How to apply for an A16 permission supply or use of reportable priority waste permission

Activities requiring an A16 permission

Use this information if:

you’re applying for an A16 permission
you want to supply or use reportable priority waste.

This provides a legal way to use a reportable priority waste (or for a producer of a reportable priority waste) to supply it to others who have identified a safe and legitimate use for the waste.

Where there are multiple waste producers or waste streams this permission may not be applicable. Schedule 1 of the Environment Protection Regulations 2021 has more appropriate options.

Where reportable priority waste is being received for storage or processing purposes an A16 permission would not be suitable and waste transporting duties may still apply.

The Environment Protection Regulations 2021 have more information.

What you should include in your A16 application

You should complete and attach the following documents in the upload section of the online application. We may also ask for additional information while assessing your application.

Summary of the proposal
Provide a description of the reportable priority waste, including:
- who the waste producer is and the State or Territory where they are located
- who the waste receiver is and the State or Territory where they are located
- the process that has generated the waste, for example, aluminium smelting
- a high-level description of the waste reuse process
- effect on the input reportable priority waste
- an assessment of the risks and proposed methods for control, associated with the storage, handling and reuse processes
- whether reuse will happen at an existing facility or will require construction of a new or upgraded facility
- what the waste will be used for (this process must not involve further treatment of the waste).
Classification of reportable priority waste
Provide a description and evidence of:
- the physical form (for example: liquid, sludge, solid) and specific characteristics of the waste, including if the waste falls into a dangerous goods classification
- contaminants of concern and their thresholds
- how much waste will be dealt with and over what period of time
- whether waste is produced from a single and specific operation, rather than multiple and variable sources.
Find more information

Guide to classifying industrial waste (publication 1968)

Waste disposal categories - characteristics and thresholds (publication 1828)

Schedule 5 – of the Environment Protection Regulations 2021
Consideration of risk of harm to human health or the environment
Provide evidence that an assessment of risks has been done and that the reuse process will not lead to an unacceptable risk of harm to the environment or human health. Include:
- a process description, for example, a block flow diagram
- a mass/material balance exercise, including amount of reportable priority waste to be used and any residues generated through the process
- evidence that the reportable priority waste is fit for the intended final use, purpose or product
- evidence that the reportable priority waste has similar hazard properties to the input or raw material it is replacing
- evidence that the risks associated with the reportable priority waste and the raw material it is restoring are similar
- evidence that no additional environmental management controls are required
- for liquid waste additional environmental management controls should be considered such as primary and secondary containment
Find more information

Assessing and controlling risk: A guide for business (publication 1695)

Reasonably practicable (publication 1856)

Liquid storage and handling guidelines (publication 1698)

Understand permit conditions

An EPA permit has standard conditions attached. These outline the legal obligations of the permission holder. They set up a framework for risk management, record keeping and reporting. Referring to them may help you understand the risks and risk management controls you need to demonstrate in your application:

A16 permit conditions (Supply or use of reportable priority waste)

In some situations, applicants may be both the supplier and user of the reportable priority waste for an A16 permission. This could see both producer and receiver conditions applied to the permission.

How to prepare and submit an application

How to apply for a permit

Relevant guidance

This guidance may inform your state of knowledge but does not define it. State of knowledge is all the information you should reasonably know about managing your business's risks.

Environment Protection Regulations 2021

Assessing and controlling risk: A guide for business (publication 1695)

Reasonably practicable (publication 1856)

Industry guidance: supporting you to comply with the general environmental duty (publication 1741)

Waste disposal categories - characteristics and thresholds (publication 1828)

Waste classification assessment protocol (publication 1827)

WorkSafe Australia Labelling of Workplace Hazardous Chemicals Code of Practice

Waste disposal categories - characteristics and thresholds (publication 1828)

Liquid storage and handling guidelines (publication 1698)

Guide to classifying industrial waste (publication 1968)

Waste and recycling – guide to preventing harm to people and the environment (publication 1825)

Waste code transition to Environment Protection Regulations 2021 (publication 1967)