New environmental legislation in Northern Ireland

This page provides a list of key environmental legislation that has come into force in Northern Ireland in the past twelve months. There are links to more detailed guidance on topics where relevant.

You can keep up to date with new environmental legislation by subscribing to the monthly business environmental update.     

We provide this list as a guide to key environmental legislation that may apply to your business. We review it periodically but it does not include every piece of legislation that may affect your business. As there may be additional legislation that applies to your particular activities and circumstances, you should check with your environmental regulator, legal advisor or environmental consultant to find out if there are any more legal requirements that apply to you.

31 December 2011	Pollution Prevention and Control (Amendment No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 SR 402 Amends 2003/46 to allow a permit to temporarily remain in force when a permit holder dies, removes burning of waste from section 1.1 combustion activities and transposes EC 2009/126 on Stage II Petrol Vapour Recovery during refuelling of motor vehicles.
10 November 2011	Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 SR 365 Amends 2010/160 to transpose EU Directive 2010/35 on transportable pressure equipment. Updates technical provisions, conformity requirements and responsibilities of operators, to improve safety and ensure free movement of transportable pressure equipment.
2 November 2011	Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 SR 385 Amends 2010/412 to correct a drafting error.
2 November 2011	Nitrates Action Programme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 SR 388 Amends 2010/411 to allow storage of poultry litter up to a maximum of 180 days in the field where land application will take place until 31 March 2012.
4 October 2011	Plant Protection Products Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 SR 295 Lays down enforcement powers and penalties for infringements of EU Plant Protection Product Authorisations Regulation 1107/2009/EC, which concerns the placing of plant protection products on the market.
1 October 2011	Radioactive Substances Exemption (Northern Ireland) Order 2011 Revokes the 18 exemption orders made under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 and replaces them with a single order.
1 October 2011	Radioactive Substances Act 1993 (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 SR 290 Amends the definition of radioactive material and radioactive waste in the 1993 Act. Removes the exemption relating to clocks and watches.
31 July 2011	Controls on Ozone-Depleting Substances Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 SR 239 Implements EC Regulation 1005/2009 on substances that deplete the ozone layer and provides that any breach of the EU Regulation is a punishable offence.
31 July 2011	Ozone-Depleting Substances (Qualifications) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 SR 240 Implements provisions in EC Regulation 1005/2009 by specifying the minimum training and qualifications required by anyone working with ozone-depleting substances, such as refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment and fire protection systems.
20 July 2011	Energy Information Regulations 2011 SI 1524 Applies to energy-related products which have a significant impact on energy consumption. Requires information to be provided to customers. Includes powers of enforcement  to improve the environmental performance of products.
15 July 2011	Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 SR 216 Amends 1995/380 to meet the requirements of the Wild Birds Directive by classifying suitable sites as special protection areas.
7 July 2011	Animal By-Products (Enforcement) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 SR 258 Amends regulation 19 (a) (penalties) of 2011/124 so that the maximum term of imprisonment on summary conviction is three months.
25 June 2011	Pollution Prevention and Control (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 SR 212 Amends 2003/46 by inserting a new section on carbon capture and storage into Part 1 of Schedule 1 and making some additional minor amendments.
25 June 2011	Groundwater (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 SR 211 Amends 2009/254 to allow the storage of carbon dioxide in geological formations which for natural reasons are permanently unsuitable for other purposes.
25 June 2011	Environmental Liability (Prevention and Remediation) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 SR 210 Amends 2009/252 to include the geological storage of carbon dioxide as an activity for which operators will be liable if environmental damage is caused.
10 June 2011	EU Regulation 494/2011 amending EU Regulation 1907/2006 on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (Adobe PDF - 722KB) Amends 1907/2006 by adding criteria to Annex XVII for controlling the use of cadmium in plastics, paints, brazing fillers and jewellery.
4 May 2011	Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 Contains a range of measures to improve the quality of the local environment by giving district councils additional powers to deal with litter, fly-posting and graffiti, dogs, noise, statutory nuisance, nuisance alleyways, abandoned and nuisance vehicles and abandoned shopping trolleys.
15 April 2011	Landfill (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 SR 101 Amends 2003/496 so that the regulations apply to all landfill sites in Northern Ireland which closed after 16 July 2001.
8 April 2011	Waste (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2011 SR 127 Requires businesses to apply the waste management hierarchy, introduces a two-tier system for waste carrier, broker and dealer registration, establishes waste prevention programmes and amends other legislation.
1 April 2011	CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme (Amendment) Order 2011 SI 234 Amends 2010/768 by extending phase one of the trading scheme to 1 April 2014.  Reduces the second and sixth phases from seven to six years. The second phase will start on 1 April 2013. Each phase will overlap the previous phase by one year instead of two.
29 March 2011	Wildlife and Natural Environment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 Amends the Wildlife (NI) Order 1985 and the Environment (NI) Order 2002 and adds new provisions to protect a greater range of plants, animals, birds and to increase protection to Areas of Special Scientific Interest. Gives enforcement authorities new powers and sanctions against perpetrators of wildlife crime.
20 March 2011	Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 SR 412 Imposes general requirements for preventing pollution of any waterway from oil storage, particularly fixed tanks or mobile bowsers. Makes contravention a criminal offence.
19 March 2011	Animal by-product (enforcement) regulation Northern Ireland 2011 SR 124 Enforces the EU Animal By Products Regulation 106/2009. Details the enforcement authorities, procedure and appeals for registration and approval. Provides for offences and powers of enforcement.
15 March 2011	EU Regulation 253/2011 amending EU Regulation 1907/2006 on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (Adobe PDF - 727KB) Amends 1907/2006 by replacing Annex XIII relating to the identification of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances and very persistent and very bioaccumulative substances.
14 February 2011	Water Framework Directive (Priority Substances and Classification) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 SR 10 Sets out classification schemes, requiring NIEA to assign a type to each water body and apply defined environmental standards.
10 February 2011	Waste and Contaminated Land (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 Gives the DOE and district councils similar investigative, enforcement and clean up powers to deal with illegally dumped waste. Changes the legislative framework for management of land that has been contaminated by pollution. Amends the Producer Responsibility Obligations (NI) 0rder 1998 to give a more precise definition of the DOE’s powers of entry and inspection.
2 February 2011	EU Regulation 143/2011 amending EU Regulation 1907/2006 on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (Adobe PDF - 727KB) Amends 1907/2006 Annex XIV by adding six substances that are not to be placed on the market or used after a certain date, unless an authorisation has been granted.
1 January 2011	Nitrates Action Programme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 SR 411 Introduces an action programme for all farmers in NI to protect waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources.
1 January 2011	Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 SR 396 Amends 2007/198, establishing new waste recovery and recycling targets for 2011 and 2012, strengthening reporting provisions and making other technical changes.