Waste Wood Rules Updated: Temporary Storage Flexibility Introduced for England
Pressure on the UK waste wood sector has prompted a regulatory adjustment that many operators have been calling for. In response to ongoing disruption at end-use facilities, the Environment Agency has issued a revised Regulatory Position Statement that gives permitted sites greater short-term flexibility when storage capacity is exceeded through no fault of their own.
The update reflects the practical reality facing waste handlers across England, where bottlenecks at biomass plants, incinerators and manufacturing facilities have made it increasingly difficult to move material on within permitted limits.
What Has Changed Under the New Waste Wood RPS
Published on 16 December 2025, Regulatory Position Statement 361 (RPS 361) replaces the previous waste wood statement and broadens the scope of sites that can benefit from temporary relief.
For the first time, the revised position explicitly covers facilities storing waste wood intended for panel board manufacture. These operations were not included under the earlier RPS, despite sustained industry feedback highlighting the gap.
The new approach recognises that storage pressures are not limited to energy-from-waste routes and that manufacturing slowdowns can have the same knock-on effect across the supply chain.
When Sites Can Exceed Storage Limits
RPS 361 allows permitted waste wood sites in England to temporarily exceed their authorised storage thresholds where material build-up is caused by unplanned downtime or disruption at downstream destinations.
This flexibility is not automatic. Operators must demonstrate that the additional stockpiling is unavoidable and linked directly to circumstances outside their control, rather than poor planning or routine capacity issues.
The intention is to prevent recyclable wood from being diverted to landfill or unnecessary disposal routes simply because short-term congestion cannot be absorbed within existing limits.
Conditions Operators Must Meet
Sites seeking to rely on RPS 361 must notify the Environment Agency and receive confirmation before proceeding. As part of this process, operators are expected to provide clear justification covering:
- the reason storage limits need to be exceeded
- the additional volume involved and the expected duration
- how environmental risks will be controlled
- what additional fire prevention and safety measures are in place
The emphasis remains firmly on risk management. Increased stockpiles bring heightened fire and pollution concerns, and the regulator expects these to be actively addressed rather than deferred.
A Time-Limited Measure, Not a Permanent Solution
The revised RPS is intended as a temporary regulatory position, not a long-term substitute for adequate infrastructure or capacity planning. The Environment Agency has confirmed that RPS 361 will be reviewed by 31 July 2026.
This review period allows regulators to reassess whether downstream capacity has stabilised and whether further structural changes are required across the waste wood market.
What This Means for Waste Operators
For waste management businesses, the updated position offers short-term breathing space at a time when operational pressures remain high. However, it also reinforces the importance of strong compliance controls, accurate record-keeping and proactive engagement with regulators.
At Affordable Waste Management, we provide regular, compliant commercial waste collections for businesses across the UK. We help companies keep waste moving, sites clear and operations running smoothly, even when the wider waste sector is under pressure.