Standard Rules Permits
The Environment Agency have developed Standard Rules permits for activities that apply to certain waste types dealt with in a relatively consistent way so as to simplify the process of application which must now be done online.
Activities and wastes that fall outside the Standard Rules must be dealt with through either a Bespoke Permit or an Installation Permit (where more than 10 tonnes of hazardous waste are received per day).
Standard rules permits are listed here and below (updated 21 March 2022).
Anaerobic digestion including use of the resultant gas and storing digestate
- SR2021 No 6: anaerobic digestion facility, including use of the resultant biogas – installations
- 20 December 2021
- Statutory guidance
- SR2021 No 7: anaerobic digestion facility, including use of the resultant biogas – waste recovery operation
- 1 March 2022
- Statutory guidance
- SR2021 No 8: on-farm anaerobic digestion facility using farm wastes only, including use of the resultant biogas – installations
- 4 March 2022
- Statutory guidance
- SR2021 No 9: on-farm anaerobic digestion facility, including use of the resultant biogas – waste recovery operation
- 1 March 2022
- Statutory guidance
Anaerobic digestion including storing digestate - unavailable for new applications
- SR2010 No 15: anaerobic digestion facility including use of the resultant biogas
- 14 October 2011
- Statutory guidance
- SR2010 No 16: on-farm anaerobic digestion facility
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2012 No 9: on-farm anaerobic digestion using farm wastes
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2012 No 10: on-farm anaerobic digestion facility using farm wastes only, including use of the resultant biogas
- 15 September 2020
- Statutory guidance
- SR2012 No 11: anaerobic digestion facility including use of the resultant biogas
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2012 No 12: anaerobic digestion facility including use of the resultant biogas (waste recovery operation)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
Car and vehicle dismantling
- SR2015 No 13: 25kte vehicle storage depollution and dismantling (authorised treatment) facility
- 1 May 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 17: vehicle storage depollution and dismantling authorised treatment facility
- 6 July 2020
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 18: metal recycling, vehicle storage, depollution and dismantling facility
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2021 No 12: Vehicle storage, depollution and dismantling (authorised treatment) facility
- 21 March 2022?
- Statutory Guidance
Car and vehicle dismantling - unavailable for new applications
- SR2008 No 20: 25kte vehicle storage, depollution and dismantling (authorised treatment) facility (existing permits)
- 29 June 2020
- Statutory guidance
- SR2011 No 3: vehicle storage depollution and dismantling (authorised treatment) facility (existing permits)
- 6 July 2020
- Statutory guidance
- SR2012 No 14: metal recycling, vehicle storage, depollution and dismantling facility (existing permits)
- 10 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
Composting, sewage or sludge treatment, biogas
- SR2009 No 4: combustion of biogas in engines at a sewage treatment works
- 17 October 2018
- Statutory guidance
- SR2010 No 18: storage and treatment of dredgings for recovery
- 10 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2021 No 1: composting in open systems – installations
- 20 December 2021
- Statutory guidance
- SR2021 No 2: composting in open systems – waste recovery operation
- 20 December 2021
- Statutory guidance
- SR2021 No 3: composting in closed systems – waste recovery operation
- 20 December 2021
- Statutory guidance
- SR2021 No 4: composting in closed systems – installations
- 20 December 2021
- Statutory guidance
- SR2021 No 5: composting in open and closed systems – waste recovery operation
- 20 December 2021
- Statutory guidance
- SR2021 No 10: anaerobic digestion of non-hazardous sludge at a waste water treatment works, including the use of the resultant biogas
- 20 December 2021
- Statutory guidance
Composting, sewage or sludge treatment, biogas - unavailable for new applications
- SR2008 No 16 25kte and 75kte: composting in open systems (no longer available)
- 7 June 2013
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 17: 75kte composting in closed systems (in-vessel composting)
- 7 June 2013
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 18: 75kte non hazardous mechanical biological (aerobic) treatment facility (existing permits)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 19: 75kte non-hazardous sludge biological chemical and physical treatment site
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 19: 250kte non-hazardous sludge biological chemical and physical treatment site
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2010 No 14: 500t composting biodegradable waste
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2011 No 1: 500t composting biodegradable waste (in open and closed systems)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2012 No 3: composting in closed systems
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2012 No 4: composting in closed systems
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2012 No 7: composting in open systems
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2012 No 8: composting in open systems
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
Deposit for recovery
- SR2015 No 39: use of waste in a deposit for recovery operations
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
Deposit for recovery - unavailable for new applications
- SR2010 No 7: 50kte use of waste in construction
- 10 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2010 No 8: use of waste in construction
- 10 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2010 No 9: use of waste for reclamation, restoration or improvement of land
- 10 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2010 No 10: use of waste for reclamation, restoration or improvement of land
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
Electrical insulating oil storage
- SR2012 No 15: storage of electrical insulating oils
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
Flood risk activities
Standard rules permits for flood risk activities
- SR2015 No 26: temporary dewatering affecting up to 20 metres of a main river
- 31 July 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 27: constructing an outfall pipe up to 500mm diameter through a headwall into a main river
- 31 July 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 28: installing a clear span bridge
- 31 July 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 29: temporary storage on a flood plain of a main river
- 31 July 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 30: temporary diversion of a main river
- 31 July 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 31: channel habitat structure made of natural materials
- 31 July 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 32: installing an access culvert no more than 5 metres long
- 31 July 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 33: repairing and protecting up to 20 metres of main river bank
- 31 July 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 34: temporary scaffolding affecting up to 20 metres of a main river
- 31 July 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 35: excavating a wetland or pond in a main river floodplain
- 31 July 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 36: site investigation boreholes and temporary trial pits
- 31 July 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 38: removing 100 metres of exposed gravel from bars and shoals
- 31 July 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2019 No 1: installation of mooring pile in a main river
- 1 August 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2019 No 2: steps, ramps and other similar structures excavated into the existing bank profile of a main river
- 1 August 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2019 No 3: installation of water gates across a main river
- 1 August 2019
- Statutory guidance
Medium combustion plant and specified generators
- SR2018 No 1: Specified Generator, Tranche B low risk, base load operation between 0 – 5 MWth
- 8 January 2020
- Statutory guidance
- SR2018 No 2: Specified Generator, Tranche B low risk, base load operation 0 – 2 MWth with high background NOx
- 13 September 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2018 No 3: Specified Generator, Tranche B low risk, base load operation 0 – 2 MWth in Air Quality Management Areas or high ambient NOx
- 13 September 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2018 No 4: Specified Generator, Tranche B low risk, 0 – 20 MWth of gas or abated diesel engines operated less than 500 hours a year
- 6 February 2020
- Statutory guidance
- SR2018 No 5: Specified Generator, Tranche B low risk, 0 – 20 MWth of gas or abated diesel engines operated less than 1,500 hours a year
- 6 February 2020
- Statutory guidance
- SR2018 No 6: Specified Generator, Tranche B low risk, base load operation 0 – 1.3 MWth with high background NOx
- 13 September 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2018 No 7: New, low risk, stationary Medium Combustion Plant 1 < 20MWth (in operation after 20/12/2018)
- 6 February 2020
- Statutory guidance
- SR2018 No 8: mobile plant Specified Generator, Tranche B low risk, base load operation <1 – 2 MWth
- 13 September 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2018 No 9: Specified Generator, Tranche B low risk, base load operation between 0 – 0.9 MWth
- 13 September 2019
- Statutory guidance
Metal recycling, scrap metal and WEEE - not cars or vehicles
- SR2009 No 7: storage of furnace ready scrap metal for recovery
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 3: metal recycling and WEEE authorised treatment facility excluding ozone depleting substances
- 11 March 2021
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 14: 75kte metal recycling site
- 10 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 15: WEEE authorised treatment facility (ATF) excluding ozone-depleting substances
- 8 March 2021
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 16: metal recycling site
- 19 April 2021
- Statutory guidance
Metal recycling, scrap metal and WEEE - not cars or vehicles - unavailable for new applications
- SR2008 No 21: 75kte metal recycling site (existing permits)
- 10 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 22: 75kte storage of furnace ready scrap metal for recovery
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 23: WEEE authorised treatment facility (ATF) excluding ozone-depleting substances
- 8 March 2021
- Statutory guidance
- SR2011 No 2: metal recycling site (existing permits)
- 10 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
Mining, oil and gas
- SR2009 No 8: management of inert wastes and unpolluted soil at mines and quarries
- 29 August 2018
- Statutory guidance
- SR2014 No 2: management of extractive waste
- 11 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 1: onshore oil exploration
- 8 May 2019
- Guidance
- SR2015 No 2: storing and handling crude oil
- 10 April 2019
- Guidance
Mobile plant for land-spreading or treatment
- SR2008 No 27: mobile plant for treatment of soils and contaminated material, substances or products
- 28 August 2018
- Statutory guidance
- SR2010 No 4: mobile plant for land-spreading
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2010 No 5: mobile plant for reclamation, restoration or land improvement
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2010 No 6: mobile plant for land-spreading of sewage sludge
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2010 No 11: mobile plant for treatment of waste to produce soil, soil substitutes and aggregate
- 10 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
Radioactive substances for non-nuclear sites
- SR2010 No 1: category 5 sealed radioactive sources
- 30 March 2010
- Statutory guidance
- SR2014 No 4: NORM waste from oil and gas production
- 9 December 2014
- Statutory guidance
- SR2017 No1: Unintentional receipt of radioactive materials and radioactive waste by the operator of any facility which uses a radiation detection system
- 16 March 2018
- Statutory guidance
Storage or treatment of waste - recycling, dredging, clinical, soil, tyre shred or wood treatment
- SR2008 No 24: standard rules for transfer of healthcare waste
- 18 January 2022
- Statutory guidance
- SR2009 No 2: low impact part A installation
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2009 No 3: low impact part A installation for the production of biodiesel
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2010 No 12: treatment of waste to produce soil, soil substitutes and aggregate
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2012 No 13: treatment of incinerator bottom ash (IBA)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 21: 75kte materials recycling facility
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 23: treatment of waste wood for recovery
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 24: use of waste to manufacture timber or construction products
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2020 No 1: storage of PAS 107 certified clean cut tyre shred and chip at a port
- 16 November 2020
- Statutory guidance
- SR2021 No 13: storage and mechanical treatment of end-of-life tyres for recovery
- 16 March 2022
- Statutory guidance
- SR2021 No 14: storage and mechanical treatment of waste mattresses for recovery
- 16 March 2022
- Statutory guidance
- SR2021 No 15: storage and mechanical treatment of waste paper, cardboard and plastic for recovery
- 16 March 2022
- Statutory guidance
Storage or treatment of waste - recycling, dredging, clinical, soil or wood treatment - unavailable for new applications
- SR2008 No 14 75kte: materials recycling facility
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 15: materials recycling facility (no building) (existing permits)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 24: 75Kte clinical waste and healthcare waste transfer station (unavailable for new applications)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 25: 75kte clinical waste and healthcare waste treatment and transfer station (unavailable for new applications)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2010 No 13: use of waste to manufacture timber or construction products
- 10 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2011 No 4: treatment of waste wood for recovery (existing permits)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
Waste transfer station or amenity site with or without treatment
- SR2008 No 9: asbestos waste transfer station
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 10: 75kte inert and excavation waste transfer station
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 11: 75kte inert and excavation waste transfer station with treatment
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2009 No 5: inert and excavation waste transfer station below 250kte
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2009 No 6: inert and excavation waste transfer station with treatment below 250kte
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2010 No 17: storage of wastes to be used in land treatment
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 4: 75kte household, commercial and industrial waste transfer station
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 5: household, commercial and industrial waste transfer station (no building)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 6: 75kte household, commercial and industrial waste transfer station with treatment
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 8: 75kte household, commercial and industrial waste transfer station with asbestos storage
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 10: 75kte household, commercial and industrial waste transfer station with treatment and asbestos storage
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No 19: 75kte non-hazardous household waste amenity site
- 10 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2015 No.20: 75kte non-hazardous and hazardous household waste amenity site
- 10 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
Waste transfer station or amenity site with or without treatment - unavailable for new applications
- SR2008 No 1: 75kte household, commercial and industrial waste transfer station (existing permits)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 2: household, commercial and industrial waste transfer station (no building) (existing permits)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 3: 75kte household, commercial and industrial waste transfer station with treatment (existing permits)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 4: household, commercial and industrial waste transfer station with treatment (no building)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 5: 75kte household, commercial and industrial waste transfer station and asbestos storage (existing permits)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 6: household, commercial and industrial waste transfer station with asbestos storage (no building) (existing permits)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 7: 75kte household, commercial and industrial waste transfer stations with treatment and asbestos storage
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 8: household, commercial and industrial waste transfer station with treatment and asbestos storage (no building) (existing permits)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 12 75kte: non hazardous household waste amenity site (existing permits)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2008 No 13 75kte: non-hazardous and hazardous household waste amenity site (existing permits)
- 3 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
Water discharges
The annual permit fee (‘subsistence’) for standard water discharge permits starts from the date the permit is issued, so you should not apply for a permit significantly ahead of when it’s required.
As well as the 2 standard permits listed in this section, standard permit SR2008No27 (mobile plant for the treatment of soils and contaminated material, substances or products) can also apply to water discharges.
There are currently no standard rules permits for sewage effluent to ground or groundwater.
- SR2010 No 2: discharge to surface water
- 10 April 2019
- Statutory guidance
- SR2010 No 3: discharge to surface water
- 10 April 2019
- Statutory guidance