We do not decide whether the building of an ERF is necessary, or where to locate it. The local planning authority is responsible for deciding how household waste generated in their area is dealt with and where waste facilities should be located. This is undertaken as part of the local authority's waste management strategy, Waste Local Plan and Development Framework.
A company that wants to build an ERF has to first submit a planning application to the relevant planning authority. Once the application is submitted, we are consulted on the application as a statutory consultee at which point we would advise the planning authority on the potential environmental impact of the ERF. Our role is to ensure that specific issues such as pollution, groundwater protection and flood risk have been satisfactorily addressed. If these have not, then we would object to the planning application.
Our primary role in any such proposal is to make sure that if an ERF is to be built, it is designed and operated to meet stringent controls. We do this through the developer submitting a PPC permit application to us. It is our responsibility to ensure that any process involving the treatment of waste does not result in harm to human health or the environment. This will include looking at the impact of the emissions from the facility to the air. We would not issue a permit if we considered that any unacceptable risks would result.
