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Pollution Prevention and Control
Certain industrial activities have the potential to pollute the air, land, water, or a combination of these.
The Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 and Regulations 2000 (known as PPC) sets out a regulatory regime for controlling this pollution.
The activities controlled by the PPC legislation are split into 3 categories and are regulated by 2 different Authorities.
- Part A(1) – The Environment Agency
The Environment Agency regulates what is considered to be the most polluting of the 3 industrial categories, A(1) activities. These are regulated for emissions to land, air, water and other environmental considerations. Examples of A(1) activities are Landfill Sites and Hazardous Waste Incinerators. - Part A(2) and B – Local Authority (North Hertfordshire District Council)
Local Authorities regulate the comparatively less polluting A(2) activities, for example the manufacture of plywood or glass, as well as the lesser polluting Part B activities which are regulated for emissions to air only. Examples of Part B activities include Petrol Stations, Dry Cleaners, Vehicle Re-Sprayers and Crematoria.
Any person operating a process within North Herts that requires a permit must submit an application along with the relevant fee to the Environmental Protection Team using the contact details below. A Permit may then be issued in line with Government guidance. The fees are reviewed and set each year by the Secretary of State and are published on the DEFRA website.
Regular inspections will be carried out by the authorising body, be that NHDC or the Environment Agency to ensure that the operator of the process is complying with the conditions found within the Permit. Conditions help the operator control pollution which might arise from the ordinary running of his business and may include:
- setting emission limits
- requirements for the handling of certain materials
- equipment maintenance
- staff training
Information about the different types of processes can be found in the Pollution Prevention and Control section of the DEFRA website.
List of Part B activities currently permitted by NHDC (30.8KB) 
Contact Details
To contact the Environmental Protection Team for further information or to submit an application, please contact them via the Customer Service Centre on 01462 474000, at service@north-herts.gov.uk or at:
Environmental Protection Team
North Hertfordshire District Council
Council Offices
Gernon Road
Letchworth Garden City
Herts
SG6 3JF