Does your business need an authorisation?
Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, your business may need a permit, licence, exemption, or other type of authorisation to carry out certain activities. The type of authorisation you require, depends on the activity being carried out. See the information below for more information.
Scotland
In Scotland, your business may need an authorisation under the Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations 2018 (EASR) if you carry out industrial, waste and water related activities, or activities related to radioactive substances.
There are four types of EASR authorisation:
- General Binding Rules
- Notification
- Registration
- Permit
EASR authorisations in Scotland
Industrial activities
In Northern Ireland, you will need a Pollution prevention and control permit if you operate an installation or mobile plant which carries out part A, B or C activities.
In Scotland, you will need an EASR authorisation if you carry out any of the activities listed as industrial activities under EASR.
Waste activities
In Northern Ireland, you will need a Waste management licence or registered exemption, if you carry out certain waste management activities or use waste mobile plant.
In Scotland, you will need an EASR authorisation if you carry out any of the activities listed as waste activities under EASR., unless your activity is classed as a Low Risk Waste Activity (LRWA).
Hazardous waste movement
if you move hazardous waste you will need a Hazardous waste notification, see:
Waste carrier or broker
In Northern Ireland, you will need a waste carrier or broker registration if you transport waste or arrange for someone else's waste to be disposed of or recovered.
In Scotland, you will need an EASR authorisation, from April 2026, if you carry out any of the activities listed under the transporting waste activities under EASR.
Radioactive substances
In Northern Ireland, you will need a radioactive substances certificate of registration if you keep or use radioactive materials and a radioactive waste authorisation if you store or dispose of radioactive waste.
In Scotland, you will need an EASR authorisation if you carry out any of the radioactive substances activities listed under EASR.
Water discharges
In Northern Ireland, you will need a water discharge consent or groundwater authorisation if you discharge sewage or polluting material into rivers, streams, lochs, loughs, ponds, canals, reservoirs, coastal water, estuaries or groundwater.
In Scotland, you will need an EASR authorisation if you carry out any of the water discharge activities listed under EASR.
Discharge to public sewer
In Northern Ireland and Scotland, you will need a trade effluent consent or agreement if you discharge trade effluent into the public sewerage system.
Trade effluent - managing liquid wastes
Water abstraction or water impounding
In Northern Ireland, you will need a water abstraction or water impounding authorisation if you take or hold water from surface water or groundwater.
In Scotland, you will need an EASR authorisation if you carry out any of the water impoundment activities listed under EASR.
Further information
Read our more detailed description of the environmental authorisations you may need: