Apply for this licence
You must hold an environmental permit from your local authority if you either:
- carry out Part A(2) or Part B activities
- run a Part A(2) or Part B installation or mobile plant
You need a Part A(2) permit for the following activities:
- refining gas
- metal works, eg producing pig iron or steel, casting ferrous metal, operating forge hammers or applying fused metal coatings
- melting non-ferrous metals
- surface treating metals and plastic materials
- grinding cement clinker or metallurgical slag
- glass manufacturing
- cellulose fibre reinforced calcium silicate board manufacturing
- ceramic product manufacturing, including roof tiles and bricks
- non-hazardous or animal waste incineration
- manufacturing wood based boards, eg plywood
- new tyre manufacturing
- disposing of or recycling animal carcasses or waste
You need Part B permit if your activities will cause emissions to air.
Read the guidance for A2 and Part B activities.
You will be charged a fee when you apply for a Part A(2) or B environmental permit.
Exemptions
Not all activities require a Part A(2) or B permit. Waste operations that cause more significant pollution will instead require a Part A(1) permit from the Environment Agency or Natural Resources Wales.
You may need to register the activity as an exempt operation with either the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales or your local authority if you carry out an:
- exempt waste operation
- exempt water discharge activity
- exempt groundwater activity
If you breach a permit condition
You may be served with an enforcement notice if your local authority believes you’ve breached a permit condition or you’re likely to. The notice will include the:
- suspected breaches
- steps that you must take to remedy them
- time period you have to take such steps
They may serve you with a suspension notice, suspending your permit, if they believe your regulated facility is causing, or is likely to cause, serious pollution.
Fines and penalties
You may be committing a criminal offence and may be fined, imprisoned for up to 2 years or both, if you:
- fail to provide information when requested
- provide false or misleading information
- make a false entry in any records you keep
- forge or use a forged document or permit
The application may be withdrawn if you fail to provide information requested in relation to your application.
If the court believes you have the power to remedy your contravention, you may be ordered to take specified steps for remedying the matter, in addition to, or instead of, a fine or imprisonment.
If the local authority takes action to prevent pollution or remedy any pollution that has occurred as a result of your actions, they may seek to recover the costs of doing so from you.
You may be fined, imprisoned for up to 5 years or both if you fail to comply with the requirement to hold an environmental permit.