Regulator profile

Environment Agency

Enforcement Regulator England

What Environment Agency does

Environmental protection in England. Regulates waste, emissions, water quality, flood risk, and environmental permits for industrial activities. Enforces environmental law and issues permits for regulated activities.

Scotland: SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) Wales: NRW (Natural Resources Wales) Northern Ireland: NIEA

EmissionsEnvironmentalPermitsWasteWater

Contact Environment Agency

Official guidance from Environment Agency

Curated guidance documents to help you understand your obligations.

Environment Agency (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Discharges to surface water and groundwater environmental permits (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Check if you need an environmental permit (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Check your long-term flood risk (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Fluorinated gases (F-gases) guidance (GOV.UK) (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Land Contamination Risk Management (LCRM) (opens in a new tab)

Publication

Report environmental problem (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

Trade effluent consent in England and Wales (GOV.UK) (opens in a new tab)

Detailed Guidance

View all 190 guidance documents (opens in a new tab)

Legislation that Environment Agency directly enforces.

Primary legislation

Coast Protection Act 1949 Forestry Act 1967, Section 9 Control of Pollution Act 1974 Reservoirs Act 1975 Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 Environmental Protection Act 1990 LDA 1991 Water Industry Act 1991 Water Resources Act 1991 Noise Act 1996 Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 Water Act 2003 Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 Climate Change Act 2008 Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 Flood and Water Management Act 2010 Water Act 2014 Fisheries Act 2020 Environment Act 2021 (enhancement)

Secondary legislation

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

… and 309 more statutory instruments.

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

Establishing / enabling

Environment Act 1995 UK Act of Parliament

Administered / monitored

Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (as retained) Retained EU Law Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (as retained) (opens in a new tab) eu_directive The Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 UK Statutory Instrument

Referenced in enforcement

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) UK Act of Parliament The Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988 UK Statutory Instrument The Upper Spey and Associated Waters Protection (Renewal) Order 1988 UK Statutory Instrument The Harbour Works (Assessment of Environmental Effects) (No.2) Regulations 1989 UK Statutory Instrument The Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) (Amendment) Regulations 1990 UK Statutory Instrument The Upper Spey and Associated Waters Protection (Renewal) Order 1991 UK Statutory Instrument The Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) (Amendment) Regulations 1992 UK Statutory Instrument The Upper Spey and Associated Waters Protection (Renewal) Order 1993 UK Statutory Instrument Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 UK Statutory Instrument The Environmentally Sensitive Areas (Upper Thames Tributaries) Designation Order 1994 UK Statutory Instrument The Highways (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1994 UK Statutory Instrument The Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) (Amendment) Regulations 1994 UK Statutory Instrument The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Assessment and Permitted Development) Regulations 1995 UK Statutory Instrument The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Assessment and Unauthorised Development) Regulations 1995 UK Statutory Instrument The Environment Act (Commencement No. 6 and Repeal Provisions) Order 1996 UK Statutory Instrument

… and 33 more.

Other publications

120 additional documents from Environment Agency.

Classify excavated waste from street and utility works: RPS 298 (opens in a new tab)

Published 4 June 2024

Storing and managing excavated waste from street works: RPS 299 (opens in a new tab)

Published 4 June 2024

Flood risk assessment: flood zones 1, 2, 3 and 3b (opens in a new tab)

Published 24 May 2024

Reservoir inspecting engineers: safety inspection of reservoirs (opens in a new tab)

Published 23 February 2024

Send environmental permit application information in stages (opens in a new tab)

Published 21 February 2024

View all 120 documents (opens in a new tab)

Sectors regulated

ConstructionManufacturing

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