Businesses that affect the environment by:

  • causing air pollution through the release of smoke, dust or solvent fumes
  • creating water or land contamination

need environmental permits, some of which we administer.

You can check whether you need an environmental permit online.

The Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 and the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 regulate the industrial activities that potentially release significant emissions.

UK and EU law defines the activities that are regulated, and who they are regulated by:

  1. Large scale, more polluting sites (known as Part A1 processes) are regulated by the Environment Agency
  2. Smaller scale, less polluting sites (known as Part A2 and Part B processes) are regulated by us

Our public register

We maintain a public register of permitted installations:

Access our environmental permit public register

Apply for a permit

If you would like to apply for a new Part A2 or Part B environmental permit, please contact us.

Below are other commonly used application forms for Part B processes, which can be downloaded and completed.

Alternatively, please contact us to request a form.

Application fees and charges

An application comes with a single application fee - no application has been 'duly made' until payment has been made in full.

Please read our 2023/24 fees and charges for Part A2 and Part B permits for more information.

Annual subsistence charges

Once we issue a permit, there is an annual subsistence charge, payable to us.

The amount payable is based on the outcome of a risk rating method. Access the documents below for more information:

  1. Part A2 risk rating method
  2. Part B risk rating method

Current consultations

Eco Concrete Ltd, Great Blakenham

An application has been received from Eco Concrete Ltd to operate an installation for the blending, packing, loading, storage, and use of bulk cement at Malting Farm, Stowmarket Road, Great Blakenham, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP6 0LX.

The application documents can be viewed below, along with a site notice which explains how you can comment:

Chimney height approval

Under the Clean Air Act 1993, some chimneys which serve industrial or business furnaces or boilers, need approval from the local authority before use.

We will need to check for adequate dispersion of flue gases, so that nuisance is avoided.

This applies to chimneys (serving industrial or business furnaces or boilers) used to burn the following fuels:

  • pulverised fuel
  • any other solid matter at a rate of 45.4kg/hr or more
  • any liquid or gaseous matter at a rate of 366.4kW/hr or more

Apply for chimney height approval

Applications can be made via our online form. There is no charge for this application.

Apply for chimney height approval

We aim to make a decision on any application within four weeks. Sometimes, we may need to request more information, before we make a decision.

Applicants should use the third edition of the 'Clean Air Act Memorandum on Chimney Heights' to establish the height of any chimney proposed. You may need to submit details of the calculation.

Exemptions for waste treatment

Some waste treatment activities are covered by the regulations. However, as they pose a low risk to the environment and human health, they may not need to have an environmental permit.

Please read our environmental permits (exemptions for waste treatment) guidance for more information.