Regulatory Decision 090: Storing and dewatering street sweepings

This Regulatory Decision (RD) is valid until 1 May 2025 by which time it will be reviewed. You should check back at that time to ensure the RD is still valid.

NRW can withdraw or amend this regulatory decision before the review date if we consider it necessary. This includes where the activity that this RD relates to has not changed.

Regulatory Decision

Most street sweeping waste will contain water. It will need dewatering before it’s collected for recovery or disposal. This RD allows you to use physical treatment only to dewater street sweepings.

This RD does not apply to any other activity, even if it is under the same legislation. You may still need other permits or licences for other activities you carry out.

Conditions you must comply with 

This RD can only be used by:

• local authorities and Highway authorities to store and dewater street sweepings they produce before they are collected for recovery or disposal
• contractors employed by a local authority or Highways authorities who carry out street sweeping and deposit the waste at a site controlled by the contractor before it’s collected for recovery or disposal

This RD cannot be used:

• by contractors or other waste collectors taking street sweeping waste to a site controlled by local authorities or Highways authority
• for gully and interceptor wastes

You must make sure:

• you store and dewater street sweepings on an impermeable surface with sealed drainage*
• the local authority, Highways authority or the contractor have control over the street sweepings and the place where they are stored · the street sweepings are stored in accordance with Waste exemption: NWFD 3 temporary storage of waste at a place controlled by the producer
• the street sweepings are kept in a secure place with no public access
• you keep records for 2 years that show you have complied with this RPS – you must make these records available to NRW on request

A sealed drainage system is impermeable. It does not leak. It ensures that all liquids:

• run off the surface through the sealed drainage system
• are collected in a sealed sump, except where they may be lawfully discharged to a foul sewer
  
  

Enforcement

This RD does not change your legal requirement to have an environmental permit for a waste operation,  when you are storing and dewatering street sweepings.

However, NRW will not normally take enforcement action if you do not comply with the need for an environmental permit if you meet the requirements in this RD.

Your activity must not cause (or be likely to cause) pollution of the environment or harm to human health, and must not:

• cause a risk to water, air, soil, plants or animals
• cause a nuisance through noise or odours
• adversely affect the countryside or places of special interest