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  • Storage and treatment of cooking oil less than or equal to 25m³

Storage and treatment of cooking oil less than or equal to 25m³

This activity applies to the storage and treatment of less than, or equal to, 25m3 of waste cooking oil at any one time to manufacture biodiesel.

Authorisation level

Registration

Fit and Proper Person tests

Fit and Proper Person tests apply to this activity. You will be asked in your application if you have any relevant convictions held by you or any other relevant person.

Read more about Fit and Proper Person tests

Fees and charges

An application fee applies to the application of a new authorisation for this activity.

An annual activity fee applies to this activity.

Read our charging information for further information on application and annual activity fees.

Information on the application fees to transfer, vary or surrender a registration that authorises this activity, is in our charging information.

Standard conditions

Your registration application will only be granted if you can confirm you are able to comply with the standard conditions set out below.

If you carry out an activity under a registration authorisation you must comply with the standard conditions. It is an offence if you do not comply with the conditions.

SEPA will not authorise this activity if it poses an unacceptable risk to the environment.

If you cannot comply with these standard conditions, but still want to store and treat waste cooking oil, you may be authorised to do so with a waste management permit. Find out about waste management permits.

  1. The Authorised Person must have a written management system in place.

  2. The Authorised Person must regularly carry out a review of the management system and its effectiveness in terms of achieving compliance with the conditions of the authorisation.

  3. Only the authorised wastes listed in Table 1 can be accepted at the Authorised Place.

    Table 1. Waste codes for waste cooking oil

    Waste Code Authorised Wastes
    20 01 25 Edible oil and fat
  4. All waste entering the Authorised Place must be inspected to ensure it meets the types and quantities authorised.

  5. Waste identified at the Authorised Place which is not authorised must be: 

    1. stored on an impermeable surface with a sealed drainage system;
    2. stored separately from other waste; and
    3. removed from the Authorised Place as soon as reasonably practicable.
  6. The Authorised Place must be secured to prevent unauthorised access.

  7. All waste storage areas and containers must be clearly labelled to allow the identification of the waste type(s) being stored.

  8. All waste oil and manufactured biodiesel must be stored in containers:

    1. of sufficient strength and structural integrity; and
    2. installed in a manner to ensure that they are unlikely to burst or leak in their ordinary use.
  9. All waste oil and manufactured biodiesel must be stored and treated within a secondary containment system, which must:

    1. hold at least:
      1. for a single container, 110% of its capacity; or
      2. for two or more containers, the greater of:
        1. 110% of the capacity of the largest container; or
        2. 25% of the capacity of all containers together.
    2. catch all spills from the container(s) and related parts;
    3. be leak-proof;
    4. be located, and/or protected, to prevent damage as far as reasonably practicable; and
    5. have any spills and/or rainwater removed as soon as reasonably practicable.
  10. The biodiesel must be manufactured in equipment designed for this purpose.

  11. Measures must be taken to prevent, or where that is not practicable, minimise:

    1. odour;
    2. noise;
    3. dust;
    4. litter; and
    5. the presence of vermin;

    arising from the authorised activities.

  12. Offensive odours from the authorised activities as perceived by a SEPA Officer must not be emitted beyond the boundary of the Authorised Place. 

  13. Noise from the authorised activities, which has a significant impact on the environment, people or property, must not be emitted beyond the boundary of the Authorised Place.

  14. Dust from the authorised activities, which has a significant impact on the environment, people or property, must not be emitted beyond the boundary of the Authorised Place.

  15. Litter from the authorised activities, which has a significant impact on the environment, people or property, must not be emitted beyond the boundary of the Authorised Place.

  16. Waste must not be burned at the Authorised Place.

  17. SEPA must be notified via its pollution hotline contact telephone number as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any case within 24 hours of identification of an event, of any of the following:

    1. an event that has caused or could cause adverse impact to the environment or harm to human health;
    2. an event that results, or could result, in an emission to the environment that is not authorised;
    3. an event that has caused a breach of a condition of this authorisation.  

    In this condition, the meaning of ‘event’ is as defined in the Interpretation of Terms of this authorisation.

  18. All measures that are reasonably practicable must be taken to stop an event and to minimise its effect on the environment.  

  19. Within 14 days of an event a report must be submitted to SEPA detailing:

    1. the reason(s) for the event;
    2. the action(s) taken to stop the event and minimise the impacts; and 
    3. the action(s) taken to prevent the event from recurring. 
  20. All information recorded, kept or submitted to SEPA in accordance with a condition of this authorisation must be:

    1. true and accurate;
    2. kept for a minimum of six years; and
    3. provided to SEPA upon request.
  21. For each calendar year the information detailed in Appendix 1 must be submitted to SEPA on or before 28 January in the following year.

  22. The information detailed in Appendix 1 must be submitted to SEPA via email, in the excel spreadsheet supplied by SEPA, to waste.data@sepa.org.uk

How to apply

In this section you can find out how to apply for a new authorisation and how to apply for a variation, transfer and surrender of an existing authorisation.

New applications

You can apply for a new registration for this activity using our digital application service.

Step 1: Download your activity form

You will need to download and complete the following activity form. The completed form will be submitted as part of your application:

Step 2: Provide supporting information

For a new registration, you will also need to provide the following supporting information:

  • Location plan(s)
  • Information on the previous and current use of the area
  • Infrastructure plan
  • Information on your proposed waste acceptance process
  • Information on your waste storage
  • Information on your process(es) for waste treatment
  • Information on your proposed pollution control measures

Step 3: Submit using our digital application service

You can submit your completed application using our digital application service.

Make an application for a new authorisation

You can apply to vary an existing registration for this activity. Please note, this is the same activity form as applying for a new registration or transferring an existing one.

Step 1: Download your activity form

You will need to download and complete the following activity form. The completed form will be submitted as part of your application:

  • R-WAS-B5 - Storage and treatment of less than or equal to 25m³ of waste cooking oil

Step 2: Submit your application for a variation

Make an application to vary an authorisation

You can apply to transfer an existing registration for this activity. Please note, this is the same activity form as applying for a new registration or varying an existing one.

Step 1: Download your activity form

You will need to download and complete the following activity form. The completed form will be submitted as part of your application:

  • R-WAS-B5 - Storage and treatment of less than or equal to 25m³ of waste cooking oil

Step 2: Submit your application

Read Transfer an existing authorisation to find out how to submit your application for a transfer.

To apply to surrender an existing registration that authorises this activity, read Surrender an existing authorisation

Help and guidance

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