Waste Treatment Exemption Applications

The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016: T3 and T7 Waste Treatment Exemptions.

T3 and T7 Waste Treatment Exemptions.

Chapter 3 'Treatment of Waste' of Schedule 3 of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 (EPR) specifies the waste treatment operations that are exempt from requiring an environmental permit The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 (legislation.gov.uk).

In Wales, most waste treatment exemptions must be registered with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Natural Resources Wales / Permits and permissions. However, there are two exemptions that must be registered with the local authority. These are:

• T3 - Treatment of waste metals and metal alloys by heating for the purposes of removing grease.
• T7 - Treatment of waste bricks, tiles and concrete by crushing, grinding or reducing in size.

There are specific conditions and requirements that are required to be met for T3 and T7 waste treatment exemptions, as specified under Chapter 3 of Schedule 3 of the EPR.

For T3 exemptions these are:

• the total quantity of waste stored or treated at any one time does not exceed 10 tonnes,
• the waste is stored in a secure location with sealed drainage,
• the appliance has a net rated thermal input of less than 0.2 megawatts, and
• where it is used together with other appliances (whether or not it is operated simultaneously with such other appliances), the aggregate net rated thermal input of all the appliances is less than 0.2 megawatts.

For T7 exemptions these are:

• the total quantity of waste treated over any period of 1 hour does not exceed 20 tonnes,
• the total quantity of waste stored at any one time does not exceed 200 tonnes,
• the waste is stored in a secure place prior to treatment,
• the treatment is carried on at the place of production, or at the place where the treated waste is to be used, and
• the operation does not result in the release into the air of a substance listed in paragraph 6(3) of Part 1 of Schedule 1, of the EPR, except in a quantity which is so trivial that it is incapable of causing pollution or its capacity to cause pollution is insignificant.

NOTE: The relevant waste types for T3 and T7 exemptions are also specified under Chapter 3 of Schedule 3 of the EPR.

T3 and T7 Registration.

As specified under Schedule 2 of the EPR The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 (legislation.gov.uk) the exemption registration authority for T3 and T7 waste treatment exemptions is:

• For waste treatment undertaken on mobile plant by an operator from England and Wales, the local authority in whose area the operator's principal place of business is located;
• for waste treatment undertaken on mobile plant by an operator not from England and Wales, the local authority in whose area the mobile plant is first operated;
• for waste treatment not undertaken on mobile plant, the local authority in whose area the waste treatment is undertaken.

NOTE: Where the waste treatment is a directly associated activity of a permitted activity, the waste treatment activity must be incorporated into the existing Environmental Permit.

The registration of T3 and T7 waste treatment exemptions is free and must be made by providing the following:

• the relevant particulars, and
• the details of a primary contact.

NOTE: No more than one waste treatment exemption may be registered at the same time and no more than one operator may be registered at the same location for the same waste treatment exemption.

Once registered, the relevant particulars of the waste treatment exemption will be entered onto the local authority's waste treatment exemption register, within 5 working days after receipt of the registration, and will be valid for a period of three years. The Powys County Council register can be viewed here: Register of T3 and T7 Waste Exemption Operations

A registration may be renewed at any time in the month prior to the registration becoming invalid, by providing the information specified above.

Notifications of any changes to the relevant particulars and primary contact details must be provided without delay.

To register, renew or provide notification of any changes to the relevant particulars/primary contact details for a waste treatment exemption, with Powys County Council, please complete and return this online form: Waste Treatment Exemption Application form

Entries on the waste treatment exemption register will be removed when a registration becomes invalid; if the local authority becomes aware that the exempt waste treatment is no longer in operation or the waste treatment ceases to be an exempt operation.

Records.

Where a T3 or T7 exempt waste operation is undertaken by mobile plant; chronological records must be kept of the quantity, nature, origin and, where relevant, the destination and treatment method of all waste disposed of or recovered; and records must be kept of the places where the operation is undertaken.

These records must be retained for a period of 2 years - during this period the records must be made available to Powys County Council on request.

Periodic Inspections.

Please be aware that periodic inspections of any registered T3 and T7 waste exemptions may be undertaken by Powys County Council, as required.

Contact.

Please contact Environmental Protection directly if you require any further assistance or information:

• Telephone: 01597 827 467 
• Email: environmental.protection@powys.gov.uk