Environmental Protection Agency

Competent Authority

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for protecting the Irish environment by regulating activities that have significant polluting potential. Their responsibilities include:

Licensed activities are required to conform to best practice and all licences and permits are routinely monitored to ensure ongoing compliance with requirements.

 

Environmental Enforcement

The EPA's Office of Environmental Enforcement is dedicated to the implementation and enforcement of environmental legislation in Ireland. Our aim is to improve compliance with environmental legislation in Ireland and ensure that those who flout the law and cause environmental pollution are held to account. 

 

Environmental Research

The EPA has a statutory role in coordinating environmental research. EPA Research has a strong focus on policy and has been driven by national regulations and European Directives. Policy-related research plays a vital role in ensuring that European Union (EU) and national policies are implemented in the most cost-effective manner. 

 

IPPC Licensing

The Environmental Protection Agency is the competent authority for granting and enforcing Integrated Pollution Prevention Control (IPPC) licences for specified industrial and agriculture activities

Who needs an IPC licence?

How do I obtain an IPC licence?

 

Waste Licensing

In 1996 the Environmental Protection Agency began licensing certain activities in the waste sector. These include landfills, transfer stations, hazardous waste disposal and other significant waste disposal and recovery activities.

How do I obtain a waste licence?

 

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

The EPA is the Competent Authority in Ireland for the implementation of the GMO Regulations on the contained use, the deliberate release and the transboundary movement of GMOs into the environment.

 

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) permits

The Environmental Protection Agency oversees regulations to control volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions resulting from petrol storage and distribution terminals. They issue VOC permits under the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992 (Control of volatile organic compound emissions resulting from the storage of petrol and its distribution) Regulations, 1997 S.I. No. 374 of 1997. Petrol storage installations involved in the loading of petrol into, or unloading of petrol from, mobile containers are required to apply for a permit.

How to apply for a VOC permit?

 

Waste Water Discharge Licensing

A system for the licensing or certification of waste water discharges (WWD) from areas served by local authority sewer networks imposes restrictions or prohibitions on the discharge of dangerous substances - thus preventing or reducing the pollution of waters by waste water discharges. All discharges to the aquatic environment from sewerage systems owned, managed and operated by water service authorities will require a waste water discharge licence or certificate of authorisation from the EPA. The aim is to achieve good surface water and ground water status in addition to complying with standards and objectives established for associated protected areas.

 

Emissions Trading

The EU emissions trading system (EU ETS) is a cornerstone of the European Union's policy to combat climate change and its key tool for reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions cost-effectively. The first - and still by far the biggest - international system for trading greenhouse gas emission allowances, the EU ETS covers more than 11,000 power stations and industrial plants in 31 countries, as well as airlines.

 

The above is for general information purposes only. All further queries regarding this information should be directed to the competent authorities listed.


 

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