Review of exemptions from Environmental Permitting
N.B. As of April 6, 2008, the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994 (as amended) are being replaced by the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2007. There will no longer be separate regulation regimes for waste management and PPC activities, with both being regulated by way of Environmental Permits.
Defra, the Environment Agency and the Welsh Assembly Government are undertaking a review of the exemptions from environmental permitting. The aim of the review is to provide a more risk-based and proportionate approach to the regulation of waste recovery and disposal operations, complementing the new environmental permitting regime.
The Government’s aim is to regulate in a way that minimises burdens on business, whilst securing outcomes which maximise resource efficiency and protect the environment and human health. To do this, we are taking a fundamental look at existing regulations, and identifying how they can be simplified. The scheme of exemptions have been cited as a key area for simplification and better regulation.
The majority of the current exemptions have been in place with little amendment since 1994. Some have become increasingly complex, creating anomalies around who benefits from an exemption and who doesn’t. There is also a need to develop new exemptions that take account of technical innovations and clarification of the definition of waste as a result of European case law. All of these factors have led to a need for a revised suite of exemptions that are part of a system of regulatory control that is proportionate to the environmental risk of the activities they relate to.
For this review to be successful it is vital that we engage thoroughly and in the most effective way with stakeholders, so that we can ensure that policy development reflects your needs as well as government policy.
Consultation
A formal consultation is planned for Summer 2008 and will look in detail at draft regulations. The first informal consultation, seeking comment on the proposals and criteria for exemptions underpinning the review, and other requirements for exempt waste operations has now closed. A full summary of the responses to the informal consultation, and an executive summary have been published.
Contacts
Contact Alice Cohen on 020 7238 4348 or email: exemptions@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Further information
- Environmental Permitting Regime
- Defra and better regulation
- Environment Agency
- Welsh Assembly Government
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last modified: 10 April 2008
Page published: 12 January 2007