A waste licence is a single licence which deals with emissions from an activity and the environmental management of the facility. The EPA must be satisfied that the activity will not cause environmental pollution when carried out in accordance with the licence conditions.
Waste activities play an important role in the economic well-being of Ireland contributing to sustainable growth but can also have a significant impact on the environment.
Waste activities produce emissions of various substances into the air, water and land. They also use resources such as energy and water. The EPA are responsible for issuing licences to prevent and control pollution from certain activities.
The EPA licences certain activities in the waste sector. These include:
The EPA issues licences that contain strict conditions on how an activity must operate so as to protect the environment from pollution that might otherwise arise.
Waste disposal and recovery activities in Ireland require authorisation in accordance with the Waste Management Act 1996 as amended.
A waste recovery or disposal activity at a facility is either:
Depending on the authorisation required these activities are controlled either by the EPA or by Local Authorities. Local Authority waste authorisations are regulated by the EPA.
The EPA grants and enforces waste licences for specified waste activities listed in the 3rd and 4th Schedule to the Waste Management Act 1996 as amended including:
Such licences are granted for waste activities carried on by both local authorities and private operators.
If you are planning to start a new activity which requires a waste licence you must have a licence first. It is an offence to carry on a licensable activity without a licence from the EPA.
The EPA also issues Certificates of Registration to local authorities for smaller scale waste activities listed in the Third Schedule Part II of the Waste Management (Facility Permit Registration) Regulations, S.I 821 of 2007 as amended.
Local Authorities grant and enforce Waste Permits and Certificates of Registration issued to Private Operators for waste activities listed in the Third Schedule to the Waste Management (Facility Permit & Registration) Regulations S.I. No. 821 of 2007 as amended.
If you are carrying on IPC and Waste activities, you can ask the EPA to make a declaration as to whether an IPC or Waste licence is required. Such a declaration may also be made by the EPA of its own volition. For more information, see Section 39A of the Waste Management Act 1996 as amended.
