- Enforced by
- Environment Agency, Ofwat, DWI, OEP, NatureScot, DEFRA, Forestry Commission, Natural England
- Status
- In Force
- Penalty ceiling
- Imprisonment 2 of 58 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 2 carry different penalties and 54 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Does it bind you?
Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.
Plus 52 duties on the regulator, Crown ministers and public bodies — folded into the section list below.
Other Acts binding the same actors
If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.
Any Person — also bound by 2684 other Acts
Occupier — also bound by 246 other Acts
Statutory Undertaker — also bound by 195 other Acts
What it requires
Sections creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.
Environmental governance
17 of 48 sections shownOther duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must ensure environmental and air quality targets are metCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must report on environmental targetsCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must review and report on environmental targetsCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must prepare annual environmental improvement plan reportsCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must review and update environmental improvement plansCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must renew environmental improvement plansCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must review and update environmental improvement plansCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must report on international environmental protection legislation every 2 yearsCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP must publish an enforcement policy and strategy for environmental lawStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP must publish, review, and consult on its environmental strategyStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- DAERA must issue and publish guidance for OEP Northern Ireland enforcementCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP and Climate Change Committee must coordinate via a memorandumStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP must monitor and report on environmental progress annuallyStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP must monitor and report on the implementation of environmental lawStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP must advise Ministers on changes to environmental lawStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP must keep complainants updated on environmental failure investigationsStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP may issue information notices to public authoritiesStatutory regulator
31 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Environmental governance: Northern Ireland
0 of 2 sections shown2 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Waste and resource efficiency
0 of 22 sections shown22 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Air quality and environmental recall
1 of 6 sections shownOther duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State may issue compulsory product recall noticesCrown / Minister / Government department
5 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Water
3 of 20 sections shown- Publish annual reports on storm overflow dischargesStatutory Undertaker
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must report on eliminating storm overflow dischargesCrown / Minister / Government department
- Unlawful disclosure of tax or drainage rate informationAny Person
17 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Nature and biodiversity
17 of 19 sections shown2 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
Conservation covenants
23 of 23 sections shownMiscellaneous and general provisions
10 of 10 sections shownSchedules
37 of 304 shown- Emit smoke from a chimney in a smoke control areaOccupier
Fine up to £300
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP must prepare a delegation policyStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP must prepare and publish annual report on its functionsStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP must keep proper accounts and prepare annual financial statementsStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State and NI Department must protect OEP independenceCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Government bodies must appoint OEP non-executive members with appropriate environmental expertiseCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP must comply with the public sector equality dutyStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Department must prepare and publish environmental improvement plans and report on progressCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Department must prepare and publish an environmental improvement planCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Department must prepare and publish annual reports on environmental improvement plan implementationCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Department must prepare and publish new environmental improvement plan before old plan expiresCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Department must arrange environmental monitoring and publish monitoring dataCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- DEFRA must publish a policy statement explaining environmental principlesCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Department must prepare and consult on environmental principles policyCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Department must respond to OEP progress reports within 12 monthsCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP must share enforcement notices and related correspondence with the relevant government departmentStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP must monitor and report on Northern Ireland environmental lawStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP must provide copies of linked Northern Ireland notices and correspondenceStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP must publish a complaints procedure for environmental law failures by public authoritiesStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP must investigate serious environmental law breaches by public authoritiesStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- OEP must keep complainants informed about complaint handlingStatutory regulator
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Respond to OEP information notices about serious environmental law failuresCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- National authority must consult before making Part 2 regulationsCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Relevant national authority must consult before making Schedule 4 regulationsCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- National authority must consult interests affected by regulationsCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Relevant national authority must consult before making regulationsCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Consult before making Part 2 regulationsCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Relevant national authority must consult before making product environmental regulationsCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- National authority must consult before making Part 2 regulationsCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Government must consult and assess before making product resource efficiency regulationsCrown / Minister / Government department
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Mayor of London must provide air quality measures and carry them out by specified datesLocal authority
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must report annually on air quality progressCrown / Minister / Government department
- Assist local authority with air quality planning and implement action plan measuresAny Person
- Buy or sell unauthorised solid fuel in a smoke control areaAny Person
Unlimited fine
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authority must reimburse 70% of vessel adaptation costs for smoke control ordersLocal authority
- Fell trees without a licenceAny Person
Unlimited fine
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must consult before making Part 2 regulationsCrown / Minister / Government department
267 other schedules
Help complying
Guvnor’s practical routes through this instrument.
Starting a waste business
Complete compliance guide for waste transfer stations, treatment facilities, skip hire, and recycling centres. Covers environmental permits, waste carrier registration, and ongoing …
Packaging producer compliance journey
Understand the overlapping environmental obligations for businesses that handle packaging. Covers Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT), and Simpler Recycling …
Meet environmental compliance requirements
Navigate your environmental obligations including waste duty of care, pollution prevention, packaging responsibilities, and energy reporting
Waste compliance quick check
Quick checklist for business owners to verify they meet basic waste duty of care obligations under EPA 1990 Section 34.
Environmental compliance for new businesses
A complete introduction to environmental obligations for new business owners. Learn whether you need an environmental permit, how to handle waste legally, …
Planning compliance quick check
Quick check: Do you need planning permission for your development? Answer a few questions to find out whether you need to apply, …
BNG for small sites (under 10 units)
Most small residential developments in England must deliver at least a 10% gain in biodiversity, using the simpler Small Sites Metric. Householder …
Comply with biodiversity net gain for development in England
Most planning applications in England must deliver at least a 10% gain in biodiversity, maintained for at least 30 years. Your local …
Environmental obligations for retailers
Which environmental rules apply to your shop depends on its size, what you sell and where you trade. They can include WEEE …
Food waste management
Comply with food waste segregation and disposal duties.
Get an environmental permit for intensive livestock
If your installation has places for more than 40,000 poultry, 2,000 production pigs over 30 kg or 750 sows, you need a …
Packaging waste producer responsibilities
If your business has a turnover of more than £1 million and handles more than 25 tonnes of packaging a year, you …
Purchase biodiversity credits
If your development in England cannot deliver its 10% biodiversity net gain on site, buy off-site units from a habitat bank on …
14 more guides that reference this instrument
Connected legislation
Instruments made under this Act. They carry the detail the Act delegates.
Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.