U9: using waste to manufacture finished goods
U9 exemption allows you to use waste in place of raw materials to manufacture a finished product.
Applies to England
There鈥檚 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 using:
- boiler ash to manufacture breeze blocks
- waste textiles to manufacture carpet underlay
Types of activity you cannot carry out
You cannot use this exemption if your operation involves any activity described in part A (1) or part A (2) of part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 (as amended).
These are industrial scale processes which need an installations permit.
Other things you need to know
For the purposes of this exemption, 鈥榝inished goods鈥� means goods that are ready for use by an end consumer without any further processing. Waste derived finished goods still need to meet the end of waste test.
A manufacturing process should result in a product that is significantly different from the raw materials that it was made from.
Wood chip is not considered to be finished goods.
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 | Quantity (tonnes) at any one time |
|---|---|---|
| 10听01听01 10听01听02 |
Ash only | 500 |
| 10听12听08 | Ceramics | 100 |
| 10听11听12 15听01听07 19听12听05 20听01听02 |
Glass | 5,000 |
| 10听01听05 | Gypsum only | 500 |
| 20听01听99 | Lion faeces only | 5 |
| 12听01听01 12听01听03 15听01听04 16听01听17 16听01听18 19听10听01 19听10听02 19听12听02 19听12听03 20听01听40 |
Metals | 500 |
| 15听01听01 19听12听01 20听01听01 |
Paper and cardboard | 15,000 |
| 07听02听13 12听01听05 15听01听02 19听12听04 20听01听39 |
Plastics | 500 |
| 19听12听04 | Rubber only | 30 |
| 04听02听21 04听02听22 15听01听09 19听12听08 20听01听10 20听01听11 |
Textiles | 1,000 |
| 03听01听05 03听03听01 15听01听03 19听12听07 20听01听38 |
Wood, bark, cork, sawdust, shavings, cuttings, particle board | 100 |
The waste must be stored in a secure location at the place where the manufacturing is carried out.
Ash, ceramics, glass, gypsum, metals must be stored at a secure location with sealed drainage.
Lion faeces, textiles, wood and bark must be stored indoors or in a secure container.
Paper and cardboard must be stored in bales, in a container or indoors.
For paper and cardboard, up to 1,000 tonnes can be stored outdoors in an enclosure designed and maintained to prevent escape of litter.
Heat treatment is not permitted for plastics and rubber.
Within the 30 tonnes limit for rubber, you must store it in piles no bigger than 10 tonnes, with a gap as a fire break between each pile.
You should not use any more waste than you need to or this will be considered as waste disposal and will not be exempt.
U9 related exemptions
T1: cleaning, washing, spraying or coating relevant waste
T4: preparatory treatments such as baling, sorting, shredding
If you want to use waste without treatment for a specified purpose you could register U8: using waste for a specified purpose.
If you want to use more waste than is allowed or a type of waste which is not allowed, you will need an environmental permit.
Register a U9 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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Added a sentence to the section 'Other things you need to know': Waste derived finished goods still need to meet the end of waste test.
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First published.