This page provides links to the full text of key pieces of air environmental legislation that may affect your business in Northern Ireland. The websites hosting the legislation may list amendments separately.
Air legislation for Northern Ireland controls emissions of gases, dark smoke and other airborne pollutants that harm the quality of the atmosphere. It includes environmental permitting and authorising regimes and, via the climate change framework, establishes financial incentives to switch to less polluting ways of working.
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.
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Sets 2050 as the target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions; outlines a carbon budgeting system, greenhouse gas emissions trading schemes, financial incentives for businesses to reduce waste and recycle more and powers to charge for single use bags.
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Specifies that for an installation or site to be eligible for inclusion in a climate change agreement, it must be likely that at least 90% of the energy supplied to it will be used within the site.
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Expands the types of energy-intensive business activities and sites that can claim the reduced rate of climate change levy.
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Amends 2006/60 with details of which energy-intensive businesses can claim the reduced rate of climate change levy.
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Amends 2007/2037, making technical changes and adding new product groups. Transfers market surveillance powers to Secretary of State from Trading Standards Officers.
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Changes the definition of ‘Energy-Intensive installations’, with exceptions, to include all operations and activities on the same site.
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Defines which energy-intensive installations are entitled to claim the reduced rate of climate change levy.
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Set outs who the climate change levy, which is charged on supplies of electricity, gas and solid fuel, applies to, what is taxable, who is exempt and procedures for registering, returns and tax credits.
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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.
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Covers several environmental issues, including pollution prevention control, assessment and management of air quality, and designation of areas of special scientific interest (ASSIs).
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Extends Environmental Protection (Controls on Ozone-Depleting Substances) Regulations 2002 to offshore installations.
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Requires aerosol dispensers to be marked to confirm they satisfy the safety measures laid down in the Annex to the Directive.
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Aims to reduce emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases through measures for their containment, use, recovery and destruction.
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Sets out controls on producing and using dangerous pesticides, industrial chemicals and chemical by-products.
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Allows governments to impose new requirements on handling, use, import, export, recovery, recycling, reclaming, destruction and trading of listed substances. Sets out plan to phase out production, trade and use of HCFCs.
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Amends 1005/2009 by banning the use of halons in firefighting equipment except for military and aviation uses.
Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No.3) Regulations 2009 SI 2196
Amends 1986/1078 by inserting a new regulation which restricts the retrofitting and refilling of vehicle air conditioning systems containing fluorinated greenhouse gases.
Solvent Emissions Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 SR 36
Aims to prevent or reduce the effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions from organic solvent use.
Solvent Emissions (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 SR 165
Updates 2004/36 and Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003/46, changing terminology relating to classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures.
Sulphur Content of Liquid Fuels Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 SR 272
Implements measures for reducing the sulphur content of heavy fuel oils (excluding marine fuels).
Volatile Organic Compounds in Paints, Varnishes and Vehicle Refinishing Products Regulations 2005 SI 2773
Sets maximum levels of organic solvents that can be contained in paints, varnishes and vehicle refinishing products (such as cleaners, primers and fillers).
Volatile Organic Compounds in Paints, Varnishes and Vehicle Refinishing Products (Amendment) Regulations 2010 SI 783
Amends 2005/2773 by amending the definition of ‘coating ’ (in the context of vehicle refinishing products) by substituting ‘mixture’ for ‘preparation’.
