General waste and waste mobile plant at mines and quarries
This guidance is for non-extractive waste and waste mobile plant at your site.
Non-extractive waste is any waste at your site that is not directly produced by mining or quarrying activities, including:
- food waste, eg cooking oils, raw ingredients, packaging
- office waste, eg paper, card, fluorescent tubes, toner cartridges
- plant and machinery waste, eg oil and fuel filters, tyres, parts
- waste batteries, electrical equipment and vehicles, eg computers, trucks.
If your non-extractive waste is hazardous, see our hazardous / special waste guidance.
If you produce extractive waste, see our extractive waste guidance.
If you produce food waste, see our animal by-products and food waste guidance.
Businesses in Scotland and in Northern Ireland are required to take all reasonable steps to present at least the following key dry recyclables for separate collection:
- metals
- glass
- plastics
- paper, and
- card (including cardboard)
It is the duty of waste collectors to collect and transport these waste streams separately from other wastes.
Waste activities
If you carry out waste disposal or recovery activities you should check whether your activity is a listed activity.
Listed activities are explained in our guidance on installations and mobile plant.
For information on listed activities and waste exemptions, see our guidance on PPC permits for mining and quarrying businesses and waste exemptions.
If your waste disposal or recovery activities are not listed activities then they may be a waste management activity.
Waste operations or waste management activities at mines and quarries may include waste transfer stations or treatment facilities.
Contact your environmental regulator to check whether any of your activities are waste operations or waste management activities.
If your waste operations involve extractive waste, see our extractive waste guidance.
What you must do
If you carry out waste operations or waste management activities you must have a waste management licence from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) or SEPA in Scotland.
How to apply for a permit or licence
Further information on waste activities
Waste mobile plant
Waste mobile plants are used for waste management activities in Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Contact your environmental regulator to check whether your mine or quarry uses waste mobile plant.
What you must do
If you operate a waste mobile plant, you must have a waste management licence from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency or SEPA in Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Contact your environmental regulator
How to apply for a permit or licence
To find out how to apply for a permit see our guidance on waste management licences.
How do you apply for a waste management licence
Further information on waste mobile plant
- DAERA: Waste management licensing
- DAERA: Application for a mobile plant licence
- SEPA: Waste management licensing
- SEPA: Waste management mobile plant licence application form
SEE ALSO: Extractive waste