Pollution Control

Pollution Prevention & Control

Last updated: 18 January 2013

The Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive (IPPC Directive) Part A

The IPPC Directive required an integrated approach to the permitting of and ongoing regulation of scheduled activities. The requirements of the Directive were similar in many ways to those on processes subject to integrated central control under the Industrial Pollution Control (Northern Ireland) Order 1997.

Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) was established in Northern Ireland by The Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 ("the 2003 Regulations") (PDF 659Kb) and has three tiers of control. Activities listed in Part A of Schedule 1 to the Regulations are subject to an integrated approach controlling a wide range of environmental issues, while Part B and Part C installations are subject to controls on emissions to air only. All industrial installations controlled under the PPC regulations are required to have a permit to operate. Part A and Part B installations are regulated by the Industrial Pollution and Radiochemical Inspectorate (IPRI) of NIEA. Part C activities are regulated by district councils.

Applications for new Part A Permits must now be made under the Pollution Prevention and Control (Industrial Emissions) Regulations (NI) 2012. You can still apply for a variation, transfer or surrender of an existing permit under the 2003 Regulations. Existing installations which currently hold a permit will transfer to the new regime on 7 January 2014.

Guidance on the IPPC regime can be found on IPPC A Practical Guide(.PDF 308Kb)

Application for a variation or transfer of a Part A Permit:

Application for a Permit variation, transfer or surrender (IPPC) (.PDF 1.3Mb)

Guidance for a Permit variation, transfer or surrender (IPPC) (.PDF 891Kb)

Application for a variation or transfer of a Part B Permit (for control of emissions to air only):

Air Pollution Prevention and Control Part B

An Application for a PPC Part B Permit Variation or Transfer (.PDF 618Kb)

Guidance for PPC Part B Permit Variation or Transfer (.PDF 302Kb)

Part C Installations

Part C permits are issued by district councils, not NIEA. Guidance on Part C regulation, both general and technical, is provided by the Department and can be found on the Industrial Pollution Part C Guidance of the Department of Environment website.