There is one set of standard rules for the disposal of dead domestic pet carcasses or their cremated remains.
These rules allow the operator to operate a pet cemetery at a specified location.
All waste storage must take place within a building. These rules do not permit the burning of any wastes in the open. Any wastes controlled by the Animal By-Products Regulations must be handled and treated in accordance with any requirements imposed by those regulations.
The rules also require operators to ensure that:
- there is a minimum of one metre of unsaturated zone between the bottom of all buried dead domestic pet carcasses, cremated remains and packing material and the groundwater table;
- there is a minimum of 0.5 metres of soil between all dead domestic pet carcasses, cremated remains and packing material and the ground surface;
- burial density does not exceed an average of 20kg of dead domestic pet carcase or cremated remains and packing material per square metre.
Applying for a standard permit
You can apply for a standard permit if you can comply with the standard rules and meet the following risk criteria:
- the disposal of dead domestic pet carcasses or their cremated remains must not exceed 10 tonnes per day.
- the total capacity of the site must be less than 25,000 tonnes.
- the only discharges to controlled waters are surface water from the roofs of buildings and from areas of the site not used for the storage of wastes.
- the activities are not carried out within 200 metres of a European site, Ramsar site or Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). You can find out this information by calling us on 0370 8506506, or by visiting either of the websites below (depending on whether your site is in England or Wales).
- Natural England
- Countryside Council for Wales
Applying for a bespoke permit
If you cannot comply with any of the standard rules, or meet any one of the criteria listed above, then you must apply for a bespoke permit. Your application must include additional information about the criteria that you cannot meet and how you intend to control the associated risks.
Cost of standard permits
The cost of standard permits can be found within our charging scheme.
Standard rules
You can find the standard rules, generic risk assessment, guidance and application form by using the links below.
Look at the standard rules that you want to apply for and check that:
- the permitted activities include all the ones that you want to carry out;
- the permitted waste types include all the wastes you want to accept onto the site;
- the permitted waste quantity is sufficient;
- you can comply with all the other rules. We have written guidance to help you understand how to comply with the rules.
Download and check the rules:
We carried out a risk assessment to develop the risk criteria for these activities to produce the standard rules. We have provided it for your information, but you do not need to agree with it or send us a signed copy.
Record of changes to standard rules and generic risk assessment
A record of the changes to the standard rules and generic risk assessment, since they were first published, is available from the link below. The record of change was last updated in April 2010. If you operate under this set of standard rules, you must comply with the current version that is linked to this web page:
Guidance on how to comply with your standard permit
Guidance is provided in a document called 'How to Comply with your Environmental Permit'. This is available to download from our Environmental Permitting guidance page:
Application form and explanatory notes
The Environmental Permitting Regulations application form is available from the link below:
