You must have an environmental permit if you operate a regulated facility in England or Wales.
A regulated facility includes:
- installations or mobile plants carrying out listed activities
- waste operations
- waste mobile plant
- mining waste operations
Listed activities include:
- energy - burning fuel, gasification, liquefaction and refining activities
- metals - manufacturing and processing metals, surface treatment of metals
- minerals - manufacturing lime, cement, ceramics or glass, processing asbestos
- 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, tanning, processing of animal and vegetable matter
Listed activities are divided into three categories: Part A(1), Part A(2) and Part B.
Part A 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
Making an application
Applications for an environmental permit must be made by the operator of the regulated facility. If further information is required before your application can be determined, you will be notified by the regulator and you will be asked to provide this. If we do not receive this information, your application will be deemed to be withdrawn.
For waste operations, an environmental permit will not normally be granted unless the relevant planning permission has first been obtained.
Applications
- Apply for an environmental permit part A1
- Environmental permit forms (part A2)
- Environmental permit forms (part B)
Current Applications
Regulation summary
A summary of the Environmental Permitting regulations and the application process
Contact us
Contact us about any issues relating to environmental permits and applications by completing the environmental permit enquiry form or phoning (01926) 456725.