Environmental permit

Pollution Prevention and Control

Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) is a regulatory regime for controlling pollution from certain industrial activities. From 2008 it has been incorporated into the framework of the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR).

The industrial activities covered by the PPC element of the Environmental Permitting Regulations are very wide ranging. They cover installations in the following industrial sectors:

Energy industries

• combustion activities
• gasification, liquefaction and refining activities

Production and processing of metals

• ferrous metals
• non-ferrous metals
• surface treating metals and plastic materials

Mineral industries

• production of cement and lime
• activities involving asbestos
• manufacturing glass and glass fibre
• production of other mineral fibres
• ceramic production

The chemical industry

• organic chemicals
• inorganic chemicals
• chemical fertiliser production
• plant health products and biocides
• pharmaceutical production
• explosives production
• manufacturing activities involving carbon disulphide or ammonia
• storage of Chemicals in Bulk

Waste management

• disposal of waste by incineration
• disposal of waste by landfill
• disposal of waste other than by incineration or landfill
• recovery of waste
• production of fuel from waste

Other activities

• paper, pulp and board manufacturing activities
• carbon activities
• tar and bitumen activities
• coating activities, printing and textile treatments
• the manufacture of dyestuffs, printing ink and coating materials
• timber activities
• activities involving rubber
• the treatment of animal and vegetable matter and food industries
• intensive farming
• SED (Solvent Emission Directive) activities

The regulators

The industrial activities covered by the PPC element of the Environmental Permitting Regulations are split into three categories and regulated by two different regulators:

Part A(1) - The Environment Agency

The Environment Agency regulates what is considered to be the most polluting of the three industrial categories, A(1) activities, known as the IPPC. These are regulated for multimedia emissions such as air, land, water and other environmental considerations. For further information visit the Environment Agency website (opens new window).

Part A(2) and Part B - local authorities (councils)

Local authorities regulate the comparatively less polluting Part A(2) activities (multi-media regulation such as air, land, water and other environmental considerations), known as LA-IPPC> They also regulate the lesser-polluting Part B activities (these are regulated for emissions to air only), known as LAPPC.

Eligibility criteria

Operators of installations like those mentioned above must obtain a permit to operate from us. The application must include a description of the way pollution is to be minimised, and the permit must include stipulations to be adhered to. There is Government guidance on the appropriate pollution standards for various types of installation. We are required to follow this guidance. The law requires the standards to achieve a balance between protecting the environment and the cost of doing so.

Operators can appeal where a permit application is refused or where it is granted but the operator disagrees with the conditions.

Once a permit is issued the operator must comply with the conditions.

Councils categorise installations according to the risk they represent (high, medium or low risk) based on the potential environmental impact in the event of an incident, and the effectiveness and reliability of the operator.

Where a business fails to comply with the regulations, we have the power to serve various types of notice and to prosecute. Where possible, however, we will try to work with the operator to resolve problems.

The regulator may contact you after you submit an application if they need further information. If you do not provide this information, the application will be withdrawn.

For waste operations, no licence will be granted until you have the required planning permission.

Regulation summary

Visit legislation.gov.uk to read the full regulations (opens new window).

Application evaluation process

The regulator will look at how you plan to protect the environment by preventing or reducing emissions into the air, water and land.

The regulator may inform the public of the application and must consider any queries or complaints.

The application must be from the operator of the regulated facility and the regulator must be satisfied that they operate the facility in accordance with the environmental permit.

Tacit consent does not apply

It is in the public interest that the council must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from us within a reasonable period, please contact us.

If your application is refused

Please contact us 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. Appeals must be lodged no later than six months from the date of the decision.

Licence holder redress

Please contact us in the first instance. 

If your application to vary, transfer or surrender an environmental permit is refused or if you object to conditions imposed on the permit, you can appeal to the appropriate authority.

Appeals must be lodged in relation to a regulator initiated variation, a suspension notice or an enforcement notice. Appeals must be made no later than two months from the date of the variation or notice, and in any other case no later than six months from the date of the decision.

Consumer complaint

If you need to make a complaint, we advise that you first contact the trader yourself - preferably by letter (with proof of delivery). If that has not worked, if you are in the UK, the Citizens Advice Consumer Service (opens new window) will give you advice. From outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre (opens new window).

Other redress

Compensation may be payable in relation to conditions affecting certain interests in land.

Public registers

We are required to maintain a public register containing information on all LA-IPPC and LAPPC installations and mobile plants they are responsible for.

Contact us to arrange to view the public register.

View a list of our permitted processes (PDF, 108 KB)(opens new window)