Regulation of industrial pollution

Salford City Council regulates emissions to atmosphere from a number of industrial processes/installations under The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 (EP Regulations) which came into force on 6 April 2010.

The aim of the EP Regulations is to streamline the legislative system for industrial and waste installations into a single permitting structure for those activities which have the potential to cause harm to human health or the environment. The permitting system will aim to protect the environment, encourage best practice in the operation of regulated facilities, minimise the regulatory administrative burden to operators while fully implementing the requirements of EU legislation.

What is LA-IPPC AND LAPPC?

There are two types of installations regulated by the local authority. The first is the Local Authority Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (LA-IPPC) otherwise known as Part A2 activities. These installations will be required to control emissions to air, land, water and other local environmental impacts. The second type is the Local Authority Pollution Prevention and Control (LAPPC) otherwise known as Part B activities, require installations permitted under this regime to control emission related to air only.

What is an activity?

An activity is an industrial activity forming part of an ‘installation’. Different types of activities are listed within Schedule 1, Part 2 of the EP Regulations. They are broadly broken down into industrial sectors, grouping similar activities into chapters within this schedule. Other 'associated' activities (not described in Schedule 1) may also form part of an installation. Activities can be carried out in installations or by mobile plant.

What is an installation?

Annex III of the EP Regulations explains the term ‘installation’. In summary, an installation comprises any relevant unit carrying out Part A2 or Part B activities listed in Schedule 1 to the EP Regulations. This includes any directly associated activities which have a technical connection with the Schedule 1 activities and which could have an effect on pollution. Once the extent of an installation has been established, each activity (or associated activity) must be included in the permit. Any reference to 'installation' should be taken to include 'mobile plant'.

What is a mobile plant?

A mobile plant, for the purposes of LA-IPPC and LAPPC, is any plant which is designed to move or be moved on roads or otherwise, and is used to carry on any activity.

What is a regulated facility?

A regulated facility is the collective term used in the EP Regulations to refer to installations, mobile plant and waste operations.

What is a permit?

Some activities could harm the environment or human health unless they are controlled and the EP Regulations require operators to obtain an environmental permit in order to:

• protect the environment and human health
• deliver permitting and compliance effectively and efficiently in a way that provides increased clarity and minimises the administrative burden on both the regulator and the operators of facilities
• encourage regulators to promote best practice in the operation of regulated facilities; and
• continue to fully implement European legislation

A permit is a document issued by a local authority to an operator allowing him or her to operate an installation or mobile plant subject to conditions. A permit will not be granted if the local authority considers that the applicant will not be the person who will have control over the operation of the installation or mobile plant. The operator must, after the grant of the permit, ensure that the installation or mobile plant is operated so as to comply with the conditions of the granted permit.

The role of the regulator (Salford City Council) is to ensure that the requirements of the permit are complied with.

A background to the industrial pollution control regime can be found at the bottom of this page.

Do you need a permit?

Schedule 1, Part 2 of the EP Regulations details regulated activities which require an environmental permit. The Regulations can be found at the bottom of this page.

Regulated activities are carried out in either:

• An installation - a stationary technical unit, such as a permanent building or fixed plant, or
• Mobile Plant - industrial plant which can be re-located

A list of regulated activities which cover a wide range of industrial sectors can be found in a downloadable document at the bottom of this page. 

There are three categories of activities within each sector. Part A1 activities are regulated by the Environment Agency. A2 and Part B permits are regulated by the Local Authority.

The A(1) and (2) permits control activities which have the potential to impact on a wide range of environmental areas including:

• emissions to air, land and water
• energy management
• waste
• the consumption of materials
• noise, vibration and odour
• the prevention of accidents

Part B permits control activities which cause emissions to air.

Who to contact

Name

Environmental Protection

Address

Environment and Community Safety Directorate
Salford City Council
Turnpike House
631 Eccles New Road
Salford
M50 1SW
Map to this location

Telephone

0161 737 0551

Email

env.permitting@salford.gov.uk

This page was last updated on 1 February 2011