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U10: spreading waste to benefit agricultural land

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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 2. Read waste exemption charges to find out what the charges and charging bands are.

You can spread certain types of waste on agricultural land to improve or maintain the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil for growing crops.

Agricultural land includes land used to produce timber and other non-food crops.

You must follow the exemption conditions, including specific conditions and requirements for certain types of waste.

  • spread waste that does not benefit the land 
  • spread more waste than you need to benefit the land – any excess is classed as disposal 
  • spread waste on non-agricultural land - see U11 in ‘Related exemptions’ section

    • The waste you store and spread must fit within the waste codes and descriptions in the table.

    The amount you can spread is given in tonnes per hectare per year. The amount you can store is given in tonnes.

    Some of these waste types must first be treated under a different exemption or under certain environmental permits before you can use them.

    See section ‘Waste types that must be treated under another exemption or permit’ for full details.

    These conditions apply to all waste types used under the U10 exemption. Some waste types have additional specific conditions that are listed separately.

    You must not store or spread more than the maximum amount shown in the tables for each type of waste.

    The site where you store and spread the waste (except for dredging spoil) must be:

  • at least 50 metres from a spring, well or borehole

    • You must store waste in a secure location. This means that you will make sure waste cannot escape and the public cannot gain access to it. 

    You can only store U10 waste types for a maximum of 12 months.

    There are 2 waste types with different storage times. They are:

  • milk, which you can only store for a maximum of 24 hours – you must use it within 24 hours of storing

    • This is an extract. The publication continues at the source.

    Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Licence

    Read the original at the source: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/waste-exemption-u10-spreading-waste-to-benefit-agricultural-land

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    Provenance

    Organization
    Environment Agency — imported from official source
    Official source
    https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency.atom ATOM
    Imported
    October 21, 2026 09:00
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    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/waste-exemption-u10-spreading-waste-to-benefit-agricultural...

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