Guidance by environmental topic

Read guidance on how to comply with regulations and follow good practice on key environmental issues.

Permits and licences

Find out if you need a permit or licence for your business activities with waste, water or hazardous substances

Environmental permits (England and Wales)
Pollution prevention and control permits (Scotland and Northern Ireland)
Waste management licences (Scotland and Northern Ireland)

Air pollution

Managing your emissions to air

Air pollution from furnaces, boilers and bonfires
Vehicle use and emissions

Land and water pollution

Managing your impacts on land and water

Contaminated land
Oil storage
Sustainable drainage systems (SUDS)
Trade effluent - discharges to sewers
Water pollution

Waste types

What to do with the kinds of waste you produce

Animal by-products and food waste
Batteries
End-of-life vehicles
Hazardous / special waste
Packaging
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

Waste disposal and treatment

Managing your waste

Carriers, brokers and dealers of waste
Duty of care - your waste responsibilities
Waste import and export
Incinerating waste
Landfill
Reduce, reuse and recycle your business waste

Hazardous substances

Managing how you keep and use hazardous substances

Asbestos
Chemical storage
Control of major accident hazards (COMAH)
Ozone-depleting substances and fluorinated gases
Pesticides and biocides
Solvent emissions
Radioactive substances and wastes
REACH Regulation - manufacturing, importing, selling and using chemicals
Restriction of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS)

Carbon reduction

Reducing your energy use and your carbon footprint

Biofuel for transport
Climate change
Energy efficiency
Energy labelling and energy efficient design
Renewable energy

Nuisances

Preventing noise and other nuisance from your business

Noise, odour and other nuisances

Resource efficiency

Using resources wisely

Assess the life cycle of your products or services
Buying sustainable goods and services
Environmental management systems (EMS) and environmental reports
Water use and efficiency

Wildlife and the environment

Preserving and protecting your natural environment

Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed and other invasive weeds
Nature conservation