U14: mixing ash back into soil

Read New rules from January 2027 to find out what to do.

There’s a charge for most waste exemptions

This exemption is in band 3. Read waste exemption charges to find out what the charges and charging bands are.

Ploughing or mixing into the soil ash produced from burning:

The waste codes are listed in the List of Wastes (LoW) Regulations. You need to make sure your waste fits within the waste code and the description.

You can spread up to 10 tonnes of ash per hectare.

You should only spread the minimum amount of ash needed to benefit the soil. If you apply more ash than appears reasonable, the Environment Agency may consider this as disposal of waste.

You must plough ash from burning cereal straw or stubble into the soil within 24 hours of it being burnt, unless the wind would cause excessive dust. If it is too windy, you must incorporate the ash as soon as conditions allow.

The types of wood you can burn under D7: burning waste in the open are:

Under U14 you can only incorporate ash from burning plant tissue, not wood from joinery.