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Alex RadwayAlex Radway
Policy Advisor
Process Industries Regulation
Environment Agency for England and Wales
Environment Agency - what we doEnvironment Agency - what we do
• Flood defence
• Water resources
• Fisheries, Recreation and Navigation
• River water quality
• Waste
• Radioactive materials
• Environmental regulation of large industry
Environmental regulation of industryEnvironmental regulation of industry
• Integrated Pollution Control (IPC)
– 1990, UK
• Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC)
– 1996, Europe
Industries coveredIndustries covered
• Energy
• Metals
• Minerals
• Chemicals
• Waste
• Other
Best Available Techniques (BAT)Best Available Techniques (BAT)
• most effective and advanced
• techniques not just technology
• prevent, then control
• cost / benefit balance
• ‘environment as a whole’ *
• basis for emission limits
• published guidance
• constantly evolving
Environment as a wholeEnvironment as a whole
Energy
Raw materials
Odour
Air emissions
Heat
NoiseVibration
Waste
Contaminated land Water / sewer discharges
Measures of environmental impactMeasures of environmental impact
• Air
– Environmental Quality Standards
– Air Quality Strategy
• Water
– Environmental Quality Standards
– Direct Toxicity Assessment
• Land
– Contamination reports
Permits to operatePermits to operate
• “Prior approval”
• Operational conditions
• Implicit use of BAT
• Emission limits based on BAT
• Operator monitoring and returns
• Breach notification
• Improvement programme
• Permit review
• Charges on Operator
Permit enforcementPermit enforcement
• Regular inspection
• Notices
– Enforcement
– Prohibition
• Prosecution
– fines
– jail sentences
Consultation on applicationConsultation on application
• Organisations with responsibility for:
– Health & Safety
– Local communities
– Food standards
– Nature conservation
– Human health
– Fisheries
Public involvementPublic involvement
• Advertisement of application
• Public registers of information
– held at local offices
– application, permit, monitoring etc.
• Pollution Inventory
• Web-site
• Engagement with environmental groups
Sulphur dioxide emissions to airSulphur dioxide emissions to air
0
200,000,000
400,000,000
600,000,000
800,000,000
1,000,000,000
1,200,000,000
1,400,000,000
1998 1999 2000 2001
Year
Re
lea
se
(K
g)
WASTE INDUSTRIES
CHEMICALS
OTHER INDUSTRY
MINERAL INDUSTRIES
METAL INDUSTRIES
FUEL AND POWER
Benefits to the environment Benefits to the environment
• Improved river water quality
• Better local & regional air quality
• ….. but continuing land contamination
Benefits to operatorsBenefits to operators
• better understanding of processes
• more knowledgeable about emissions
• aware of effects of emissions
• more questioning of existing practices
• improved better environmental performance
• more aware of public interest & concern
Legislative burdenLegislative burden Sources:
• World
• European
• National
• Regional
Target:
• New regime
• Industry
• Substance
Proportionate controlsProportionate controls
• Small operations with no emissions
• Range of permit conditions
• Priority pollutants
• Focus on main pollutant sources
• Complementary tools
Risk-based regulationRisk-based regulation
• Confidence in operator:
– Operator and Pollution Risk Appraisal (OPRA)
– Environmental Management Systems
– monitoring systems (OMA & MCERTS)
reduced inspection frequency & charging
ConsequencesConsequences
• Climate change
• Rising sea levels
• Winter storms more severe
• Widespread floods
Environment Agency visionEnvironment Agency vision
• “to put the environment at the heart of industry's thinking”
Where to find out moreWhere to find out more
UK: www.environment-agency.gov.uk
www.defra.gov.uk
Europe: www.europa.eu.int
www.eea.eu.int
www.eippcb.jrc.es