Waste Exemptions to Become Chargeable from July 2025: What Your Business Needs to Know

Since July 2025, businesses in England will see changes to how waste exemptions are managed and charged. These updates, introduced under the Environment Act 2021, mean that registering certain waste activities will no longer be free. The change is part of the government’s move to make environmental regulation more sustainable and ensure that monitoring costs are shared fairly across those using the system.

New Waste Exemptions Charges 2025: What’s Changing

Previously, waste exemptions could be registered at no cost. However, the new rules will introduce:

• A £56 registration fee for each waste exemption

• A compliance charge that varies based on the type of exemption

Each registration will continue to last for three years, but the cost will now depend on which band the exemption falls into.

New Compliance Bands

The compliance charge will be based on four main categories:

• Upper Band: £1,236 (applicable to specific high-impact exemptions such as T8, T9, and U16)

• Band 1: £420

• Band 2: £212

• Band 3: £30

These fees are designed to cover the regulator’s administrative and compliance work — including site checks and monitoring activities.

Discounts for Multiple Registrations

If your organisation registers more than one exemption in the higher-cost bands (Upper, 1, or 2), you may qualify for a discounted rate on additional registrations. However, Band 3 exemptions will not be eligible for any discount.

Who Is Excluded?

Some groups are not affected by the new charges.

• Charities and organisations dealing with medical waste under the T28 exemption will remain exempt.

• The T11 exemption (related to repairing or refurbishing waste electrical and electronic equipment) continues to cost £1,221 for three years.

• For farmers, certain farming-related exemptions will carry a capped £88 charge when linked directly to their farm activities.

What This Means for Your Business

These updates are designed to promote accountability in waste management and ensure consistent compliance oversight. However, they may also introduce new administrative and financial considerations for organisations relying on exemptions.

Now is the time to:

• Review your existing waste exemptions

• Identify which exemptions will incur charges

• Budget for renewal and compliance fees before July 2025

Supporting Your Compliance

At Base Solutions, we help organisations keep their Environmental Management Systems up to date and compliant with evolving legislation. Whether you’re managing waste exemptions, ISO 14001 certification, or broader environmental goals, our consultants can support you in meeting these new requirements efficiently.

👉 Explore our Environmental Management Consultancy Service