To ensure that we look after the environment we need to be able to put more of our effort into the higher risk and poorly performing sites.
Operational risk appraisal (Opra) is a risk assessment tool that helps us do this.
We use Opra to assess the risk to the environment from sites that we regulate with environmental permits. Opra allows us to target our resources at facilities that pose the greatest risk to the environment.
There are three different types or 'tiers' of environmental permit. The different types relate to how complicated the activity being permitted is.
There are currently no Tier 1 Opra permits.
Tier 2 permits are for fixed charge permit activities. For more information see 'Annex D - Opra scheme for permits with fixed charges' below
Tier 3 permits are described in the Opra scheme guidance document and annexes A to C, which are all listed below:
How Opra works
The current Opra scheme was implemented in April 2012. It introduces the Opra attributes and explains how Opra works and what you can do if you're unhappy with your Opra banded profile.
The Opra for EPR scheme 2012 has four annexes. The first three give details of how to apply Opra and work out your Opra-banded profile for tier 3 Installations, Waste facilities and Mining waste operations. The fourth annex gives information about permits with fixed charges.
Tier 3 permits, Opra-banded profile
The Opra assessment is based on five attributes, each of which is allocated one or more lettered bands. These bands provide a profile, known as the Opra-banded profile.
We use the Opra-banded profile to:
- Help us plan how to use our resources;
- Report on how those we regulate are performing;
- Work out charges.
An operator with a higher risk has a higher charge to cover the extra resources we need to assess the risk and to ensure they are being properly managed.
Calculate your Opra banded profile
There are spreadsheets to help you calculate your Opra banded profile under the Environmental Permitting Regimes. These are for installations, waste facilities and mining waste operations. As you input data and answer relevant questions they help generate your Opra banded profile.
Please note: For installations Opra, due to a temporary technical difficulty we can only currently accept Opra spreadsheet version 3.6. New applications should be submitted on this version and not version 3.7 which is referenced in the Opra scheme. As soon as this issue is resolved we will re-instate version 3.7. The use of version 3.6 will not impact on your charges.
Download and save the spreadsheets before using them to enable the macros in these spreadsheets to work. Right click on the link and 'save target as'.
Where to get more help
Here’s some guidance to help you navigate through the spreadsheets:
If you have any queries about Opra you should check our Frequently asked questions updated October 2011.
If the answer to your question isn't here, please call us on 0370 8506506.
