What is the status of permitting of IPPC sites?

Environmental permitting is an important tool for achieving environmental quality standards in particular operations. It ensures that certain types of activities obtain operational permits, due to their nature, scale or environmental impact.

Permits are granted on the basis of achievement of particular environmental standards, and are underpinned by regular environmental audits.

The Integrated Pollution and Prevention Control (IPPC) Directive and its corresponding national legislation aim to minimise pollution from various point sources, while considering the whole environmental performance of the plant.

Installations falling under this legislation and must utilise the best available techniques in their operations to obtain their operational permit. The IPPC process also includes public participation, by means of which citizens have access to applications, permits, and the results of releases monitoring. At the end of 2011, 11 of the 12 installations requiring an IPPC permit had been permitted, compared to 2010, when 10 of the 12 installations requiring a permit had been permitted.

Various types of operations require environmental permits, and the current list of IPPC installations includes operations in the chemical and energy sectors, and certain waste management facilities. In addition as of end 2011, over 120 environmental permits had been issued to non-IPPC sites such as waste management sites not requiring IPPC permits, manufacturing facilities, quarries, printing facilities and laundry/dry cleaning facilities, up from over 90 in 2010.

For more information see The Environment Report Indicators 2010-2011 at http://www.mepa.org.mt/teri2010-2011.