Environment Agency - Home

Metals production and processing

Find out what you must do to comply with regulations relating to the production and processing of metals.

The metals sector currently uses large amounts of energy, produces a high volume of waste and releases large amounts of pollutants into water and air.

About a quarter of all steel produced comes from recycled scrap, so it recycles a lot of waste. But the steel industry still needs to see resource efficiency as a major environmental consideration.

Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR)

The Environmental Permitting Regulations, which were introduced on 6 April 2008, combine Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) and Waste Management Licensing (WML) regulations:

If you already had a PPC permit or a Waste Management Licence, it automatically became an Environmental Permit from 6 April 2008.

Find out if you need an environmental permit for your facility and how to apply:

Further information