Regulation of emissions

Local Authorities and the Environment Agency regulate the reduction/prevention of emissions from industrial processes to air, land and water.  The Environment Agency deals with major polluting industries (known as A1 processes) like power stations and chemical plants.  Local Authorities regulate less complex processes (known as A2 and Part B processes) e.g. petrol filling stations, vehicle respraying and dry cleaners.

Processes described above must hold a permit to operate.  The permit relates to the performance of the plant.  The permit's main aim is to ensure compliance with EU legislation and sets out standards and conditions to ensure that the environment is protected to the highest possible standard.

An application fee (set by central government) must accompany the application for permit.  For the part B and part A2 processes refer to the scale of charges published on the DEFRA website, which you can find in our useful links, and also includes all information on the current regulations. The application forms can be found in our useful documents area.

Permit applications must include a process description, details of emissions sources, methods of control and monitoring and management systems in place to demonstrate that Best Available Techniques (BAT) are being employed in accordance with the current Government Guidance.

Where a business fails to comply with the Regulations, we have the power to serve various types of notice and the power to prosecute.  Where possible, however, we try to work with the operator to resolve problems.

All processes are inspected regularly, by the regulating authority to ensure compliance. The frequency of inspection is governed by a method of risk based scoring prescribed by DEFRA.

Public Register

We permit a number of activities within the district, these consist:

• petrol filling stations
• dry cleaners
• vehicle and other resprayers/coatings
• bulk cement processes
• crematorium
• sand drying/coating
• mobile plant

Local authorities are required to maintain a public register containing information on all the processes that are permitted by them under Part B or Part A2 of the regulations.

The register is available to members of the public for them to view free of charge at the Council Offices, Thorpe Road, Weeley.  Alternatively please click on this link to view the register.

For further information, please contact:

Address: Environmental Services, Town Hall, Station Road, Clacton On Sea, Essex, CO15 1SE
Email: environmental.services@tendringdc.gov.uk
Telephone: (01255) 686767