Stewartby waste facility given until 2028 to meet updated environmental standards
A hazardous waste facility near Bedford has been given until the end of May 2028 to bring some of its operating procedures into line with updated environmental guidance.
The Environment Agency (EA) has varied the permit for Veolia's Stewartby Waste Management Facility following a regulatory review which introduced new requirements for waste storage, emissions controls and fire prevention arrangements.
The permit variation was issued on October 21, and Veolia said the permit changes formed part of a wider EA review of hazardous waste facilities in England, rather than a response to problems identified at Stewartby.
It added that improvement conditions were standard practice following such reviews, with actions and deadlines agreed between operators and regulator.
In its decision document, the EA said the site did not currently meet all the applicable measures in its updated technical guidance covering waste storage, segregation and handling, and emissions control procedures.
The consolidated permit requires Veolia to review and update these procedures by May 31, 2028.
An EA spokesperson said: “In reviewing the environmental permit, we took into consideration that the site has been compliant for several years, with no record of any compliance issues relating to fire risk or emissions.
"We will continue to monitor the site through our schedule of inspections.”
The review also considered the outdoor storage of certain non-infectious healthcare waste, including expired medicines, dressings and chemicals, with the EA accepting alternative arrangements to its guidance, which generally expects such waste to be stored inside a secure building.
Veolia said the variation to the Stewartby waste management facility’s permit is part of the Environment Agency’s wider ongoing Regulation 61 process.
"Which means that every existing hazardous waste facility’s permit in England has been systematically reviewed since the commencement of the review period in 2022.”
It added that due to delays, this process only began in 2025.
“Veolia can also confirm that Stewartby has had robust fire prevention measures in place for many years, and these will be submitted to the EA for formal approval as part of the Regulation 61 review. All of our permitted locations have undertaken individual assessments to review and control any risk, the company said.
"Veolia continues to comply with our legal obligations within the environmental permit as agreed and monitored by the Environment Agency as our environmental regulator."
The facility remains subject to its environmental permit conditions while the improvements are completed.