Collection

COVID-19 regulatory position statements

Environment Agency regulatory response to coronavirus (COVID-19).

From:
Environment Agency
Published
6 April 2020
Last updated
130 JulyMay 2022 — See all updates

We have published our approach to regulation and enforcement during the coronavirus outbreak:

We have also published these time-limited COVID-19 regulatory position statements (RPSs) in relation to certain regulatory requirements. They will help minimise risks to the environment and human health where, for reasons beyond your control, compliance with certain regulatory requirements may not be possible due to coronavirus. They also cover specific circumstances where we are relaxing normal regulatory requirements. This is to avoid increasing risks to the environment or human health during the particular circumstances of the coronavirus outbreak.

Each COVID-19 RPS sets out when they apply and the conditions you must comply with. You must still comply with all of your other environmental regulatory requirements.

If you wish to use a COVID-19 RPS you must comply with both its:

  • specific conditions – including any requirements to notify us or get our approval to use it
  • requirements concerning pollution and harm to human health

If you do this, we will not normally take enforcement action against you.

We are reviewing the ongoing need for each COVID-19 RPS shortly before its expiry date. If a COVID-19 RPS expires, we will remove it from the listing. If we decide to extend it, then we will amend the expiry date. It is your responsibility to check individual RPSs to determine when they expire. Please contact us if you envisage any problems in complying with your permit after an RPS has expired.

Waste management (excluding radioactive waste)

Published 6 April 2020
Last updated 130 JulyMay 2022 + show all updates

  1. Removed 'Managing lateral flow device (LFD) testing waste: RPS C25' which expired on 30 June 2022.

  2. Added 'Managing waste unused coronavirus (COVID-19) test kits: RPS C29' and 'Managing waste unused coronavirus (COVID-19) PPE: RPS C30'.

  3. Removed the regulatory position statement 'Cleansing and PPE waste at a healthcare waste management facility: RPS C1' as this has now expired.

  4. Added regulatory position statement 'Managing lateral flow device (LFD) testing waste: RPS C25'.

  5. We have added 'Water and sewerage company OSM and UWWTR sampling affected by COVID-19: RPS C24' under Water industry. This RPS replaces Water and sewerage company OSM and UWWTR sampling affected by COVID-19: C3.

  6. We have added COVID-19 regulatory position statement 'Incinerating specified healthcare wastes at a municipal waste incinerator: RPS C23'.

  7. We have added the COVID-19 regulatory position statement 'Spreading slurry or milk on land, or storing slurry: RPS C22'.

  8. We have added Monitoring emissions from some environmental permitting activities: RPS C20 and Reporting for installations, radioactive substances and waste permits: RPS C21. These replace RPS C7 and RPS C10 which have been withdrawn.

  9. We have added the COVID-19 regulatory position statement 'Emissions to air from Large Combustion Plant in the Transitional National Plan: RPS C18'.

  10. We have added the COVID-19 regulatory position statement 'COVID-19 and storing waste at unpermitted sites due to exceeding your storage limits: RPS C17'.

  11. We have added COVID-19 RPSs: 'COVID-19 and delaying hazardous waste consignee returns: RPS C14', 'COVID-19 and exceeding permit limits for medical use of radioactive substances: RPS C15' and 'COVID-19 and temporary storage of incinerator bottom ash aggregate: RPS C16'.

  12. We have added a link to the Environment Agency regulatory response to coronavirus.

  13. We have added COVID-19 RPS: Accumulating radioactive waste that you cannot transfer because of COVID-19: RPS C13.

  14. We have added 'COVID-19 and spreading slurry or milk on land, or storing slurry: RPS C12' to the document collection.

  15. We have added 2 COVID-19 RPSs: 'Reporting for installations, radioactive substances and waste permits: RPS C10' and 'Emissions to air from large combustion plant during black start events: RPS C11'.

  16. We have added COVID-19 RPSs: Social distancing when signing and handing over waste transfer and consignment notes in person: RPS C8 and COVID-19 and packaging waste: registering as a packaging producer: RPS C9.

  17. We added 2 COVID-19 RPSs: 'Storing treated sewage sludge you cannot move because of COVID-19 restrictions: RPS C6' and 'Monitoring emissions from installations, radioactive substances and waste activities: RPS C7'.

  18. We have added 2 COVID-19 RPSs under Waste management: 'Incinerating specified healthcare wastes at a municipal waste incinerator: RPS C4' and 'PPE waste from home healthcare workers treating patients with COVID-19: RPS C5'.

  19. First published.