North West Recycling (NWR)

North West Recycling Ltd is a waste recycling and transfer facility located at Rockcliffe, near Carlisle. The site has operated under an Environment Agency environmental permit since 2009 and manages a range of household, commercial and industrial wastes.

North West Recycling currently operates under Environmental Permit EPR/DP3393LV, which sets out the activities that can take place on the site and the measures that must be in place to protect people and the environment. These include requirements relating to waste storage, pollution prevention, odour, noise, fire prevention and site management.

The Environment Agency regulates the site through inspections, compliance assessments and, where necessary, enforcement action. Information about the permit, regulatory activity and current consultations can be accessed through the links on this page.

The current permit authorises North West Recycling Ltd to carry out a range of waste management activities, including:

• Receipt and storage of permitted wastes.
• Waste transfer activities.
• Sorting and separation of waste materials for recycling or recovery.
• Screening, baling, shredding, crushing and compaction of permitted non-hazardous wastes.
• Storage of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
• Storage of certain hazardous wastes, including asbestos, subject to specific permit controls.

The permit includes conditions relating to pollution prevention, odour management, noise and vibration control, fire prevention, waste acceptance, waste storage and site management.

The current permit allows the site to accept up to 150,300 tonnes of waste per year.

You can view the latest permit here: North West Recylcing Permit V8

The Environment Agency regulates North West Recycling to help ensure it operates in accordance with its environmental permit and environmental legislation.

Our work may include:

• Site inspections.
• Compliance assessments.
• Reviewing information provided by the operator.
• Investigating environmental incidents and complaints.
• Assessing compliance with permit conditions.
• Taking enforcement action where appropriate.

Where we identify permit breaches, we may require improvements, issue enforcement notices or take other regulatory action depending on the circumstances and the level of environmental risk.

Following inspections and other regulatory activities, we produce Compliance Assessment Reports (CAR forms).

These reports record:

• What was inspected.
• Whether permit requirements were complied with.
• Any permit breaches identified.
• Actions required from the operator.
• The outcome of our assessment.

CAR forms are available through the Environment Agency Public Register.

View Compliance Assessment Reports: View permit DP3393LV 

Please note that names of officers have been removed from these documents as disclosure would breach the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA).

Please note when the Environment Agency issues a Compliance Assessment Report (CAR) form, there is a 42-day holding period before the form is published online. This holding period allows operators time to challenge the contents of the CAR form through the EA’s regulatory appeals process. Further information can be found here

North West Recycling Ltd has submitted an application to vary its environmental permit.

The Environment Agency is currently consulting on that application and no decision has yet been made. Full details of the application and consultation documents are available through the consultation link below.

The consultation now closes on 18 September (previously 4 September) 2026.

View the consultation: CA6 4RW, North West Recycling Limited, EPR/DP3393LV/V009: environmental permit draft decision advertisement - Environment Agency - Citizen Space 

Latest community update: 

We will use this page to share updates relating to our regulation of the site.

We welcome feedback on the information and updates provided on this page. Feedback from residents, community groups, elected members and other stakeholders will help us understand what information is useful and identify topics that may benefit from further explanation or clarification in future updates.

To provide feedback on this page or suggest topics you would like us to cover in future updates, please contact: Engagement.cmblnc@environment-agency.gov.uk

What does the Environment Agency regulate at North West Recycling?

We regulate activities covered by the site's environmental permit, including waste storage, treatment, transfer and pollution prevention measures. The permit also contains requirements relating to odour, noise, fire prevention and site management.

What should I do if I experience odour, dust, noise, smoke or another environmental problem?

Please report it to the Environment Agency through the Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60 or online at Report an environmental problem - GOV.UK 

Information from local residents helps us understand what is happening in the area and may inform future regulatory activity.

What happens when I report an environmental incident?

All reports are assessed by the Environment Agency.

Depending on the circumstances, we may:

• Visit the site.
• Contact the operator.
• Review permit compliance.
• Use the information alongside inspections and other regulatory intelligence.
• Consider whether further regulatory action is required.

Not every report results in an immediate site visit, but all reports are considered.

Why don't I receive feedback on individual incident reports?

We understand that people often want to know the outcome of reports they have made.

However, we do not routinely provide updates on individual incident reports. Information from reports is considered alongside other regulatory information, including inspections, monitoring and compliance assessments.

What happens if the operator breaches its permit?

Where permit breaches are identified, we consider what regulatory action is appropriate.

This may include:

• Advice and guidance.
• Improvement requirements.
• Enforcement notices.
• Restrictions on activities.
• Suspension of activities.
• Prosecution or permit revocation in the most serious cases.

The action taken will depend on the circumstances.

How does the Environment Agency decide whether the site is complying with its permit?

We use information from a range of sources, including:

• Site inspections.
• Compliance Assessment Reports.
• Monitoring results.
• Environmental incident reports.
• Complaints from members of the public.
• Information provided by the operator.

This helps us build a picture of site performance over time.