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

alex.radway@environment-agency.gov.uk