Regulatory Position Statements

Tuesday 30th January 2018 in Uncategorised

by Peter Danks

The Environment Agency publishes documents known as regulatory position statements (“RPS”) in England describing processes that would normally require an environmental permit. These activities tend to produce little environment risk if proper care is taken, and the Environment Agency has reduced the regulatory burden associated with a range of activities where this is the case.

If you undertake these activities and are compliant with the RPS, no regulatory action will be taken. Proper use of RPSs reduces costs, uncertainty and regulation.

The following RPSs, which may be of use in on-farm situations were updated or renewed by the Environment Agency late in 2017:

Burning waste on campfires and bonfires: RPS 50
Disposing of trees and plants infected with disease: RPS 71
Use of clay in slurry lagoons or irrigation reservoirs: RPS 91
Dewatering building sites and other excavations: environmental permits
Low risk waste: activities where no permit is required

The waste permitting regime is a complex, but necessary, piece of regulation. Compliance is important in order to avoid being penalised under cross compliance.
Contact Harry Day at Reading for help with navigating the regime.