U8: using waste for a specific purpose
U8 exemption allows you to use waste materials (that do not need treating) for a specific purpose to reduce the use of virgin or non-waste materials.
Applies to England
There鈥檚 a charge for most waste exemptions
This exemption is in band 2. Read waste exemption charges to find out what the charges and charging bands are.
Types of activity you can carry out
These include using:
- paper pulp or sawdust as animal bedding
- waste paint in community projects
- compost produced for growing mushrooms
- waste wood or stones to construct walls or structures
- waste water treatment sludge or solutions for treating water
Types of activity you cannot carry out
You cannot:
- use waste that needs treating before you can use it
- treat waste under this exemption, see related exemptions
- mix hazardous waste with other hazardous or non-hazardous waste
Types and quantities of waste you can use
The waste codes are listed in the List of Wastes (LoW) Regulations. You need to make sure your waste fits within the waste code and the description.
| Waste code | Type of waste | Purpose | Quantity limit (at any one time) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03听01听05 19听12听07 |
Untreated wood shavings, woodchip and sawdust, and oversized compost only | Horse man猫ges | 1,000 tonnes |
| 19听12听04 | Shredded or granulated rubber and end-of life tyres only | Horse man猫ges | 1,000 tonnes |
| 19听12听01 | Shredded paper and cardboard | Animal bedding | 100 tonnes |
| 03听03听05 03听03听10 03听03听11 |
Paper fibre, de-inked paper pulp and de-inked paper sludge from paper manufacturing only | Animal bedding | 100 tonnes |
| 03听01听05 19听12听07 |
Untreated wood shavings, woodchip and sawdust, and oversized compost only | Animal bedding | 100 tonnes |
| 16听01听03 | End-of-life tyres | Weight on cover sheeting on farms or as crash barriers | 40 tonnes |
| 15听01听02 | Geotextile bags (flexible intermediate bulk containers) only | Reinforcement in construction | 100 bags |
| 02听02听02 | Shellfish shells (flesh removed) | Ornamental purposes | 50 tonnes |
| 19听12听05 | Crushed glass only | Ornamental purposes | 50 tonnes |
| 20听01听27* 20听01听28 08听01听11* 08听01听12 |
Paints (excluding industrial paint, wood preservatives, aerosol and spray paints, inks, adhesives and resins) | Paint | 1,000 litres |
| 19听05听99 | Compost produced for growing mushrooms only | Growing mushrooms | 1,000 tonnes |
| 17听01听02 17听09听04 |
Stones and bricks in their existing state only | Construction of buildings, fencing, barriers, containment or similar above ground construction | 100 tonnes |
| 17听02听01 19听12听07 20听01听38 |
Non-hazardous wood, including telegraph poles and railway sleepers. Lock gates including balance beams | Construction of buildings, fencing, barriers, containment or similar above ground construction | 100 tonnes |
| 11听01听05* 11听01听07* |
Ferric chloride and aluminium hydroxide only | Treating municipal waste water effluent | 50 cubic metres |
| 11听01听05* 11听01听07* |
Ferric chloride and aluminium hydroxide only | Treating drinking water | 50 cubic metres |
| 19听09听02 19听09听03 19听09听06 |
Sludge and solution from treating water only | Treating municipal waste water effluent | 50 cubic metres |
| 10听02听01 10听02听02 17听05听04 19听12听09 |
Blast furnace slag and stones only | Filter media at waste water treatment works | 50,000 tonnes |
| 17听02听04* 19听12听06* 20听01听37* |
Hazardous wooden telegraph poles and railway sleepers, lock gates including balance beams | Construction of buildings, fencing, barriers, containment or similar above ground construction | 100 tonnes |
(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.
Key conditions
You should not use any more waste than you need to or this will be considered as waste disposal and will not be exempt.
The waste must not be treated or need to be treated before being used.
In relation to using aluminium hydroxide, ferric chloride and sludges and solutions from treating water:
- the waste must be stored within secondary containment and in a location with sealed drainage
- no more than 10 tonnes of ferric chloride or aluminium hydroxide may be used per day within the limit of 50 cubic metres
- in relation to waste tyres, within the 40 tonnes that can be used for the specified purpose, you can only store piles up to 10 tonnes, each with a gap as a fire break between each pile
Other things you need to know
Hazardous waste is subject to the requirements of the Hazardous Waste Regulations.
U8 related exemptions
Register a U8 exemption
You need to register this exemption with the Environment Agency if you meet the requirements.
Updates to this page
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Updated with a link to new information about charges and charging bands for waste exemptions.
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Updated the table heading to 'Quantity limit (at any one time)'.
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First published.