Air quality in Waltham Forest

Certain industrial installations or activities can cause emissions to the environment that can be harmful if not properly controlled. Businesses undertaking these processes are required to have an environmental permit and it is an offence to operate a prescribed process without a permit. Installations and activities are regulated by the Environment Agency or local councils, depending on the type of process.

The regulatory powers come from 3 pieces of legislation:

• Part 1 of the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990
• Pollution Prevention and Control Act (PPC) 1999
• Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR) 2016

If you think you might need a permit to operate, please complete the pre-application form (PDF) and either return it by email or post. Contact details are on the form.

Tacit consent does not apply to environmental permitting applications as it is in the public interest that the Council properly considers your application before it can be granted.

There is an application fee and once the permit is issued the operator must comply with the permit conditions and pay an annual subsistence charge.

We are required to maintain a register of current environmental permits. This is available by request to environmentalhealth@walthamforest.gov.uk

View a summary of active environmental permits issued (PDF) by the Council.

Businesses can find out more about environmental permits on the GOV.UK website.