Introduction to Fire Safety Management

15.6.1 Defi nitions
The EPA defi nes the following:
➤
The environment – consists of all, or any, of the fol-
lowing media, namely, the air, water and land; and 
the medium of air includes the air within buildings 
and the air within other natural or man-made struc-
tures above or below ground.
➤
Pollution of the environment – means pollution of the 
environment due to the release (into any environmen-
tal medium) from any process of substances which 
are capable of causing harm to man or any other liv-
ing organisms supported by the environment.
➤
Harm – means harm to the health of living organisms 
or other interference with the ecological systems 
of which they form part and, in the case of man, 
includes an offence caused to any of his senses or 
harm to his property; and ‘harmless’ has a corre-
sponding meaning.
➤
Controlled waste – means household, industrial and 
commercial waste or any such waste.
➤
Special waste – means controlled waste that is so 
hazardous that it can only be disposed of using spe-
cial procedures.
15.6.2 Part 1: Integrated pollution control (IPC)
Processes and substances covered by the EPA are listed 
in the Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes 
and Substances) Regulations 1991, as amended. 
Those classifi ed as Part A processes are regulated by 
the Environment Agency under a system of integrated 

---

Summary of key legal requirements
351
pollution control (IPC), and those listed as Part B are 
regulated by the relevant local authority (LA).
This system is slowly being replaced by one of 
integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC). IPPC 
regulation will cover installations currently regulated 
under the existing IPC and LA systems but will extend 
integrated control to many more industrial companies 
and will regulate the installation rather than the process.
Operators of the most potentially environmentally 
polluting processes (Part A processes) have to apply 
for authorisation from the Environment Agency prior to 
operating the process and under the system of integrated 
pollution control (IPC) they must consider the total 
environmental impact of all releases to air, water and land 
in their application. The operator must advertise their 
application and the details are held in a public register 
which is available for the public to inspect. Exclusions 
from this public register may only be granted on grounds 
of commercial confi dentiality or national security.
In granting a licence to operate Part A processes, 
the Environment Agency must include conditions to 
ensure that:
➤
The ‘best available techniques not entailing exces-
sive costs’ (BATNEEC) are used
➤
If a process involves release into more than one 
medium (e.g. air and water), the operator uses the 
‘best practicable environmental option’ (BPEO) to 
achieve the best overall environmental solution
➤
The operator complies with any directions given by 
the Secretary of State for the Environment or other 
applicable requirements or standards.