPS 370: Drying paper manufacturing wastes to make animal bedding.
This RPS applies to operators that make animal bedding from drying wastepaper fibre and de-inking sludges produced during paper manufacturing.
This RPS does not change your legal requirement to have an environmental permit where one is required.
However, the Environment Agency will not normally take enforcement action if you do not comply with this legal requirement if you meet the requirements in the RPS provided that:
- your activity meets the description set out in this RPS,
- you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS,
- your activity must not cause (or be likely to cause) pollution of the environment or harm to human health.
For full details, including conditions that need to be complied with, click here.
[Withdrawn] LRWP 62: Drying Paper Manufacturing Waste to Make Animal Bedding
On 26 May 2026, LRWP 62 was withdrawn and replaced by RPS 370: Drying paper manufacturing wastes to make animal bedding.
For the details, click here.
RPS 7: Disposing of Waste from Clearing Blocked Sewers
RPS 7 applies to using tankers to empty a blocked sewer, and you subsequently dispose of the waste from the sewer back into the same sewer network.
This RPS has been extended to 30 June 2029.
For the details, click here.
RPS 369: Storing and Spreading Gypsum Waste to Benefit Land
On 8 May 2026, the EA published RPS 369: Storing and spreading gypsum waste to benefit land.
This RPS applies to storing and spreading the following waste gypsum to benefit land:
- Solid flue gas desulphurisation gypsum (waste code 10 01 05)
- Recycled certified gypsum from plasterboard (waste code 19 12 12).
This RPS does not change your legal requirement to have an environmental permit where one is required.
However, the Environment Agency will not normally take enforcement action if you do not comply with this legal requirement if you meet the requirements in the RPS provided that:
- your activity meets the description set out in this RPS,
- you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS,
- your activity must not cause (or be likely to cause) pollution of the environment or harm to human health.
For full details, including conditions that need to be complied with, click here
[Withdrawn] LRWP 59: Storing and Spreading Gypsum Waste to Benefit Land
On 8 May 2026, LRWP 59 was withdrawn and replaced by RPS 369: Storing and spreading gypsum waste to benefit land.
For the details, click here.
RPS 325: Using Unbound Incinerator Bottom Ash Aggregate in Construction
This RPS does not change your legal requirement to have an environmental permit for a waste operation and groundwater activity when you use IBAA in:
- building a road, cycleway or pathway sub-base,
- building a structural platform,
- pipe bedding.
However, the Environment Agency will not normally take enforcement action if you do not comply with this legal requirement, if you meet the requirements in the RPS.
For full details, including conditions that need to be complied with, click here.
SR2024 No 2: Using Unbound Incinerator Bottom Ash Aggregate (IBAA) in Construction
These standard rules will allow you to store and subsequently use IBAA for the purposes of a recovery activity involving the deposit of waste in the following construction activities:
- Building a road sub-base,
- Building a structural platform,
- Pipe bedding.
The maximum capacity of recovery operation in 68,000 tonnes.
You can apply for this standard rules permit if:
- your activity meets the rules set out in the permit,
- you can manage the potential risks as set out in the generic risk assessment.
For details, click here.
Articles
Government Steps in to Back Long-Term Resilience of UK’s Chemicals and Ceramics Industries
The Government has unveiled a major new funding package to revitalise British industry and shore up the UK’s long-term economic resilience.
The £350 million Critical Chemicals Resilience Fund will support strategically important producers and sites, strengthen critical supply chains and help support thousands of skilled jobs, whilst the ceramics package worth £120 million will back energy efficiency, decarbonisation and long-term competitiveness in a sector vital to UK manufacturing.
Thousands of UK jobs across British industry are set to be secured due to £350m of Government support for strategically important chemicals producers and sites, alongside a separate £120m scheme for the ceramics sector.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle said:
“At a time of global uncertainty, it’s never been more important to ensure Britain’s resilience and back the industries our country depends on, and this funding will support thousands of jobs and put businesses on a secure footing for the long term.”
For the full details, click here.
Source: Gov.uk
Green Jobs Contributing £10.2bn To Scotland’s Economy, Says CBI Report
Research by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) concludes that the green sector represents 4.9% of Scotland’s total economic output – more than double that of agriculture.
Net-zero-related industries are supporting more than 105,000 jobs in Scotland and contributing £10.2bn to the economy, according to industry research. The jobs include roles building and maintaining infrastructure such as wind farms and hydropower schemes, as well as domestic installations of solar panels and heat pumps.
Net-zero industries are those involved in the drive to ensure Scotland is no longer contributing to the total amount of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere.
The UK has a legally-binding commitment to reach that point by 2050, while in Scotland, which has more available land for planting trees to absorb carbon dioxide, the target date is 2045.
The research identifies Perth and Kinross as a particular hotspot where 12% of the local economy is net-zero related. In Perth and Kinross, roles are concentrated on the abundant hydropower schemes, which have existed for decades, along with newer onshore wind farms such as the Griffin Scheme near Aberfeldy.
The report says Scotland is well placed for growth within the sector, with a pipeline of investment valued at £211bn, which is about 34% of the UK’s total.
For the full details, click here.
Source: BBC
Enforcement Action
Third Waste Carrier Convicted in Environment Agency Operation
The EA has secured a third conviction in relation to a major illegal waste site in Kingsteighton, South Devon, where thousands of tonnes of waste were dumped on a floodplain.
One waste carrier has been told to pay out £16,664 for its part in depositing thousands of tonnes of waste on the illegal site, which was shut down by the Environment Agency in 2022.
Plymouth Magistrates’ Court heard that the waste carrier deposited 3,490 tonnes of soil, stones and road planings at the illegal site between 3 January 2021 and 11 September 2021.
The landowner of the site in question was prosecuted in 2024 after repeatedly ignoring warnings from the EA, whilst another waste carrier was fined in April 2026 for his contribution to the deposit of waste on the site.
The deposits of waste would have significantly increased the flood risk in the area, and it is estimated that it would cost at least £2.5 million to remediate the site.
For the details, click here.
Source: Gov.uk
Repeat Polluter Pays Out Over Slurry Offences
A farm partnership has been told to pay out £19,468 after improper slurry spreading led to multiple pollution incidents in a tributary of the River Yarty, between 2024 and 2025.
One of the partners was fined an additional £2,500 and a victim surcharge of £1,000 after pleading guilty to failing to apply organic manure properly and to storing manure too close to a water course so as to avoid the risk of pollution. They were also previously given a community order in 2024 after contaminating a private water supply and polluting a stream after the slurry store they built from farmyard manure collapsed.
The farm has a history of contact with the EA and has been issued advice and warnings on a number of occasions.
The judge noted that the defendants have still not yet built the slurry store for which permission was given in January 2025.
An EA spokesperson said:
“This farm’s reckless attitude to the storage and spreading of manure and slurry led to two pollution incidents and the risk of far greater harm…Today’s outcome demonstrates that we will not hesitate to prosecute repeat polluters who fail to listen to Environment Agency advice and warnings.”
For the details, click here.
Source: Gov.uk
Cura Terrae Services
Management and Compliance Services
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Our holistic approach integrates compliance and environmental stewardship into your operations, empowering you to reduce risks, improve operational performance, and demonstrate your commitment to sustainable practices.
Our services and support will allow you to focus on your core business activities while we handle the finer details of environmental compliance.
- Environmental Permit Applications and Support
- Environmental Permit Applications
- Medium Combustion Plant (MCP) Permit Applications
- Permit Variations
- Permit Surrenders
- Regulation 61 BAT Assessments
- Environmental Permit Training
- Environmental Permit Application Gap Analysis
- Flood Risk Activity Permit (FRAP) Applications
- Trade Effluent Discharge Consent (TEDC) Applications and Variations
- H1 Risk Assessments
- Dust Management Plans (DMPs)
- Fire Prevention Plans (FPPs)
- Odour Management Plans OMPs)
- Environmental Audits and Inspections
- Environmental Support and Assistance
- Waste and Materials Management
- Carbon Net Zero and Climate Change Management
- Environmental Legal Compliance Support Service
- Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
- Environmental Due Diligence (EDD)
- Construction Environmental Management Plans (CEMPs)
For further information, click here.
Events
The Effectiveness of the EA’s Regulatory Compliance & Inspection Framework for Waste operations and installations
9 June 2026
An Environmental Services Association (ESA) webinar focused on the findings of a report published by the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) that examines how effectively the EA regulates waste operations and installations through its inspection regime. The webinar will also consider what the findings of this report mean for the waste and resource sector.
For more details, click here.
