Public participation in Part A activities
How you can get involved in the PPC permitting
process
Operators who wish to operate an installation prescribed within
Schedule 1 of the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland)
Regulations 2000 must apply to SEPA for a permit.
The PPC regime is designed to encourage public involvement in
the regulatory process for Part A activities. The regulations
make specific provision for the public to input to the permitting
process, and these pages describe the way in which you can become
involved in SEPA’s PPC permitting activities.
Types of application and level of public involvement
Within the PPC regime the type of application determines the
level of public involvement. The table below details the different
types of application and the ways in which you can input to the
decision making process.
| Type
of application |
Stages at which input can be made |
| New Installation Application - These
are applications for proposals to begin operation of a site covered
by the PPC regime. |
Upon receipt of an application SEPA will inform the applicant of
the need to advertise the application in a local newspaper to the
installation and in the Edinburgh Gazette. Members of the
public are then invited to examine the application held in the
local Public Register and make comments within 28 days of the date
of advertisement.
Upon determination of the application SEPA will consult on the
draft permit, including the draft decision document. SEPA
will provide this material on its website and invite comments on
these documents over a 28 day period.
|
| Existing Installation Application -
These are applications from operators who have been in operation
for a number of years and are transferring into the PPC regime
during the relevant application window. |
Upon receipt of an application SEPA will inform the applicant of
the need to advertise the application in a local newspaper to the
installation and in the Edinburgh Gazette. Members of the
public are then invited to examine the application held in the
local Public Register and make comments within 28 days of the date
of advertisement.
SEPA will not consult on the draft permit and decision document.
The permit will be published on the local public register following
determination in line with the provisions of Schedule 8 of the
Regulations.
|
Substantially Changed Installations -
These are applications from operators of existing PPC permitted
installations who propose to make a “substantial change” to their
activity.
|
Upon receipt of an application SEPA will inform the applicant of
the need to advertise the application in a local newspaper to the
installation and in the Edinburgh Gazette. Members of the
public are then invited to examine the application held in the
local Public Register and make comments within 28 days of the date
of advertisement.
Upon determination of the application SEPA will consult on the
draft revised conditions / permit, including the draft decision
document. SEPA will provide this material on its website and
invite comments on these documents over a 28 day period.
|
|
Changes to Emission Limits -SEPA is required to
review permits from time to time. Where SEPA reviews a permit
and decides that the pollution caused by the installation is of
such significance that the existing emission limit values of the
permit need to be revised or new such values need to be included in
the permit then such changes require public consultation.
|
Upon determining
the changes to the permit required to enforce new emission limit
values SEPA will consult on the draft revised conditions / permit,
including a draft decision document. SEPA will provide this
material on its website and invite comment on these documents over
a 28 day period.
SEPA will not consult on changes to emission limits required to
be made on an emergency basis, or where emission limits are lowered
as a result in advances in management within the installation
concerned.
|