Who regulates non-recoverable fuel waste in England?

In brief

The Environment Agency regulates non-recoverable fuel waste in England, from storage and permits to the paperwork that moves it. Call 07950 582635 or send an enquiry.

Reporting a non-recoverable fuel waste spill in England

Report pollution, or anything that could reach a drain or watercourse, to the Environment Agency incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60, which is open 24 hours. Spilled fuel and used absorbents are then hazardous waste.

What the regulator in England does

The Environment Agency issues environmental permits for sites that store and treat waste, keeps the public register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers, and can inspect producers and carriers.

Permits for waste fuel sites in England

Sites that store or treat waste fuel in England need an environmental permit from the Environment Agency, or a registered exemption for small, low-risk activities.

How City Fuel Services handles non-recoverable fuel waste

Every load of non-recoverable fuel waste is assessed before anything is booked. Tell us the quantity, the containers and any contamination; we confirm the terms, collect with a suitable vehicle, and take it to a permitted facility on a consignment note.

Terms used in this answer

Duty of care: The legal duty on anyone who produces or holds waste to keep it safe, describe it accurately, pass it only to an authorised person and keep the paperwork.
Environmental permit: Permission from the regulator to run a site that stores, treats or receives waste, with conditions on how much and how.

Key facts
Nation	England
Regulator	Environment Agency
Fuel	Unusable fuel
Also called	tank bottoms, fuel sludge, fuel-water emulsions
Waste code	16 07 08* or 13 07 03* (wastes from tank cleaning containing oil, or other fuels; the right code depends on the material)