POPs are persistent organic pollutants, flame-retardant chemicals found in the foam and fabric of older upholstered seating. Since Environment Agency guidance of December 2022, waste sofas, armchairs and padded chairs that may contain POPs must be incinerated at an authorised site, not landfilled or stripped for recycling.
Defined in the Commercial Waste Glossary.
Related: What Are POPs Regulations?.
Other terms
- Fly-tipping
- Waste carrier licence
- SIC code
- Dry mixed recycling
- WEEE
- Anaerobic digestion
- Waste transfer note
- EWC codes
- Waste hierarchy
- Transfer station
- General waste
- Digital waste tracking
- Energy from waste
- Simpler Recycling
- Landfill tax
- Commercial waste
- Wait and load
- Trade waste
- Hazardous waste consignment note
- Materials recovery facility
- Duty of care
- Residual waste
- List of Waste code
- Controlled waste
- Upper tier waste carrier
- Pre-paid sack
- Section 34
- Annual waste transfer note
- All terms