Expanded environmental permit regime unveiled

The Environment Agency has laid out how it will run the environmental permitting regime, after it was expanded to cover groundwater and surface water discharges and radioactive substances on 6 April.¹ The regulations also follow previous changes on mining waste, exempt waste operations, and the transposition of the EU Batteries Directive (ENDS Report 412, pp 32-33).

Legislation implementing the revised scheme was laid before parliament and the Welsh Assembly on 15 March, alongside regulations correcting a high allowance for waste oil storage under a permit exemption.² The agency has made changes to its charging structure, which were consulted on last autumn (ENDS Report 417, pp 46-47).³ The regulator expects to raise £60m through the charges this financial year, representing 4.6% of its budget.