Guidance

S1 waste exemption: store waste in secure containers

The S1 waste exemption lets you store certain waste in secure containers at a site separate to where it was produced, before transportation to another site for recovery.

Waste exemptions are changing and this will affect anyone who carries out a waste exemption activity. Defra’s consultation supplementary response document and its annexes explain the changes. This sets out which exemptions will be withdrawn or restricted. Changes to the exemptions are likely to start in 2025 but timescales have not been finalised.

Types of activity you can carry out

These include:

  • storing waste oil in a tank at an intermediate site before it’s moved to another site to be recovered
  • storing and bulking-up plastic packaging in a container at a place before it’s moved to another site to be recovered

Types of activity you cannot carry out

You cannot:

  • treat waste under this exemption
  • store waste destined to be disposed of
  • store mixed waste
  • mix hazardous with non-hazardous waste

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
130109 * to 130113 *, 130204 * to 130208 *, 130401 * to 130403 *, 130701 * waste oils
150101, 200101 cartons
150102, 200139 plastics and plastic packaging
150104, 200140 cans and foil only
150101, 200101 paper and cardboard
150107, 200102 glass
150109, 200110, 200111 textiles and clothes
150202 * absorbents, filter materials (including oil filters not otherwise specified), wiping cloths, protective clothing contaminated by hazardous substances
150203 absorbents, filter materials, wiping cloths, protective clothing not contaminated by hazardous substances
160107 * oil filters

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

Quantity of waste you can store

You can store up to 400 cubic metres each of the following waste at any one time:

  • cartons
  • plastics and plastic packaging
  • cans and foils
  • paper and cardboard
  • glass
  • textiles and clothes

You can store up to 3 cubic metres each of the following waste at any one time:

  • waste oils
  • hazardous absorbents, filter material, wiping cloths and protective clothing contaminated by hazardous substances
  • non-hazardous absorbents, filter materials, wiping cloths and protective clothing
  • oil filters

You can store the waste in up to 20 containers at any one time but the total amount of waste stored must not exceed the maximum allowed under this exemption.

Conditions

The conditions are:

  • no waste is stored for longer than 12 months
  • the containers must be secure
  • the person storing the waste must own the containers or have the owner’s consent
  • waste oils and oil filters must be stored with secondary containment
  • the waste is being stored before it’s recovered elsewhere
  • each waste type is stored separately

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 (baling, sorting, shredding etc)

S2: Storing waste in a secure place

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
  • these wastes in quantities larger than allowed in this exemption

Find out more about environmental permits for waste.

Register a S1 exemption

You need to register this exemption with us if you meet the requirements:

Updates to this page

Published 2 April 2014
Last updated 10 May 2024 + show all updates
  1. Updated the message at the start to say changes to exemptions are expected to start in 2025 but that timescales have not been finalised.

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

  3. Minor changes to the page title and description to improve search results. This will help customers find relevant exemption guidance.

  4. Changed reference of 'dangerous substances' to 'hazardous substances'.

  5. First published.

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