What the legislation says
11 (1) Carrying on at any place, an operation specified in column 2 of the table in sub-paragraph (2) relating to a corresponding kind of waste listed in column 1 of that table where:
(a) the operation is carried on with a view to recovery or reuse of the waste, whether or not by the person carrying it on; and
(b) the total quantity of any particular kind of waste dealt with at that place does not in any period of 7 days exceed the corresponding limit specified in column 3 of that table.
11 (2) The table referred to in sub-paragraph (1) is set out below.
| Kind of waste |
Operations |
Limit (tonnes per week) |
| Waste paper or cardboard |
Baling, sorting or shredding |
3,000 |
| Waste textiles |
Baling, sorting or shredding |
100 |
| Waste plastic |
Baling, sorting, shredding, densifying or washing |
100 |
| Waste glass |
Sorting, crushing or washing |
1,000 |
| Waste steel cans, aluminium cans or aluminium foil |
Sorting, crushing, pulverising, shredding, compacting or baling |
100 |
| Waste food or drink cartons |
Sorting, crushing, pulverising, shredding, compacting or baling |
100 |
What this means
Paragraph 11 (1) (a, b) permits limited volumes of certain separated waste materials to be treated at a place to:
- reduce their bulk, and
- make their handling easier prior to them being recovered or reused.
Paragraph 11 (2) sets out what:
- those wastes are
- type of treatments, and
- volumes of waste are permitted to be treated by waste type.
Questions and answers
We have provided the following questions and answers to help you further understand if this exemption covers the type of activity that you wish to undertake.
Paragraph 11 (1) (2)
Q. What can you do?
A. You can treat the wastes listed in the table and which are to be recovered, in ways that reduces their bulk or ease their handling.
Q. Which wastes can you treat?
A. You can treat, in the ways described in the table:
- paper
- cardboard
- textiles
- plastic
- glass
- steel and aluminium cans
- foil
- food and drink cartons.
Q. Who can do it?
A. Any company, organisation or individual that registers an activity with us, that is exempt under Paragraph 11. By individuals we mean those acting in a business capacity, such as a sole trader. The law does not require an individual acting in a personal capacity to register an exemption.
Q. Where can you do it?
A. At the place or places you identify when you register the exemption. They do not have to be the same places where the waste was produced or where it is recovered.
Q. Do the weight restrictions for each material type apply before or after treatment?
A. The weight restrictions apply to untreated wastes.
Q. Are you allowed to take mixed wastes and sort them into their individual waste types?
A. No, you can only do those activities to those wastes that appear on the same line in the table.
Q. Does the exemption cover the storage of the waste materials prior to and after treatment?
A. No, if you wish to store the waste materials you need to register a separate exemption under Paragraph 17.
Examples of an activity that is not suitable for registration under a Paragraph 11 (1) (2) exemption
- A company provides skips for the collection of mixed recyclables which it returns to its yard for segregation.
The segregation of mixed, recoverable wastes which do not appear on the same line of the table is not permitted by Paragraph 11 exemption. Although, sorting of several kinds of waste is permitted by the exemption, it is limited to the sorting of wastes of the same kind. For example, paper can be sorted from cardboard but paper cannot be sorted from plastic. The sorting of mixed wastes would require a permit.
Examples of activities that you can register under a Paragraph 11 (a & b) exemption
- A retail establishment with multiple outlets provides a central depot where cardboard packaging is baled up and sent for recycling.
The retailer should register the depot under a Paragraph 11 exemption.
- A company accepts waste plastic crates which it washes and chips to create a feedstock for supply to plastic manufacturers.
The company should register the chipping activity as a Paragraph 11 exemption.
