Environmental Health Regulation
Some industries are prescribed in regulations to manage pollution through a permit. Since 1990 many of these activities have required a permit from the Environment Agency or the local authority to operate and they are also inspected annually.
You must have an environmental permit if you operate a prescribed activity in England or Wales. Contact Regulatory Services on 01785 619000.
These include:
- installations or mobile plants carrying out listed activities
- waste operations
- waste mobile plant
- mining waste operations
- energy - burning fuel, gasification, liquification and refining activities
- metals - manufacturing and processing metals
- minerals - manufacturing lime, cement, ceramics or glass
- chemicals - manufacturing chemicals, pharmaceuticals or explosives, storing chemicals in bulk
- waste - incinerating waste, operating landfills, recovering waste
- solvents - using solvents
- other - manufacturing paper, pulp and board, treating timber products, coating, treating textiles and printing, manufacturing new tyres, intensive pig and poultry farming
Listed activities are divided into three categories: Part A(1), Part A(2) and Part B.
Part A and A2 permits control activities with a range of environmental impacts, including:
- emissions to air, land and water
- energy efficiency
- waste reduction
- raw materials consumption
- noise, vibration and heat
- accident prevention
Part B permits control activities which cause emissions to air
The permit your business requires depends on the specific processes involved and resulting emissions.
Permits are available from the Environment Agency or your local authority (the regulator) depending upon the category your business falls within:
- Part A(1) installations or mobile plants are regulated by the Environment Agency
- Part A(2) and Part B installations or mobile plants are regulated by the local authority, except waste operations carried out at Part B installations which are regulated by the Environment Agency
- waste operations or waste mobile plant carried on other than at an installation, or by Part A or Part B mobile plants, are regulated by the Environment Agency
- mining waste operations are regulated by the Environment Agency
Eligibility Criteria
It is the duty of the operator to apply for a permit if the activity is prescribed.
Applications must be made on the form provided by the regulator, or online and must include specified information which will vary depending on the operation.
A fee will be payable.
If further information is required the applicant will be notified by the regulator and they must provide this information or the application will be deemed to be withdrawn.
The application must be from the operator of the regulated facility.
For waste operations no licence will be granted unless any required planning permission had first been granted.
Application Evaluation Process
The regulator will pay regard to the protection of the environment taken as a whole by, in particular, preventing or, where that is not practicable, reducing emissions into the air, water and land.
The regulator normally informs the public of the application and must consider any representations.
Permit application for Eccleshall Biomass - use of recovered wood as a source of fuel at Eccleshall Biomass Plant (EBP)
The application must be from the operator of the regulated facility and the regulator must be satisfied that they must operate the facility in accordance with the environmental permit.
Refund Policy
Please note that refunds of licence fees are not normally given. Only in exceptional circumstances, as deemed by the regulator, will a refund be considered. Any refunds given may be subject to an administration charge.
Failed Application Redress
Please contact the Pollution Control Officer on 01785 619557 in the first instance.
An applicant who is refused an environmental permit may appeal to the appropriate authority. In England the appropriate authority is the Secretary of State and in Wales are the Welsh Ministers. Appeals must be lodged no later than six months from the date of the decision.
Permit Holder Redress
Please contact the Pollution Control Officer on 01785 619557 in the first instance.
If an application to vary, transfer or surrender an environmental permit has been refused or if the applicant objects to conditions imposed on the environmental permit they may appeal to the appropriate authority.
Appeals must be lodged in relation to a regulator initiated variation, a suspension notice or an enforcement notice, not later than two months from the date of the variation or notice and in any other case not later than six months from the date of the decision.
Environmental Industries Commission (EIC)
Environmental Services Associations (ESA)
Do I need an IPPC Permit, an LAPPC Permit or an LAPC Permit?
The matters are complex, there are many categories of both commercial and industrial activities that are prescribed for control. You will need to contact the Pollution Control Officer using the details at the top of this page for more detailed information.
What will the permit control?
The Permit will manage emissions of prescribed substances to the air. It may also control noise, water releases or spillages to land.
How much will gaining a Permit cost?
There may be requirements to upgrade the emission controls at the activity. This may cost significant amounts, particularly where solvent and odour emissions are above the required standards.
If the activity already meets the emission standards, the costs will be small.
The cost of an application to permit an activity ranges from approximately £500 to £3000.