Consultation: New Environmental Permitting of Industrial Activities

Industrial installations, while being useful to society, can result in various environmental impacts, ranging from emissions to air or the marine environment to contamination resulting from accidents. For this reason, industry is regulated by the Environmental Protection Act and subsidiary legislation, including the following:

• IPPC Regulations: Regulating high-risk installations, such as power stations, certain waste management activities, large farms, etc.
• Waste Management Regulations: Defining waste management permits and registration systems (includingwaste carriersandwaste brokers).
• Additional permitting regulations on specific issues and/or sectors, e.g.VOC solvents,marine discharges, petrol stations & fuel terminals, various chemicals, etc.

Facilities covered by the above regulations, or whose development permit includes this as a condition, need to apply for an environmental permit. Companies may also apply for an environmental permit on a voluntary basis.

Environmental permitting application forms are available here, and need to be submitted to MEPA as one digital and one printed copy. IPPC application forms are available here, while registration forms are available here. Assistance may also be obtained by contacting the Environmental Permitting and Industry Unit at MEPA. 

The Consultation

MEPA is currently carrying out public consultation on a system of environmental permitting to improve the regulatory framework applicable to industrial activities of environmental significance. This system would result in improved protection of the environment, while offering several advantages to industry, such as legal certainty, clearer definition of environmental liability and the opportunity to identify priority environmental issues to enable appropriate risk management.

Further details regarding this proposal including the consultation brief, proposed draft framework for Environmental Permitting of Industrial Activities legislation and the Draft Environmental Permitting and Registration (Fees) Regulations are available at:

http://www.mepa.org.mt/environmentalpermitting

Further information may be obtained by calling the Environmental Permitting & Industry Unit on 22907230. MEPA will also be organising a number of consultation meetings in the coming weeks to facilitate discussion regarding this proposal.

Comments will be received by email on  or by filling in this contact form by 31 January 2012. Comments will be taken into consideration in the drafting and finalisation of the legislation.