Environmental Compliance: Enhanced benefits

Environmental regulatory compliance is an opportunity to optimise the management of resources to add value or create cost savings.

Ireland has a well-developed system of environmental legislation, much of which implements European Union (EU) directives.

Our clients work with ECOS because we:

  • Know the legislation and how it applies to their business.
  • Identify the most efficient and effective technologies to be employed such that our clients can be legally compliant in a cost effective manner.
  • Assist our clients to develop a cost effective and legally compliant environmental management strategies and implementation programmes.

Environmental legislation is principally administered and enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Regional/local authorities throughout Ireland and Irish Water

  • Activities specified in the Environmental Protection Agency Act require a licence from the EPA
  • Waste disposal and recovery activities in Ireland are subject one of the four tier system of authorisations in accordance with the Waste Management Act 1996, Waste Management (Facility Permit and Registration) Regulations and the EPA Act.
  • A Waste Collection Permit is required where a person wishes to collect waste for the purposes of reward or profit.  In accordance with Section 24 (1) of the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007 & 2008.
  • If your business uses solvents, either the Solvent Regulations 2012 or EPA Act may apply.
  • All discharges of trade effluent must be authorised.  In Ireland, in cases where activities are not provided for under the EPA Act, water pollution control legislation is exercised through the Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts and Water Services Act.

The key pieces of environmental legislation are:

  • Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 (as amended).
  • Protection of the Environment Act 2003 (as amended).
  • Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts 1977 to 1990.
  • Water Services Acts 2007 to 2017.
  • Waste Management Act 1996 (as amended).
  • Waste Management (Facility Permit and Registration) Regulations 2007 (as amended).
  • Waste Management (Collection) Regulations 2007 (as amended).
  • Waste Management (Shipment of Waste) Regulations 2007 (as amended).
  • European Communities (Waste Directive) Regulations 2011.
  • European Union (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations 2014.
  • European Union (Batteries and Accumulators) Regulations 2014.
  • Air Pollution Act 1987 (as amended).
  • European Communities (Environmental Liability) Regulations (2008 to 2011) (Environmental Liability Regulations).
  • Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations 2007 (as amended).
  • European Union (Energy Efficiency) Regulations 2014 to 2019.
  • Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 (as amended).
  • European Union (Water Policy) (Abstractions Registration) Regulations 2018.

For more information on how to address your requirements in a cost effective manner please contact ECOS.