The aim of these regulations is to consolidate the existing environmental permitting system, which covers waste management licensing, pollution prevention and control, landfill, waste incineration, the operation of large combustion plants, water discharge consents, groundwater authorisations and radioactive substances. It also includes provisions relating to mining waste.
The environmental permitting framework was originally created in 2007 to simplify the process of applying for, regulating and measuring compliance in permitting. The legislation created a more efficient and effective regime, reducing the bureaucracy associated with the various separate permitting regimes that had previously been in place, and made provisions to strengthen powers for regulators to tackle illegal operators.
Although there are no major changes as a result of these new regulations, they provide a consolidated system of environmental permitting in England and Wales. They also transpose provisions of 15 EU Directives, which impose obligations on permitting.
Please note that these 2016 regulations revoke:
They also amend a wide number of acts including:
