An Overview of the Environmental Licensing and Permitting
Regulations
Introduction
These regulations were introduced in the UK to minimise the impact of activities that have the potential to damage the
environment.
The regulations covering licensing and permitting in the UK are:
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The Environmental Permitting Regulations (England & Wales) 2010
The Pollution Prevention & Control (Scotland) Regulations 2000
The Pollution Prevention & Control (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2003
The Waste Management Licensing (Scotland) Regulations 2011
The Waste Management Licensing (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2003
Who Is Affected?
These regulations will affect organisations that carry out activities that could have an impact on the environment.
Examples of activities that are likely to need a Pollution Prevention Control (PPC) or Environmental Permit are:
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Power generation
Manufacturing and other industrial activities
Waste management activities
Intensive pig and poultry farming
Activities involving solvents
Operation of a landfill site
Organisations that treat, store, recycle, use waste mobile plants or carry out final disposal of waste may require a Waste
Management Licence (WML).
What Do You Need To Do?
Organisations that wish to carry out activities such as those listed above will need to apply for a permit and/or licence
from the appropriate authority for their region.
England & Wales
In England and Wales only one type of permit is required which can be obtained from either the Local Authority or
Environment Agency depending on the activity carried out:
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Permits for activities listed in Schedule 1 Part A(1) and Part A(2) are issued by the Environment Agency
Permits for activities listed in Schedule 1 Part B are issued by the Local Authority
In order to receive a permit, an organisation must comply with certain obligations including:
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Using all appropriate pollution-prevention measures
An Overview of the Environmental Licensing and Permitting
Regulations
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Prevent all large-scale pollution
Prevent, recycle or dispose of waste in the least polluting way possible
Use energy efficiently
Ensure accident prevention and damage limitation
Return sites to their original state when the activity is over
Scotland
Applications for a PPC Permit must be made to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). There are two types
of permit available:
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Part A – covers controls on impacts to the air, land and water
Part B – covers controls on emissions to air
A Part A permit will also cover waste management activities but a Part B permit will not cover these activities so
organisations must apply for a Waste Management Licence (WML) too. Once a PPC or WML has been issued
organisations will be required to comply with the conditions set out in it which may include:
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Emission limit values for polluting substances
Monitoring requirements
Types and quantities of waste
Security precautions
Northern Ireland
Applications for a PPC Permit must be made to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) or the local District
Council. There are 3 types of permit:
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Part A – covers controls on impacts to the air, land and water and are issued by the NIEA
Part B & Part C – covers controls on impacts to air emissions and are issued by the local District Council
A Part A permit will also cover waste management activities but a Part B or C permit will not cover these activities so
organisations must apply for a Waste Management Licence (WML) too. Once a PPC or WML has been issued
organisations will be required to comply with the conditions set out in it which may include:
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Emission limit values for polluting substances
Monitoring requirements
Types and quantities of waste
Security precautions
Useful Links
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Further guidance for England & Wales can be found here
Further guidance for Scotland can be found here
Further guidance for Northern Ireland can be found here