Pollution inventory reporting
The pollution inventory provides information about releases and transfers of substances from regulated industrial activities.
The pollution inventory includes reporting on annual emissions of certain substances to air, controlled waters and land, and off-site transfers in wastewater and waste.
You must report to the pollution inventory if you:
- operate under a part A (1) environmental permit and have received a notice under Regulation 60 of the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010 or Regulation 61 of the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016
- operate a sewage treatment works with a capacity at, or over, 100,000 population equivalents
- dispose of radioactive waste to air, water or sewers covered by a permit issued under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010
- run an opencast mine or quarry with a surface area over 25 hectares, or an underground mine and related operation (no capacity threshold)
You must submit returns by 28 February of each reporting year.
You can either:
- use the Environment Agency’s online reporting system
- complete and return a paper reporting form
Resource efficiency
Operators no longer need to report resource efficiency data as part of their pollution inventory return. If you do submit data, it will not be used for any purpose.
For some sectors, there may be a specific benefit in continuing to collect resource efficiency information. If so, the Environment Agency will work with the relevant operators or trade associations to explore other options for collecting this data. For example, through trade association corporate and social responsibility reporting schemes.
Pollution inventory: guidance notes and privacy notice
General and sector-specific guidance on how to carry out pollution inventory reporting and the information you need to provide. Also a privacy notice that explains how your data will be used.
Pollution inventory: send an electronic return
This system will:
- check your information for mistakes
- automatically fill in standard fields
- allow you to look at information you have sent in previous years
The deadline for sending your pollution inventory data is 28 February each year.
If you think that some of the information you submit to the pollution inventory is confidential:
- tick the box in part 1 of PIEDC
- provide justification text for your claim
- tick the confidentiality box next to the appropriate lines of data
- send any supporting documents to your site inspector
The Environment Agency will make a decision on your claim for confidentiality within 20 days from the date of your application, or within a longer period if agreed.
If you do not enclose a written justification for each item included in the confidentiality claim, they are likely to reject it immediately.
Pollution inventory: forms for paper returns
Forms to report pollution inventory data. Use these forms if you cannot use the online PIEDC system.
There is no charge for pollution inventory reporting.
Information submitted will be held on the pollution inventory, which is a public record of pollution levels in England.
Contact the Environment Agency if you have any questions:
Telephone: 03708 506 506 see call charges
Updates to this page
Last updated 24 July 2023 + show all updates
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The Pollution Inventory Electronic Data Capture (PIEDC) system is now available.
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Updated the notice saying that the PIEDC system is unavailable. You will be able to use it to send pollution inventory data from 24 July 2023.
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Added a notice saying that the PIEDC system is unavailable between 19 and 21 July 2023. You will be able to use it to send pollution inventory data from 22 July 2023.
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Reinstated access to PIEDC system.
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Added a notice saying that the PIEDC system is unavailable between 14 and 29 December 2022. You will be able to use it to send pollution inventory data from 1 January 2023.
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The Pollution Inventory Electronic Data Capture (PIEDC) system is now available.
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The Pollution Inventory Electronic Data Capture (PIEDC) system is unavailable between 14 and 29 December 2021 while we carry out urgent maintenance.
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We have added a downtime notice: The Pollution Inventory Electronic Data Capture (PIEDC) system will be unavailable between 14 and 29 December 2020 while we carry out urgent maintenance.
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We have added the pollution inventory privacy notice that explains how your data will be used.
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We have fixed the problem with the security certificate on the Pollution Inventory Electronic Data Capture (PIEDC) website.
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Page updated to warn users of the problem with the security certificate on the Pollution Inventory Electronic Data Capture (PIEDC) website. We are working on a fix as a matter of urgency.
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We have added a PIEDC downtime notice: You will not be able to access PIEDC between 8.30am and 5.30pm on the following dates: 19 to 23 December 2019 and 27 December 2019. PIEDC will be available on these dates outside of these times.
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PIEDC system is unavailable from 8.30am until 5.30pm on 28 December 2017.
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PIEDC is unavailable from 18 to 20 December, and on 28 December 2017 while we do some important maintenance.
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PIEDC system available.
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The PIEDC system has been taken off-line for urgent maintenance Thursday 29 December 8:30am to 5:30pm.
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The PIEDC system is back online.
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The PIEDC system has been taken off-line for urgent maintenance from Monday 19 December 08:30 to Friday 23 December 17:30.
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Removed downtime notice and reinstated link to PIEDC system
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Please note that the PIEDC system has been taken offline today (Mon 21 Dec) for urgent maintenance. The system will be available for use outside of these times.
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Operators are no longer required to report resource efficiency data as part of their pollution inventory return.
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First published.