EPA to review all IPPC and Waste Licenses
In order to ensure compliance with SI 272 of 2009 - European Communities Environmental Objectives (Surface Waters) Regulations 2009 and SI 9 of 2010 - European Communities Environmental Objectives (Groundwater) Regulations 2010, the EPA is in the process of carrying out an internal review of all licenses where the licensee discharges to surface waters or to groundwater.
Where the EPA finds that the licence is in compliance with the regulations it will issue a declaration to that effect and will follow up with a Technical Amendment to the licence where required.
Where a licence requires to be reviewed the licensee will be informed in the coming months. The review process must be completed by December 22nd 2012. This review may have significant implications for facilities that require wastewater treatment plant upgrades in order to comply with the regulations.
It is unclear at this stage if the review will also cover effluent discharges to a Water Services Authority sewer, but the intent of the legislation is that it will, as ultimately the effluent will discharge to a surface water.