Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) minister Ian Pearson is to address a water industry gathering in November, to discuss proposals to simplify the permitting of waste sites. The key note speech at the "Better Regulation in Practice" conference at Skinner Hall in London, will discuss the implications of the new Environmental Permitting Programme which is expected to become law by April 2008 and aims to bring together pollution prevention and control permits and waste management licences for sites dealing with waste materials.
The proposed measures, which were outlined in the March Monthly Bulletin, could save industry and the taxpayer around £90 million over the next ten years. Under the new system, waste managers should face fewer and more simple rules, with the regulation and monitoring of sites based on the greatest risk to the environment. The introduction of Standard Rules Permits within the programme is designed to reduce regulatory burdens without compromising environmental protection. Multi-purpose sites are currently required to have more than one PPC permit or waste management licence, however under the new regime they will only need one. It should also see environmental regulators providing clearer guidance to site operators.
