Low risk waste activities in Scotland
Some common, low risk waste activities (LWRA) don’t need authorisation from SEPA. However, you must follow certain conditions for each activity. If you cannot comply with the conditions, you may need an EASR waste authorisation.
See the SEPA guidance page for more details and conditions for low risk waste activities - SEPA low risk waste activities
The LRWA identified by SEPA are:
| Sector/activity | LRWA No. | Activity description |
|---|---|---|
| Voluntary/ community | 1 | Storage of waste from voluntary litter collections such as litter picks or beach cleans |
| 2 | Burning waste wood on campfires and bonfires | |
| Construction/ infrastructure | 3 | Treating asphalt road planings in a milling machine |
| 4 | Screening waste soil to remove vegetation, wood, rubble | |
| 5 | Cutting, chipping, and shredding waste plant matter and using the mulch | |
| 6 | Burying invasive non-native plant | |
| 7 | Burning less than 10 tonnes per day of clean plant matter waste and untreated waste wood in the open | |
| 8 | Burn waste trees, plants and associated packaging when a Plant Health Notice has been issued, to prevent the spread of plant diseases | |
| 9 | Deposit non-hazardous waste dredging materials from inland waters, or sustainable urban drainage systems, on land near to where the dredging takes place | |
| Agriculture | 10 | Use of waste tyres as weight on cover sheeting in silage systems |
| 11 | Use of waste for animal bedding | |
| 12 | Burial of poisoned rodent carcasses on farmland | |
| 13 | Use ash from the incineration of pig or poultry carcasses on land | |
| 14 | Treat waste organophosphate sheep dip prior to disposal to land (disposal of sheep dip to land requires authorisation) | |
| 15 | Disposal of pesticide solutions or washings in a lined biobed | |
| Composting/ anaerobic digestion | 16 | Composting biodegradable waste or manure in open systems, and use of the compost, at the place the waste or manure was produced, e.g., at farms, liveries, schools, parks, golf courses, nature reserves |
| 17 | Composting less than, or equal to, 1 tonne of waste, including Animal By-Product food waste (i.e., mixed food waste) per day in an enclosed system. For example, at a hotel, hospital, college campus, or market. | |
| 18 | Anaerobic digestion of less than, or equal to, 1 tonne of waste including Animal By-Product food waste at any one time in an enclosed system | |
| Healthcare | 19 | Store, sort and denature waste-controlled drugs at a pharmacy or veterinary surgery |
| Energy | 20 | Burning waste biomass as a fuel in a small appliance |
| Other | 21 | Store ships waste in suitable containers at a harbour |
| 22 | Store and process samples of waste at a laboratory | |
| 23 | Use of waste for entertainment or educational purposes | |
| 24 | Emergency services and armed forces use of waste motor vehicles | |
| 25 | Using waste in creative installations |
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