Environmental legislation and regulatory requirements are in a constant state of evolution - new laws are introduced, and existing ones are amended or removed. This Register gives a ‘snapshot’ of the regulatory situation at the time of its publication.
It is up to date as of July 2006. A major change in the legislation on Integrated Pollution Control came into force in 2000, when the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations were published. There will be a transitional period until 2007, as processes move according to a timetable from the current system to the new one. Until 2007, this Register will contain summaries of both regimes.
This guide focuses on legislation that is directly applicable in England and Wales and which is relevant to the environmental aspects of processes and operational activities of manufacturing businesses.
It does not cover regulations related to specific products and does not refer to specific legislation that deals with nuclear installations or genetically modified material. A section on radioactive materials and radioactive waste is, however, included. Also, this Register of Environmental Legislation does not consider local bylaws.
The main section of the guide lists and summarises the main pieces of legislation directly applicable in England and Wales. It is subdivided into categories of environmental legislation - for example, those related to environmental aspects and impacts such as atmospheric pollution, water pollution, waste and contaminated land; or those associated with specific control regimes such as integrated pollution control and statutory nuisance. Other categories include planning and conservation, major incidents, and hazardous substances.
The Appendices include directories of official guidance and sources of further information.