Wst 03a - Operational waste

Contractual agreements for Shell Only / Shell & Core assessments - KBCN0942

For:

• NC: Shell Only and Shell and Core assessments, or
• RFO: Part 1, Part 2, and combined Part 1 & 2 assessments,

All relevant criteria are applicable. Contractual agreements confirming future provision of spaces are not acceptable. Either:

• Evidence must be provided showing waste storage space(s) that are suitably sized, dedicated and unlikely to be used by the future tenants for other purposes. or
• If the situation meets one of the accepted scenarios in KBCN0696, provide evidence for the alternative approach as outlined in that KBCN.

While the location of the space(s) may change when fitting out, at this stage a space that is conveniently located for the deposit and collection of operational waste must be provided.

30-Mar-2026 - Added text to align with KBCN0696. Scheme applicability updated.
16-Apr-2018 - Scheme applicability updated.
24-Apr-2017 - Published.

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Multi-residential: Waste storage shared by more than six bedrooms - KBCN0856

Where multi-residential buildings contain communal facilities shared by more than six bedrooms, the requirement for total waste storage can be increased on a pro-rata basis to demonstrate compliance. For instance, if the standard requirement is 30L for six bedrooms, this equates to 5L per bedroom. Where assessing a flat with eight bedrooms, this requirement increases to 40L (8 x 5L). The minimum size of individual containers remains unchanged as per the criteria.

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Multiple assets on a wider site - KBCN1065

For one or more buildings / units assessed as part of a wider site or campus, compliance can be demonstrated through either:

• The provision of dedicated centralised storage space and waste management facilities.
• One of the accepted scenarios in KBCN0696.

In all cases the waste storage solution must have the capacity to accommodate the recyclable waste material generated from all buildings and their activities.

30-Mar-2026 - Added text to align with KBCN0696. Scheme applicability updated.
26-Mar-2018 - Published.

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Off-site waste sorting / no dedicated on-site waste storage - KBCN0696

BREEAM assesses the dedicated space for recyclable waste storage, assessing the asset's physical design and layout without relying on management practices that are subject to change. However, we recognise that in specific cases this is not always possible. Accepted scenarios for off-site waste management

• NC, RFO and BIU: Waste management policy is outside of asset control for the foreseeable future. An external authority (for example, local government) requires mandatory off-site waste collection as part of wider masterplan or district waste collection policy.
• Additionally for BIU only: The asset cannot physically comply. The asset shows that a compliant on-site waste management facility is not feasible due to inherent site or spatial constraints (for example, in a dense urban environment), and that all reasonable opportunities to provide such a facility have been explored.

Requirements and evidence - NC, RFO and BIU Commercial Using an off-site waste sorting approach must still meet all other relevant assessment criteria for the relevant scheme. This includes:

	Requirements	Evidence
Waste stream segregation	- If recycling is separated: a minimum of three operational waste streams are segregated using clearly identifiable and labelled containers or bags. - If recycling is mixed: show evidence that the waste is later separated into identifiable recyclable streams.	Confirm: - Number of waste streams and collection arrangements. - Post-collection segregation (where applicable). - An on-going waste recycling contract.
Operational waste management	- Internal waste storage arrangements, defined on-street collection points and scheduled collection times collectively fulfil the functional role of an operational waste management facility. - Storage arrangements must be suitable for the waste streams generated and be durable, hygienic, and clearly labelled.	A waste management plan which: - Outlines how the waste is managed and stored between collections. - Shows interim storage is adequately sized based on the frequency of collection.
Accessibility	- Waste storage and transfer arrangements must be reasonably accessible to relevant asset users and allow for safe preparation of waste for collection.	- Relevant drawings or documentation.

Compliance for all points above must be demonstrated on a case-by-case basis, and the assessor is responsible for confirming that the intent of the issue — facilitating optimal reuse and recycling of operational waste — is achieved. Additional clarification for BIU Commercial V6 Rsc 02 This BIU issue further segregates operational waste into recyclable waste, construction waste, and reusable construction products.

• Yes these accepted scenarios can be applied to recyclable waste storage. Rsc 02 | Answers C + D
• Yes these apply to off-site sorting for construction waste arising from fit-out activities. Rsc 02 | Answer E. This scenario is considered inherently compliant with the intent of the issue and is not required to meet the ‘accepted scenarios’ listed above.
• No they do not apply to the storage of reusable construction products Rsc 02 | Answer F. A dedicated space must be provided in all cases.

30-Mar-2026 – Approach updated to clarify and expand on acceptable scenarios where off-site waste collection is accepted. Scheme applicability updated.
22-Jan-2025 - Updated text to allow for permanent external spaces, aligning with KBCN1716. Scheme applicability updated.
18-Nov-2024 - Requirements for BIU projects clarified relating to all answers in Rsc 02. Title clarified.
09-Feb-2024 - Requirements clarified. Applicability updated to include construction waste storage for BIU V6 Rsc 02.
17-Jan-2024 - Scheme applicability updated.
16-Apr-2018 - Wording clarified.

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Operational waste requirement for catering – applicability - KBCN1162

The additional operational waste storage requirement for developments which include catering is generally only applicable where a commercial scale kitchen is present. Where the design team can justify that there will be no significant waste streams from a modest facility, such as a small cafe, selling only drinks and pre-prepared snacks, the additional waste storage area identified in the default values does not need to be provided to meet compliance.

21-Jan-2026 Applied to NC V6 and V7 standards

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