General waste at mines and quarries

This guidance is for non-extractive waste 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, e.g. cooking oils, raw ingredients, packaging
office waste, e.g. paper, card, fluorescent tubes, toner cartridges
plant and machinery waste, e.g. oil and fuel filters, tyres, parts
waste batteries, electrical equipment and vehicles, e.g. 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.

For information on listed activities and waste exemptions in Northern Ireland, see our guidance -

In Northern Ireland - PPC permits for mining and quarrying businesses and waste exemptions
In Scotland - Does your mining or quarrying business require an EASR IA permit?

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 - waste activities

If you carry out waste operations or waste management activities you must have an authorisation from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) or SEPA in Scotland.

How to apply for an authorisation

Further information on waste activities

What you must do - mobile plant

If you operate a waste mobile plant, you must have a waste management licence from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency in Northern Ireland.

Contact your environmental regulator