U12: using mulch

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 are and how much you’ll pay.

The U12 exemption allows landscapers, farmers and growers to spread mulch using wood chips and plant matter made from waste.

You must comply with the exemption conditions. 

Chemically treated waste wood means it has been preserved, varnished, coated, painted or exposed to chemicals.

Your waste must fit within the waste code and description.

You can store or use up to 100 tonnes of mulch in total in any month.

You must comply with other rules that apply to your activity. You’ll need an environmental permit or a different exemption if you want to use: 

Most businesses can register and pay through the waste exemptions service. You can also use the service to register multiple sites.

There’s a different process if you’re registering along a linear network.

Linear networks are long stretches that do not have a defined address or grid reference point. They include roads, rivers, canals and railways. 

You can register a U12 exemption along a linear network if the mulch is produced and used at the same place. You cannot import waste mulch from other sites.

You can use up to 10 tonnes of mulch per linear mile per month.

Register in the name of the business, at the registered office or main place of business and provide contact details. 

You’ll need to provide one of the following: