Wastes that you must not landfill

Liquid wastes

In England, Northern Ireland and Wales all liquid wastes are banned from landfill. The Environment Agency has produced guidance on diverting non-hazardous liquid wastes from landfill in England and Wales. This guidance includes interpretation of the term ‘liquid waste’.

In Scotland liquid wastes are usually banned from landfill under a site’s Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) permit.

Used tyres

Whole and shredded used tyres are banned from landfill. This does not include bicycle tyres, or tyres with an outside diameter greater than 1.4 metres (eg larger agricultural and earthmover tyres). Whole tyres can still be used for landfill engineering purposes, as long as this is stated on the landfill site’s PPC permit.

Healthcare wastes

Infectious clinical wastes from hospitals, medical or veterinary establishments are banned from landfill.

You must segregate healthcare waste and assess each fraction for its chemical and medicinal properties. This will tell you if you need to treat it as hazardous/special waste. See the Department of Health publication on the safe management of healthcare waste for guidance.

If your waste consists of animals or parts of animals you will need to comply with controls on animal by-products.

Waste that has dangerous characteristics under landfill conditions

Wastes that may have the following characteristics under landfill conditions are banned.

  • Explosive, for example ammunition, gunpowder, flares, detonators, and waste from the explosives industry.
  • Corrosive, for example acid or alkaline sludges.
  • Flammable, for example wastes containing solvents with a flash point of 55oC or less, magnesium, phosphorus, alcohol or camphor.
  • Oxidising, for example ammonium nitrate, potassium chlorate, potassium permanganate, sodium chlorate.

Chemicals

New or unidentified chemical substances, whose effects on man and the environment are not known, are banned from landfill. These may originate from research and development, or teaching activities.

Recycling and disposal facilities

In England and Wales you can find your nearest recycling and disposal facilities using the Waste Recycling Directory for Business.

In Scotland you can find your nearest recycling and reuse services using the Waste Aware Business Recycling Directory.
In Northern Ireland you can find your nearest licensed waste site on the public registers.

In this guideline: