Inert Waste and How to Find an Inert Waste Landfill Near You

Inert waste means “waste that does not undergo any significant physical, chemical or biological transformations”.

Inert waste will not dissolve, burn or otherwise physically or chemically react, biodegrade or adversely affect other matter with which it comes into contact in a way likely to give rise to environmental pollution or harm to human health.

The total leachability and pollutant content of the waste and the ecotoxicity of the leachate must be insignificant, and in particular not endanger the quality of surface water and/or groundwater.

This is the WAMITAB (Waste Management Industry Training & Advisory Board) definition. Visit WAMITAB here.

How to Find an Inert Waste Landfill Near You in England

There is no central government register of active waste landfills in the UK that is designed to help citizens find their nearest landfill easily. Finding an inert landfill is usually even less straightforward.

Wiki Waste provides lists of both inert landfills and municipal waste (non-hazardous) landfills, but at the time of writing this, the latest update was in 2022.

One way would be to talk to waste hauliers in the area and other contractors who may know sites, such as farms, which need non-reactive materials such as gravel and stone. Some will be looking for stone to improve farm tracks, etc., and may be able accept very clean granular soils. (Always check that they are aware of the need to obtain a permit for all landfills, obtain details of their permit and verify it online.)

Another way would be to contact active waste landfills and ask whether they accept your excess inert excavated soils for use in developing their landfill.

Landfills are permitted to accept inert waste for use in their temporary and permanent access roads. They may also use it in screening bunds and restoration materials.

There is a landfill tax to pay, but it is at the lower rate of between £2 and £3 per tonne (2014). The landfill operator may also impose a gate fee.

To find an active landfill willing to accept your excess site soils, you might contact all the big 5 waste companies in turn. You would ask their Head Office staff where they accept inert waste, and how much they would charge, but that is a time-consuming process. There are many landfill operators which you would be contacting who won't even have a landfill in your area.

To make getting that list of landfill site locations in England, with company names and a full address, easier, we have devised an unofficial method of obtaining the most up-to-date list of these landfills.

Our Unofficial 2 Step Way to Find Landfills in England

To find an inert waste landfill which may be willing to accept your inert waste, carry out the following:

• Find a list of landfills in England. To do this, we suggest that you use the Environment Agencies' public register at environment.data.gov.uk.
• From the register, only partially complete the form to find landfills (provided for England only), as shown in the image above
• home into landfills near you by filtering the search results for your county name.

Contact the landfill operator at the address provided. Call and ask their receptionist/ weighbridge clerk whether they accept inert waste at that landfill.

Although the EA's register is not primarily intended as a tool for this purpose, you will find most if you search on company name words such as waste or landfill, and you can then refine the search using the built-in filter for your county using the address box.

We have provided a list of UK (England) Landfill Sites here.

In terms of the water chemistry, an increased COD, some BOD, and a significant ammoniacal nitrogen above background concentrations are all that is needed to result in a polluted area of groundwater, and/ or surface water. In such cases, this is described as leachate contamination.

Frequently Asked Questions: Inert Waste and How to Find an Inert Waste Landfill Near You

What is inert waste?

Inert waste is waste that does not undergo any significant physical, chemical, or biological transformations. It won't dissolve, burn, biodegrade, or react with other materials in a way that could cause environmental pollution or harm to human health.

What materials count as inert waste?

Common examples include soil, sand, clay, and concrete. Most inert waste is produced by the extractive industries, such as quarry mining and initial treatment facilities for quarry materials.

Is there a central register of inert waste landfills in the UK?

No. There is no central register of active waste landfills in the UK, which makes finding an inert landfill particularly difficult.

How can I find an inert waste landfill near me in England?

Two practical approaches are: speaking to local waste hauliers and contractors who may know of suitable sites, visiting Wiki Waste to view their list, or using the Environment Agency's public register at environment.data.gov.uk to search for permitted landfill sites and filtering results by county.

Will I have to pay to dispose of inert waste at a landfill?

Yes. A landfill tax applies, though inert waste qualifies for the lower rate of between £2 and £3 per tonne (as of 2014). The landfill operator may also charge an additional gate fee.

Can active landfills accept inert waste?

Yes. Permitted landfills can accept inert waste for use in temporary and permanent access roads, screening bunds, and restoration materials.

Why do some historic inert waste landfills cause pollution?

Many older sites accepted materials contaminated with organic matter, such as wood. Even small amounts of organic content can produce polluting run-off, leading to elevated ammonia levels and leachate contamination in nearby groundwater and surface water.

Does inert waste have to meet specific criteria before it can be landfilled?

Yes. In Europe, waste must meet a range of criteria covering its chemical composition and potential danger to humans and the environment before it is classified as inert. Its leachability, pollutant content, and leachate ecotoxicity must all be insignificant.