Industrial Pollution
Background
Emissions from certain processes and activities carried out at industrial and commercial facilities have the potential to cause harm to the surrounding environment. The Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) regime provides a robust integrated regulatory framework which reduces and controls the potential for impact of these emissions to air, water and land.
The PPC Regulations prescribe that certain activities must operate under a permit issued by the relevant regulator. Operators of these activities must employ the Best Available Techniques (BAT) to control and manage the risk of pollution from their facility, whilst maintaining a balance between costs to the operator and environmental benefits.
The legislation applicable to the regime is outlined in the Regulatory Framework page.
The Regulators
The Industrial Pollution and Radiochemical Inspectorate of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) are responsible for Part A and B Activities. Further information is available on NIEA's website .
District Councils regulate Part C Activities - Local Authority Pollution Prevention and Control (LAPPC) regime - which is concerned with emissions to air only. The Environmental Policy Division of the DoE administer the LAPPC regime, providing technical support and develop guidance and regulations. Contact details are provided if you wish to contact any of these authorities.
LAPPC
Latest News and Current Issues
Six Year Review of PG Notes
The periodical review of the current set of Process Guidance (PG) Notes for the LAPPC regime is currently underway. An indicative timetable for the review of the PG Notes has been published by Defra.
DoE Funding to EA Local Authority Unit
To underline our commitment to working in an integrated manner with the regulatory and administrative bodies across the UK, the Department has provided funding assistance to the Environment Agency’s Local Authority Unit (LAU). The LAU provides technical support and assistance to Local Authorities on issues specifically related to the LAPPC regime.
Consolidated PPC Regulations
A consolidated version of the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 (PPC regulations) is available below and includes amendments made up to December 2011:
Consolidated PPC Regulations (598KB)
Please be advised, it is intended that the consolidated version of the PPC regulations should be used as a guide only and whilst great care has been taken in producing the document, no liability will be accepted by the Department for any misinterpretation caused by omissions or inaccuracies in the consolidated regulations. A list of the amending legislation is available to download below:
PPC Consolidated Regs - Note to users (24KB).
Current PG Notes and General Guidance
The Department has issued a range of PG notes relevant to activities carried out across Northern Ireland. The NIPG notes form statutory guidance on what constitutes the Best Available Techniques (BAT) for Part C / LAPPC installations for each of the installations regulated.
The General Guidance Manual issued by the Department is the principal guidance on the administration of the LAPPC regime by the Local Authorities in Northern Ireland.
The Guidance on the Waste Incineration Directive (542KB) issued by the Department describes the scope, regulatory and technical requirements of the WID and how they should be interpreted and applied.
Fees and Charges
Operators of prescribed activities are required to pay a fee to the regulating authority to cover expenditure associated with the administration of the LAPPC regime for their premises. This incorporates the ‘Polluter Pays’ key principle, where the operator bears the cost of any measures to prevent harm that they may otherwise cause by their actions.
The levels of fees and charges are set out in the LAPPC Charging Scheme 2012 (51KB)
Consultation on the Transposition of the Industrial Emissions Directive
The Department of the Environment is consulting on draft Regulations to transpose Directive 2010/75/EU on the industrial emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control)(Recast) (2.8MB) (known as IED).
This Directive sets environmental controls on large industrial plants and brings together seven overlapping Directives (covering similar industrial emission activities), into one piece of legislation on industrial emissions.
The purpose of the IED is to achieve a high level of protection for the environment and human health from the harmful effects of industrial activities.
The IED covers industrial activities with a major pollution potential (energy industires, production and processing of metals, mineral industry, chemical industry waste management, rearing of animals, etc) as well as waste incineration activities and solvent emitting activities and titanium dioxide production activities.
Any industrial installation which carries out the activities listed in Annex I of the IED must meet certain basic obligations such as, preventive measures taken against pollution, ensuring best available techniques are applied, waste is reduced, recycled or disposed of in the manner which creates least pollution, etc.
The Department proposes to transpose the IED through draft Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations (NI) 2012. We are also taking this opportunity to consolidate all existing Pollution Prevention and Control legislation into the draft 2012 Regulations as well as the Solvent Emissions, Waste Incineration and Large Combustion Plants legislation. Please see the Consultation documents below.
Consultation Paper on the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 (161KB)
Draft Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 (574KB)
Draft Impact Assessment for the transposition of the Industrial Emissions Directive (290KB)
Should you require further information, please feel free to contact the Air and Environmental Quality Team at:
Air and Environmental Quality Team
Department of the Environment
Goodwood House
44 - 58 May Street
Town Parks
Belfast BT1 4NN
E-mail: aeqteam@doeni.gov.uk
Tel.: (028) 90 254 758.
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