Some 59 standard permits (standard rules) now exist for waste management in the UK, covering all forms of waste from vehicle depollution to waste electrical and electronic equipment recycling reprocessing) (WEEE).

Bespoke permits relate to waste management and PPC sites that process various forms of waste or carry out operations not covered by standard permitting rules.

However, some recycling operations fall outside of permitting regulations and are classed as exempt. These include the reuse of WEEE, beneficial reuse of certain wastes and some scrap metals operations. Such exemptions still need to be notified to the Environment Agency (England & Wales), without the need to renew each year.

If a site is to be registered under a standard or non-standard permit, planning permission or change of use permission is required from your Local Authority. The site may not, however, be located within 2 miles of a site of special scientific interest (SSSI). In addition, an audit of traffic movements has to be carried out on local access roads to ensure adequate thoroughfare for additional traffic and the site has to undergo a survey to establish a baseline for current pollution levels.

Sites are inspected on a 4 yearly basis for compliance and quarterly cursory inspections are also carried out by local Environment Agency (England & Wales) officers. When a site is closed permanently, depollution to a state prior to it's opening is required.