Updates: Landfill operators: environmental permits
2025
Design and build your landfill site
Updated the guidance to include recently published Industry Codes of Practices (ICOPs) and replace existing Environment Agency guidance where applicable.
New ICOPs: LGG 112 鈥� Drilling in waste on landfills. New ICOPs replacing existing Environment Agency guidance: LGG 107 鈥� Using non woven protector geotextiles in landfill engineering (replaces LFE 7); LGG 109 鈥� Compliance testing earthworks on landfills using nuclear density gauges (replaces LFE 9); LGG 110 鈥� Using bentonite enriched soils in landfill engineering (replaces LFE 110). Clarified when individuals and companies installing geomembranes need to provide evidence of appropriate accreditation to the Environment Agency. Updated the guidance to require that only suitably trained and experienced staff install a geotextile protection layer.
How the Environment Agency makes decisions on landfill engineering
Added that it's strongly recommended that you do not start to construct your landfill before you are granted a permit. If you do this, it may affect the approval and validation process.
Develop and maintain management plans
Updated to make it clear what must be included in an odour management plan.
Updated to clarify where the level of leachate must be monitored within a cell. Updated to require that leachate must be managed so that it does not compromise the effectiveness of the landfill gas collection system.
Review your hydrogeological risk assessment
Clarified what is required within a review of a groundwater risk assessment to make the process clearer.
2024
Updated the 鈥楥onstruction quality assurance for artificially established geological barriers鈥� section. This is to clarify what we require in terms of the experience of CQA inspectors. Clarified what we require for the CVs of CQA personnel and what we require for the mentoring and close supervision of CQA inspectors.
Design and build your landfill site
Updated the 'Landfill capping: design' section to say: where your site is not controlling gas emissions, odour or leachate levels, you must install a temporary cap within a timescale specified in writing with the Environment Agency.
Construction quality assurance (CQA)
Updated the guidance to clarify what the Environment Agency requires in terms of the qualification and experience of CQA personnel.
Clarified the difference between temporary cessation and temporary closure (often called 'mothballing'). Added new guidance on permit compliance and early closure. Explained changes to the Environment Agency's closure process - where they agree a site is definitely closed, they will vary an operators permit (previously, an operator was invited to apply to vary). Confirmed the changes the Environment Agency will make. Updated advice on the relationship between definite closure and permit surrender. Added a link to a new closure report template.
2023
Updated the 'Construction quality assurance for artificially established geological barriers' section. This was to clarify the minimum number of inspections. And to clarify what we require in terms of qualifications and experience. Updated the 'Sample and test the waste you accept: level 3 verification' section to clarify the requirements.
Plan the environmental setting of your site
Added text to the section 'Carry out a groundwater risk assessment'. Added text about the need for a geological barrier.
What to include in your hydrogeological risk assessment
Added text on leachate level and characterisation for landfills for hazardous or non-hazardous waste, and inert waste and deposit for recovery. Added a section on pollutant calculations. Added a table of possible failure scenarios. Added text on groundwater or surface water compliance points. Added text on control and assessment levels. These all taken from 鈥楲andfill developments: groundwater risk assessment for leachate鈥�. Added clarity on when we need a generic or detailed qualitative risk assessment.
Construction quality assurance (CQA)
Updated the requirements for CQA personnel qualifications and experience.
Develop and maintain management plans
Updated the 'Review your landfill gas management plan' section to clarify that the technology you use must minimise surface uncontrolled methane emissions. Updated the 'Manage odour' section to refer to other high sulphate bearing materials.
Restructured the chapter to simplify it. Added text on pre-acceptance checks. Added text on sampling standards and retaining samples.
Updated the 'Store and treat leachate' section to clarify what leachate treatment facilities must do if they are above the EPR schedule 1 threshold. Updated the 'Design of pre-manufactured glass lined steel tanks' section to say the design requirements must include manufacturer鈥檚 testing to show the tank complies with the appropriate mark for the market in Great Britain. Updated the 'Dispose of leachate' section to clarify that you must be authorised by a consent to discharge.
Monitor and report your performance
Updated to clarify the requirements for monitoring and reporting your performance.
Updated the 'Improve soil quality' section to link to landspreading guidance on how to produce a benefit statement. Updated the 'Making up waste settlement' section to link to guidance on environmental permits for deposit for recovery operators.
2022
Updated the 'Landfill classification by waste types' section. This section of the manual now replaces the guidance previously published in the PDF document 鈥楲FD1 鈥� Understanding the Landfill Directive鈥�.
Edited the section 鈥楻equirements you must meet to deposit waste into water鈥�: Point 4 鈥� sentence added 鈥榊ou must confirm you cannot remove the water鈥�.
New section. This section has replaced the stability risk assessment report template.
How to do a stability risk assessment: landfill sites for hazardous and non-hazardous waste
New section. This section has replaced the stability risk assessment report template.
Monitor and report your performance
Edited the section 'Plan your monitoring points' - added additional guidance operators should refer to, to make sure the design of monitoring wells is suitable.
Review your hydrogeological risk assessment
New section to replace the 鈥楬ydrogeological risk assessment for landfills: 4 yearly review template鈥�. Introduces requirement for 6 yearly review.
New chapter to replace the guidance closing landfills in the document 'Understanding the Landfill Directive: LFD 1'.
2021
Develop and maintain management plans
This section replaces previous guidance on how to comply with your environmental permit. It provides advice on the management plans you must provide to the Environment Agency when you apply for a permit. It also describes what other plans you must provide, based on a risk assessment. It tells you what information to include in those plans and how the Environment Agency will use them to regulate the landfill. Operators of operational or closed landfills can use the advice when they revise or update their management plans.
This section replaces part of the former waste acceptance criteria. The parts of that guidance relevant to waste producers is in 鈥榙ispose of waste to landfill鈥�. It describes the 3 classes of landfill site. It summarises the checks an operator must carry out when they accept waste, including the paperwork, inspection and sampling of the waste. It provides advice for operators to apply for higher leaching limit values and how the Environment Agency will regulate that.
This section replaces part of the former guidance on how to comply with your environmental permit. It gives advice on the infrastructure, maintenance and monitoring for leachate produced by landfills for hazardous or non-hazardous waste.
This section replaces part of the former guidance on how to comply with your environmental permit. It gives advice on the infrastructure, maintenance and monitoring for landfill gas produced by landfills for hazardous or non-hazardous waste.
Deposit waste over existing waste at landfills (overtipping)
New section added.
What to include in your environmental setting and installation design report
New section added.
What to include in your environmental setting and site design report
New section added.
What to include in your hydrogeological risk assessment
New section added.
2020
New section added.
Plan the environmental setting of your site
New section added.
Calculate your financial provision
New section added.
Design and build your landfill site
New section added.
Construction quality assurance (CQA)
New section added.
Develop and maintain management plans
New section added.
New section added.
New section added.
New section added.
Monitor and report your performance
New section added.
New section added.
How the Environment Agency makes decisions on landfill engineering
New section added.