Environmental permitting legislation
Find environmental permitting legislation for:
England on Business Link: Environmental permitting legislation
Wales on Business.Wales.gov.uk: Environmental permitting legislation
Our guidance has moved to these websites as part of the government programme to centralise online guidance for businesses. Read more about the changes to NetRegs.
If you operate your business in Northern Ireland or Scotland, see our guidance on pollution prevention and control and waste management licensing.
Pollution prevention and control permits
Waste management licensing
This page provides links to key pieces of relevant environmental legislation. The links will direct you to the Legislation.gov, Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI), Statute Law Database (SLD) or EUR-lex websites.
Remember that different parts of the UK have variations in environmental laws.
The future legislation section provides details of environmental legislation that is due to come into force as well as information on proposed developments in environmental law.
Future legislation
If you are setting up an environmental management system (EMS) for your business, you can use this list to start compiling your legal register. Your legal adviser or environmental consultant will be able to tell you if other environmental legislation applies to your specific business.
Environmental management systems and environmental reports
England and Wales
NEW Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 SI 675
Provides a consolidated system for environmental permits and exemptions for industrial activities, mobile plant, waste operations, mining waste operations, water discharge activities, groundwater activities and radioactive substances activities. It also sets out the powers, functions and duties of the regulators.
The regulations revoke:
- Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 SI 3538 and related amending regulations (except for some regulations)
- Groundwater (England and Wales) Regulations 2009 SI 2902
- Control of Pollution (Radioactive Waste) Regulations 1989 SI 1158
- Radioactive Substances Appeals Regulations 1990 SI 2504
- Control of Pollution (Channel Tunnel Rail Link) Regulations 1998 SI 1649
- High-Activity Sealed Radioactive Sources and Orphan Sources Regulations 2005 SI 2686.
The regulations repeal parts of other legislation, including:
- part of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993
- part of the Water Resources Act 1991.
NEW Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 SI 676
Amends SI 2010/675 to correct an error in the storage limit for waste oils in exemption S1 storage in secure containers.
NEW Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) 2010 SI 2172
Amends 2010/675 by deregulating from local authority control certain activities involving the melting of non-ferrous metals and manufacture of powder coating materials. They also add the drying of green crops to the list of activities excluded from regulation.
Further information
The current environmental legislation lists provide links to key environmental statutes and regulations.
Current environmental legislation
For further information on relevant legislation contact your environmental regulator or local council.
Contact your environmental regulator
Contact your local council
