The Environment Agency requires all excavated waste to be classified before disposal / treatment. Utilities have been able to do this in two ways previously: unplanned works followed RPS 211 and Planned works followed WM3.
A solution was required to better deal with waste generated from unplanned works and the Environment Agency was open to Street Works UK proposing a solution that would work for its members.
A risk assessment based approach was trialled by Street Works UK members and approved by the Environment Agency for use to classify excavated waste for qualifying work. The following document sets out what the Material Classification protocol is and provides guidance and examples:
Street Works UK have published a series of videos, detailing the Street Works UK Protocol process.
The full video is available on the Street Works UK YouTube page here and can be viewed below.
The videos go through the Protocol process step by step. Individual chapters can also be accessed on the YouTube page and via the below links.
Chapter 7: Planning and Scheduling Records
Chapter 9: Records and Reporting
In response to a number of questions from members about the protocol, Street Works UK has published the following FAQ document to assist with the collating of information:
Street-Works-UK-Protocol-FAQ-Updates-18-11-25
Here is the latest list of companies who have submitted data for the Protocol: SWUK Protocol User List updated 30_03_2026.
June 2026 Update: Environment Agency – Audit of Waste Transfer Notes
The Environment Agency are beginning a audit of Waste Transfer notes submitted by users as part of the Material Classification Protocol. A programme of inspections is being rolled out on a regional basis. The audit programme will include visits to two waste receiving sites per week in each region, alongside the auditing of five Waste Transfer Notes (WTNs) per site, equating to approximately 40 audits per week nationally.
The EA will use Transfer Notes submitted as part of the process, to to track the job back to the originator, requesting copies of desktop & visual assessments to ensure that they have evidence that Protocol is being followed correctly by the relevant organisation.
The EA are looking for the following from users on each WTN:
The EA will be in contact with relevant organisational Protocol leads over the coming months.
Below is a copy of the presentation given at Street Works UK’s latest webinar on the Material Classification Protocol which took place on the 5th June 2025.
SWUK Protocol Webinar Presentation 05_06_2025
Please see below further links to the documents outlined in the final page of the above-linked protocol:
If you have further questions on any of the above, please reach out to the Street Works UK Secretariat at info@streetworks.org.uk
The following documents set out what the newly approved Street Works UK material classification protocol is and provides guidance and examples:
