New environmental permits
will cut red tape, save money, and put a spotlight on high risk businesses
DEPARTMENT FOR
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS News Release (100/08) issued by
The Government News Network on 3 April 2008
New Environmental
Permitting Regulations come into force this weekend in England and
Wales, reducing red tape whilst protecting the environment and
human health.
Environmental permits are required for industrial and waste
activities which could harm human health or the environment unless
they are controlled. The new system means businesses will find it
simpler and less costly to be environmentally responsible.
Part of a joint Defra, Environment Agency and Welsh Assembly
Government initiative, the Regulations which become effective on 6
April streamline and integrate Waste Management Licensing (WML)
and Pollution Prevention Control (PPC) into one single regulatory
system, replacing over 40 separate sets of regulations.
Joan Ruddock, Minister for Climate Change, Biodiversity &
Waste, said:
"This is an important initiative that cuts down red tape and
provides an easier and more flexible permit. The changes will have
benefits for a wide range of low-risk businesses, but particularly
for smaller enterprises, which often have limited time and
resources to spend on form filling.
"In line with the government's Better Regulation agenda
these clearer and simpler regulations will reduce the
administrative burden for industry and regulators, saving around
£76 million over 10 years."
The Environment Agency's Chief Executive Baroness Barbara
Young stressed that:
"The new Environmental Permitting Regulations are in keeping
with our role as a modern, risk based regulator. Not only will
many operators have quicker, easier and more cost-effective
regulation, but the Environment Agency will be able to concentrate
more of its resources on the riskiest and worst performing
operators, leading to a better protected environment."
Additional benefits and cost-savings will be delivered through
the second phase of the Environmental Permitting Programme (EPP2):
Defra, the Environment Agency and WAG are currently looking to
expand the new single system by including further permitting regimes.
Detailed information can be found on Defra's webpage http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/epp
or the Environment Agency's webpage http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/epr.
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