Industrial Processes Regulation

Companies carrying out certain prescribed activities that could potentially cause emissions to air, land or water may need to hold an Environmental Permit under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010. A permit will contain a number of conditions that relate to pollution control and which will ensure that any pollutants released are in quantities that meet government guidelines. If certain changes occur to an existing activity, or the company changes hands, then the permit may need to be varied or transferred. If the activity ceases, then the permit will need to be surrendered.

You must have an environmental permit if you operate a regulated installation in England or Wales. Regulated installations are divided into three categories:

• Part A(1)
• Part A(2)
• Part B.

Part A(2) and Part B installations are regulated by the Local Authority. Part A(1) installations are regulated by the Environment Agency. Information on A(1) activities can be found on Environment Agency.

If your installation comes under one of the following categories, you may require a permit. Contact us to confirm if you need a permit. It is an offence to operate a prescribed process without a permit.

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
• 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 Part A(2) 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 only. The permit your business requires depends on the specific processes involved and resulting emissions.

Permits are available from the Environment Agency or the Isle of Wight Council (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. See Process Guidance Notes for more information on Part B or Part A(2).activities
• 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.

The Activities must meet the standards outlined in the relevant guidance notes (e.g. Sector Guidance notes for Part A2 Activities). You may still need to get planning permission, regardless of whether your business requires a permit.