Environment Agency

What Environment Agency does

Contact Environment Agency

Types of regulation

Official guidance from Environment Agency

Curated guidance documents to help you understand your obligations.

• SR2019 No 2: steps, ramps and other similar structures excavated into the existing bank profile of a main river
  Publication England
• Using unbound incinerator bottom ash aggregate (IBAA) in construction activities: RPS 247
  Publication England
• New nuclear power plants: Generic design assessment guidance for requesting parties
  Publication Great Britain
• Treating and using water that contains concrete and silt at construction sites: RPS 235
  Publication England
• Recovery of wastewater containing soils from pipe-laying excavations: Low risk waste position 46
  Publication England

Legal framework

Legislation that Environment Agency directly enforces.

Primary legislation

• Forestry Act 1967, Section 9 Act 1967
• Control of Pollution Act 1974 Act 1974
• Reservoirs Act 1975 Act 1975
• Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 Act 1975
• Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 Act 1989
• Environmental Protection Act 1990 Act 1990
• LDA 1991 Act 1991
• Water Industry Act 1991 Act 1991
• Water Resources Act 1991 Act 1991
• Noise Act 1996 Act 1996
• Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 Act 1999
• Water Act 2003 Act 2003
• Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 Act 2005
• Climate Change Act 2008 Act 2008
• Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 Act 2009
• Flood and Water Management Act 2010 Act 2010
• Water Act 2014 Act 2014
• Fisheries Act 2020 Act 2020
• Environment Act 2021 (enhancement) Act 2021

Secondary legislation

• Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991 UK Statutory Instrument 1991
• The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999 UK Statutory Instrument 1999
• The Environmental Impact Assessment (Land Drainage Improvement Works) Regulations 1999 UK Statutory Instrument 1999
• The Environment Act 1995 (Commencement No. 16 and Saving Provision) (England) Order 2000 UK Statutory Instrument 2000
• The Environment Act 1995 (Commencement No. 17 and Savings Provision) (Scotland) Order 2000 UK Statutory Instrument 2000
• The Environment Act 1995 (Commencement No. 18) (England and Wales) Order 2000 UK Statutory Instrument 2000
• The Environment Act 1995 (Commencement No. 18) (Scotland) Order 2000 UK Statutory Instrument 2000
• The Environment Act 1995 (Commencement No. 19) (Scotland) Order 2000 UK Statutory Instrument 2000
• The Environmental Protection (Disposal of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and other Dangerous Substances) (England and Wales) Regulations 2000 UK Statutory Instrument 2000
• The Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 (Commencement No. 1) (England and Wales) Order 2000 UK Statutory Instrument 2000
• ... and 312 more statutory instruments

Related legislation

Legislation connected to Environment Agency's remit but not directly enforced — establishing Acts, amendments, referenced legislation, and context.

Other publications

120 additional documents from Environment Agency.

• Classify excavated waste from street and utility works: RPS 298
  Published 4 June 2024
• Storing and managing excavated waste from street works: RPS 299
  Published 4 June 2024
• Flood risk assessment: flood zones 1, 2, 3 and 3b
  Published 24 May 2024
• Reservoir inspecting engineers: safety inspection of reservoirs
  Published 23 February 2024
• Send environmental permit application information in stages
  Published 21 February 2024

View all 120 documents →

Sectors regulated