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Industrial Pollution Control

Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC)

This control scheme is operated by the Environment Agency. It applies to industrial processes (termed A1 Installations) that have the most potential for pollution to the three media of air, water and land. Implementing controls introduced by the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999, companies covered require a permit to operate issued by the Agency. The permit details matters such as limits on the amount of pollutants emitted and issues surrounding the operation of the process and it’s management.

Two processes in the borough are currently subject to control:-

1) Great Yarmouth Power Station, South Denes Road, Great Yarmouth
This is a gas fired power station.

2) Omni-pac, South Beach Parade, Great Yarmouth
This is a waste paper pulping plant currently closed.

There are a further two processes that are subject to control and have applied for permits but these have not yet been issued. These are:-

3) Biffa Waste Services Ltd, Bessemer Way, Harfreys Industrial Estate, Great Yarmouth.
This is a hazardous waste handling centre

4) ASCO UK Ltd, South Denes Road, Great Yarmouth
This is a hazardous waste handling centre.

The Environment Agency can be contacted as follows:-

Customers services Line - 08708 506 506
Incident hotline - 0800 80 70 60
Web site: www.environment-agency.gov.uk

Public Register
Details of all the above installations are held on a public register, a copy of which is in the keeping of the Borough Council. The register may be viewed during office hours. It is highly recommended to make an appointment to view. The register is held at the Offices of the Environment and Health Department, Maltings House, Malthouse Lane, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth.

If you would like to view the Register please contact the Environment and Health Department.

Local Authority Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (LA-IPPC)
Installations subject to this scheme (termed A2 Installations) are regulated by the Council in a similar way to those regulated by the Environment Agency. Emissions to air, land and water are controlled by a Permit as with A1 Installations. The only installation currently subject to this scheme is British Metal Treatments, Battery Road, Great Yarmouth who operate a hot dip galvanising process.

Details are on the public register as described previously.

An application form to apply for a permit can be obtained by contacting the Environment and Health Department.

Local Authority Air Pollution Control (LAPPC)
Installations subject to LAPPC are regulated by the Council for the release of pollutants to air only. These are termed Part B Installations and come under the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 and its permitting scheme as described above. The installations currently subject to this regime can be found in the PDF Icon List of Permitted Processes (41kb).

Details of each of the permitted installations can be found on the Public Register as previously described.

An application form to apply for a permit can be obtained by contacting the Environment and Health Department. Alternatively you can complete our online form below:



Form - Contact

Other Industrial Pollution Controls

The Environment Agency
The Environment Agency is responsible for the general enforcement of controls concerning water pollution and would be the regulatory body responsible for incidents of this type arising from industrial or commercial concerns. The Agency is also the proper authority for the implementation of controls relating to the management of solid waste from these enterprises. Contact details as above.

The Borough Council
The Borough Council will investigate incidents of ‘nuisance’ from industrial and commercial premises where these are not subject to the Pollution Prevention and Control regimes. This may include problems with noise, smoke, odour, dust and waste steam using the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The Clean Air Act 1993
Enforced by the Council, this Act prohibits the emission of ‘dark’ smoke from the chimneys of industrial and commercial premises. It does not apply to domestic chimneys. The Act also prohibits the emission of dark smoke from industrial and trade premises generally, from for example, bonfires. This does not apply to domestic premises but it does apply to agricultural lands (please note that straw and stubble burning on agricultural land is prohibited except in a very few circumstances).

Under this legislation there is a general prohibition on the recovery of scrap metal from electrical cable by burning.

The Act also allows controls on grit and dust from commercial and industrial furnaces not controlled by the permitting regimes described above. It also sets requirements for the height of chimneys serving certain non domestic, non permitted, furnaces as an aid to disperse pollutants.

View and print the PDF Icon Chimney Height Application Form (60kb)

For general enquiries (including an application form to enable you to apply for a chimney height determination if you are unable to use the one above) contact the Environment and Health Department.


Please note that you may require planning permission to erect chimneys or flues above a certain height. Please contact the  Planning and Development Department with regard to this.