Does your mineral products business require a PPC permit?

Your business may require a pollution prevention and control (PPC) permit from your environmental regulator or local council. For example, you will need a permit if your business has a production capacity above a certain level or if you use certain hazardous substances.

If your business is an installation or mobile plant you will need a pollution prevention and control (PPC) permit from your environmental regulator.

An installation is a stationary technical unit, such as a self-contained building, permanent structure or fixed plant, used for listed activities.

A mobile plant is plant that can be moved and is used for listed activities.

Listed activities

These are industrial, waste or intensive farming activities that have an impact on the environment and are listed in the PPC regulations. They are split into categories:

  • Part A, B and C in Northern Ireland

Listed activities that might be carried out by mineral product businesses include:

Permit Categories
Listed activity Northern Ireland

Manufacturing ceramic products by firing in kilns, where the kiln production capacity exceeds 75 tonnes per day, or the kiln capacity exceeds 4m³ and the setting density exceeds 300 kg/m³

Part A

Manufacturing glass in a plant with a melting capacity of more than 20 tonnes per day

Part A

Manufacturing glass (fibre).

Part A

Manufacturing glass frit or enamel frit where the total quantity of these substances manufactured in any 12 month period is likely to be 100 tonnes or more. In Northern Ireland this includes the use of glass frit or enamel frit in any activity related to its manufacture.

Part A

Producing or grinding cement clinker

Part A

Producing lime in kilns, or other furnaces, with a production capacity exceeding 50 tonnes per day

Part A

Producing lime where your process is likely to involve the heating in any 12 month period of 5,000 tonnes or more of: calcium carbonate, calcium magnesium carbonate or an aggregate of both

Part A

Manufacturing heavy clay goods or refractory material by firing in kilns, where the kiln production capacity is less than 75 tonnes per day, or you carry out vapour glazing of earthenware or clay with salts.

Part B

Firing heavy clay goods or refractory materials in a kiln (not Part A or Part B in Northern Ireland)

Part C

Blending or using cement in bulk other than at a construction site

Part B

Crushing, grinding or other ways of reducing the size reduction of bricks, tiles or concrete, using machinery designed for this purpose

Part C

Burning any fuel in a boiler or furnace with a net rated thermal input of between 20 MW or more but less than 50 MW or a combination of appliances which when added together, have a net rated thermal input exceeding 20 megawatts but less than a rated thermal input of 50 megawatts.

Part C

This guidance does not provide a complete list of PPC activities. If you are unsure whether you are affected by PPC, contact your environmental regulator or in Northern Ireland your local council.

What you must do

If your installation or mobile plant carries out listed activities you will need a permit from your environmental regulator.

Permits and regulators for listed activities

Activity category Northern Ireland

Part A

PPC permit regulated by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA)

Part B

PPC permit regulated the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA)

Part C

PPC permit regulated by local council

Contact your environmental regulator

You should contact your environmental regulator or local council for further information about listed activities. NetRegs does not provide detailed guidance on Part A activities.

If you are unsure whether you are affected by PPC, contact your environmental regulator or local council.

How to apply for a permit

 

Return to the menu of the PPC Permits by sector in Northern Ireland environmental topic