Guidance: Storing waste PFOA-containing firefighting foams and wastes from their decontamination and replacement: RPS 376
Summary
The Environment Agency has issued Regulatory Position Statement RPS 376 on the storage of waste PFOA-containing firefighting foams and related decontamination and replacement wastes. It explains when the Agency will not normally take enforcement action if these wastes are stored longer than permitted under non-waste framework directive exemptions, provided the stated conditions are met.
Why it matters
Residential property surveyors may encounter PFOA-related firefighting foam issues in buildings with suppression systems, especially where decommissioning, replacement or waste handling is involved. The guidance is relevant to compliance checks, risk identification and advising clients on environmental and regulatory obligations.
Key points
- Covers storage of waste PFOA-containing firefighting foams and associated decontamination/replacement wastes.
- Sets out an Environment Agency regulatory position on extended storage beyond exemption limits.
- Does not change underlying legal requirements.
- Enforcement action is unlikely if the RPS conditions are met.
- Applies only to the specific circumstances described in the statement.
This is an RPSA summary of a publicly available article. The full content remains with the original publisher.
