Industrial installations, while being useful to society, can result in various environmental impacts, ranging from emissions to air or the marine environment to contamination resulting from accidents. For this reason, industry is regulated by the Environmental Protection Act and subsidiary legislation, including the following:

• IPPC Regulations: Regulating high-risk installations, such as power stations, certain waste management activities, large farms, etc.
• Waste Management Regulations: Defining waste management permits and registration systems (including waste carriers and waste brokers).
• Additional permitting regulations on specific issues and/or sectors, e.g. VOC solvents, marine discharges, petrol stations & fuel terminals, various chemicals, etc.

Facilities covered by the above regulations, or whose development permit includes this as a condition, need to apply for an environmental permit. Companies may also apply for an environmental permit on a voluntary basis.

Environmental permitting application forms are available here, and need to be submitted to MEPA as one digital and one printed copy. IPPC application forms are available here, while registration forms are available here. Assistance may also be obtained by contacting the Environmental Permitting and Industry Unit at MEPA.

MEPA is currently carrying out public consultation on a system of environmental permitting to improve the regulatory framework applicable to industrial activities of environmental significance. This system would result in improved protection of the environment, while offering several advantages to industry, such as legal certainty, clearer definition of environmental liability and the opportunity to identify priority environmental issues to enable appropriate risk management.

Further details regarding this proposal are available below:

Further information may be obtained by calling the Environmental Permitting & Industry Unit on 2290-7230, or by contacting the Environmental Permitting and Industry Unit at MEPA. MEPA, in collaboration with the Malta-EU Steering & Action Committee (MEUSAC), is also organising consultation sessions on this proposal. The sessions, which will be conducted in Maltese, are being held as follows:

Date: Thursday, 26 January 2012
Time: 10.00 – 12.00 hrs
Venue: 254, Europe House, St Paul Street, Valletta 

Date: Tuesday, 24 January 2012 (session fully booked)
Time: 15.00 – 17.00 hrs
Venue: 254, Europe House, St Paul Street, Valletta  

Those interested in attending the meeting on 26 January are kindly requested to register with MEUSAC by sending an email on consult.meusac@gov.mt by not later than noon of Monday, 23 January 2012.

MEPA is encouraging the business sector, NGOs and the public to submit their feedback and comments by email on environmental.permitting@mepa.org.mt or by filling in this contact form. The consultation period is being extended to 7 March 2012. Comments received will be taken into consideration in the drafting and finalisation of the legislation.