Environmental permitting

What are the Environmental Permitting Regulations?

The Environmental Permitting Regulations (England and Wales) 2010 were introduced on 6 April 2010, replacing the 2007 Regulations.

In 2007 the Regulations combined the Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) and Waste Management Licensing (WML) regulations. Their scope has since been widened to include water discharge and groundwater activities, radioactive substances and provision for a number of Directives, including the Mining Waste Directive.

What do I need to do?

If you are a new customer you need to find out if the activity you plan to carry out requires you to register an exemption or apply for an environmental permit.

• Do I need to apply for a permit or register an exemption?

If you are an existing customer use the following links to make an application or to read the guidance.

What's new?

• New standard rule permits and generic risk assessments
  Standard rule permits and generic risk assessments for activities newly listed as Part A as a result of the Industrial Emissions Directive
   
• Industrial Emissions Directive (IED)
  Information on the Industrial Emissions Directive
  
  
• Nature and heritage conservation pre-application
  Find out if your application requires a conservation risk assessment prior to submitting your application

Waste exemptions

Check if your waste activity is exempt and find out how to register the exemption with us.

Water discharge exemptions

Check if your water activity is exempt and find out how to register the exemption with us.

Standard rules permits

Check if your activity meets the requirements of a standard rules permit.

Radioactive substances activities

For activities on nuclear sites or for the on-site burial of low-level radioactive waste look at the Nuclear sector pages.

• Nuclear sector pages

Environmental permitting guidance

Guidance to help you complete your application and to comply with your environmental permit / exemption.

Making an application

Find out how to make a application for a new permit or make changes to (vary), transfer or surrender your permit.

What happens when we receive your application for a permit

Find out what happens to your application after it has been submitted.

How we work together

Find out how we consult with the public and relevant organisations on applications for permits.

View current applications for permits

We publicise applications for new bespoke permits, and certain changes to those, on our website, so the public have an opportunity to comment on them.