Guidance

S2: storing waste at a secure site

S2 waste exemption allows you to store specific waste at a secure intermediate site, separate to where the waste was produced, before transportation to another site for recovery.

From:
Environment Agency
Published
12 September 2019
Last updated
1 July 2025 — See all updates

Applies to England

There’s a charge for most waste exemptions

This exemption is in band 1. Read waste exemption charges to find out what the charges and charging bands are.

Types of activity you can carry out

These include:

  • storing construction and demolition waste that can be reused without treatment, at an intermediate site before it is moved to another place to be reused
  • storing olive pulp and marble chips at a port before it is moved to another place to be recovered

Types of activity you cannot carry out

You cannot:

  • treat waste under this exemption - see the section ‘related exemptions’
  • store waste destined to be disposed of - see the section ‘related permits’
  • store mixed waste
  • mix hazardous with non-hazardous waste.
  • register this exemption to increase the storage capacity at the place where another treatment exemption such as T1, T4, T11 or a U activity is carried out

Types of waste you can store

The waste codes are those listed in the List of Wastes (LoW) Regulations. You need to make sure your waste fits within the relevant waste code and description.

Waste code Type of waste Storage limit (at any one time) Period (months)
16 10 02 aqueous paint related waste only 1,000 litres 6
16 06 01*
16 06 02*
16 06 03*
16 06 04
16 06 05
20 01 33*
20 01 34		 batteries 10 tonnes 6
15 01 04
20 01 40		 cans and foil only 500 tonnes 12
14 06 01* CFCs, HCFCs and HFCs 18 tonnes 6
17 01 01
17 01 02
17 01 03
17 01 07
17 02 02
17 02 03
17 04 01 to 17 04 07
17 05 04
17 06 04
17 08 02		 construction and demolition waste (non-hazardous) capable of being used in existing state only 100 tonnes 12
20 01 25 edible oil and fat only 5,000 tonnes 12
10 02 07* electric arc furnace dust only 2,500 tonnes 3
02 01 04 farm plastics (non-packaging only) 500 tonnes 12
07 02 13
15 01 01
15 01 02
15 01 05
20 01 39		 Food and drink cartons 500 tonnes 12
10 11 12
15 01 07
16 01 20
17 02 02
19 12 05
20 01 02		 glass 5,000 tonnes 12
02 01 02 mammalian protein only 60,000 tonnes 12
02 02 02 mammalian tallow only 45,000 tonnes 12
20 03 07 mattresses only 5 tonnes 3
01 04 08
19 12 09		 marble chips only 5,000 tonnes 12
02 03 04 olive pulp/pellet only 5,000 tonnes 3
08 01 11*
08 01 12
20 01 27*
20 01 28		 paints (excluding specialist and industrial paints, wood preservatives, aerosol and spray paints, inks, adhesives and resins) pending reuse as paints only 10,000 litres 6
03 03 07
03 03 08
15 01 01
19 12 01
20 01 01		 paper and cardboard (excluding food and drink cartons) only 15,000 tonnes 12
09 01 07
09 01 08		 photographic films and papers 50 tonnes 12
07 02 13
12 01 05
15 01 02
16 01 19
19 12 04
20 01 39		 plastic 500 tonnes 12
10 01 01 poultry litter ash only 3,000 tonnes 12
08 03 18
15 01 02
16 02 16
20 01 39		 printer cartridges only 5,000 units 6
17 03 01*
17 03 02
17 05 04		 road planings, waste road chippings, road sub-base only 500 tonnes 12
02 01 10
16 01 17
16 01 18
17 04 01
17 04 02
170403
170404
170405
170406
17 04 07
17 04 11
19 12 02
19 12 03		 scrap metal 15,000 tonnes 6
09 01 10
09 01 11*
09 01 12		 single use cameras 400 cubic metres 6
02 04 01
02 03 99		 soils from cleaning fruit and veg only 100 tonnes 6
10 03 16
10 04 05*
10 05 04
10 05 11
10 06 04
10 08 11
10 08 99		 solder metal, skimmings, ashes and residues 100 tonnes 3
14 06 02*
14 06 03*
20 01 13*		 solvents and solvent mixtures 5 cubic metres 6
10 01 01
10 01 02
10 01 05
10 01 15		 synthetic gypsum and pulverised fuel ash only 2,500 tonnes 3
04 02 22
15 01 09
19 12 08
20 01 10
20 01 11		 textiles and clothes 1,000 tonnes 12
16 01 03
19 12 04		 tyres, tyre chip and crumb 40 tonnes 3
11 01 13*
12 03 01*
16 07 08*		 waste cleaning solution containing 2% sodium metasilicate and 1 to 2% waste oil only 3 tonnes 3
16 02 11*
16 02 13*
16 02 14
16 02 16
20 01 21*
20 01 23*
20 01 35*
20 01 36		 WEEE 400 cubic metres 6
03 03 01
15 01 02
15 01 03
20 01 38		 wine bottle corks only 500 tonnes 12
03 01 05
17 02 01
17 02 04*
19 12 06*
19 12 07
20 01 37*
20 01 38		 Wood, including telegraph poles and railway sleepers (hazardous and non-hazardous) 100 tonnes 12

(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.

Conditions

The conditions are:

  • each type of waste must be stored separately
  • the storage must take place at a secure place
  • the storage of the waste is pending its recovery elsewhere
  • each waste shall not be stored for longer than the specified time period

The additional specific conditions apply to some specified types of waste.

Aqueous paint related waste only

  • the waste is stored in a container
  • the waste is stored with secondary containment

Batteries:

  • the waste is stored in a container
  • the storage place has sealed drainage

CFCs, HCFCs and HFCs:

  • the waste is stored in a container
  • the waste is stored with secondary containment

Edible oil and fat only:

  • the waste is stored in a container
  • the waste is stored with secondary containment

Electric arc furnace dust only:

  • the waste is stored indoors
  • the waste is stored at a dock before being exported or after being imported
  • the waste must arrive at the storage place in bags and must be stored there in bags or in drums

Farm plastics (non-packaging):

  • the waste is stored indoors

Glass:

  • the storage place has sealed drainage

Mammalian protein only:

  • the waste is stored indoors

Mammalian tallow only:

  • the waste is stored indoors

Mattresses only:

  • the waste is stored indoors

Olive pulp and pellet:

  • the storage place has sealed drainage
  • the waste is stored with secondary containment
  • the waste is stored at a dock before being exported or after being imported

Paints (excluding specialist and industrial paints, wood preservatives, aerosol and spray paints, inks, adhesives and resins) pending reuse as paints:

  • the waste is stored in a container
  • the waste is stored with secondary containment

Paper and cardboard (excluding food and drink cartons):

  • the waste is stored in a baled form, in a container or indoors
  • within the quantity limit specified and despite this additional specific condition, up to 1,000 tonnes may be stored outdoors as long as it is stored in an enclosure designed and maintained to prevent litter escaping

Photographic films and papers:

  • the waste is stored in a baled form, in a container or indoors

Poultry litter ash only:

  • the waste is stored indoors
  • the waste is stored at a dock before being exported or after being imported

Printer cartridges only:

  • the waste is stored indoors

Scrap metal:

  • the storage place has sealed drainage
  • the waste is stored at a dock before being exported or after being imported

Solder metal, skimmings, ashes and residues:

  • the waste is stored in bags or in drums

Solvents and solvent mixtures:

  • the waste is stored in a container
  • the waste is stored with secondary containment

Synthetic gypsum and pulverized fuel ash only:

  • the waste is stored indoors
  • the waste is stored at a dock before being exported or after being imported
  • the waste must arrive at the storage place in bags and must be stored there in bags or in drums

Tyres, tyre chip and crumb:

  • the total quantity of waste stored together does not exceed 10 tonnes; this is to reduce the risk of fire spreading

Waste cleaning solution containing 2% sodium metasilicate and 1% to 2% waste oil only:

  • the waste is stored in a container
  • the waste is stored with secondary containment

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE):

  • you must comply with the requirements in paragraph 1 of Annex VIII of the WEEE Directive
  • the WEEE is stored on an impermeable surface
  • where you are storing WEEE containing hazardous materials or fluids, or storing whole appliances or parts that are to be reused, the WEEE is stored with weatherproof covering

What else you need to know

Hazardous waste is subject to the Hazardous Waste Regulations.

T1: Cleaning, washing, spraying or coating relevant waste

T2: Recovering textiles

T4: Preparatory treatments, such as baling, sorting, shredding

S1: Storing waste in secure containers

You will need an environmental permit if you want to store:

  • waste at an intermediate site for treatment or use not covered in related exemptions or under a permit for recovery
  • mixed waste at an intermediate site for treatment
  • waste prior to disposal

Find out more about environmental permits for waste.

Register a S2 exemption

You need to register this exemption with the Environment Agency if you meet the requirements.

Updates to this page

Published 12 September 2019
Last updated 1 July 2025 show all updates

  1. Updated with a link to new guidance about charges for waste exemptions.

  2. Updated the message at the start to say changes to exemptions are expected to start in 2025 but that timescales have not been finalised.

  3. Clarified the conditions for waste electrical and electronic equipment.

  4. We have added information about changes to this waste exemption that are likely to happen during 2024 to 2025.

  5. First published.

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