{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/environmental-protection-prescribed-processes-and-substances-regulations-1991/regulation-4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/environmental-protection-prescribed-processes-and-substances-regulations-1991/regulation-4.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1991/472",
  "legislation_title": "The Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances) Regulations 1991",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/environmental-protection-prescribed-processes-and-substances-regulations-1991",
  "path": "regulation/4",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "4",
  "heading": "Exceptions",
  "text": "(1) Subject to paragraph (6), a process shall not be taken to be a Part A process if it has the following characteristics, namely—\n(i) that it cannot result in the release into the air of any substance prescribed by regulation 6(1) or there is no likelihood that it will result in the release into the air of any such substance except in a quantity which is so trivial that it is incapable of causing harm or its capacity to cause harm is insignificant; and\n(ii) that it cannot result in the release into water of any substance prescribed by regulation 6(2) except—\n(a) in a concentration which is no greater than the background concentration; or\n(b) in a quantity which does not, in any 12 month period, exceed the background quantity by more than the amount specified in relation to the description of substance in column 2 of Schedule 5; and\n(iii) that it cannot result in the release into land of any substance prescribed by regulation 6(3) or there is no likelihood that it will result in the release into land of any such substance except in a quantity which is so trivial that it is incapable of causing harm or its capacity to cause harm is insignificant.\n(2) Subject to paragraph (6), a process shall not be taken to be a Part B process unless it will, or there is a likelihood that it will, result in the release into the air of one or more substances prescribed by regulation 6(1) in a quantity greater than that mentioned in paragraph (1)(i) above.\n(3) A process shall not be taken to fall within a description in Schedule 1 if it is carried on in a working museum to demonstrate an industrial process of historic interest or if it is carried on for educational purposes in a school as defined in section 114 of the Education Act 1944 or, in Scotland, section 135(1) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980.\n(4) The running on or within an aircraft, hovercraft, mechanically propelled road vehicle, railway locomotive or ship or other vessel of an engine which propels or provides electricity for it shall not be taken to fall within a description in Schedule 1.\n(4A) The running of an engine ... in order to test it before installation or in the course of its development shall not be taken to fall within a description in Schedule 1.\n(4B) The use of a fume cupboard shall not be taken to fall within a description in Schedule 1 if it is used as a fume cupboard in a laboratory for research or testing, and it is not—\n(a) a fume cupboard which is an industrial and continuous production process enclosure; or\n(b) a fume cupboard in which substances or materials are manufactured.\nIn this paragraph, “fume cupboard” has the meaning given by the British Standard ‘Laboratory fume cupboards’ published by the British Standards Institution numbered BS7258: Part 1: 1990.\n(5) A process shall not be taken to fall within a description in Schedule 1 if it is carried on as a domestic activity in connection with a private dwelling.\n(5A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(6) Paragraphs (1) and (2) do not exempt any process described in Schedule 1 from the requirement for authorisation if the process may give rise to an offensive smell noticeable outside the premises where the process is carried on.\n(7) In these Regulations—\n“background concentration” means any concentration of the relevant substance which would be present in the release irrespective of any effect the process may have had on the composition of the release and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, includes such concentration of the substance as is referred to in paragraph (8) below; and\n“background quantity” means such quantity of the relevant substance as is referred to in paragraph (8) below.\n(8) The concentration or, as the case may be, quantity mentioned in paragraph (7) above is such concentration or quantity as is present in—\n(a) water supplied to the premises where the process is carried on;\n(b) water abstracted for use in the process; and\n(c) precipitation onto the premises on which the process is carried on.",
  "extent": "E+W+S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Regulations revoked (E.W.) (6.4.2008) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/3538), reg. 1(1)(b), Sch. 22 (with regs. 69-72); and lapsed (S.) by virtue of repeal of power conferring provision 1990 c. 43, s. 2 (S.) (1.4.2015) by Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 (c. 24), s. 7(3), Sch. 3 (with s. 7(7)); S.S.I. 2015/74, art. 2(2)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Reg. 4(1)(ii) substituted (1.12.1994) by The Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances Etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/1271), reg. 1, Sch. 2 para. 1 (with Sch. 6)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in reg. 4(4) inserted (1.12.1994) by The Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances Etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/1271), reg. 1, Sch. 2 para. 2 (with Sch. 6)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Reg. 4(4A) inserted (1.4.1992) by The Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances) (Amendment) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/614), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in reg. 4(4A) omitted (1.12.1994) by virtue of The Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances Etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/1271), reg. 1, Sch. 2 para. 3 (with Sch. 6)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Reg. 4(4B) inserted (1.6.1994) by The Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances Etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/1271), reg. 1, Sch. 1 para. 1 (with Sch. 6)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Reg. 4(5A) omitted (1.12.1994) by virtue of The Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances Etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/1271), reg. 1, Sch. 2 para. 4 (with Sch. 6)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Reg. 4(7)(8) substituted for reg. 4(7) (1.12.1994) by The Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances Etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/1271), reg. 1, Sch. 2 para. 5 (with Sch. 6)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Reg. 4 in force at 1.4.1991 for E.W. and 1.4.1992 for S., see reg. 1(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "1944 c. 31"
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "1980 c. 44."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1991/472/regulation/4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T14:49:53.509555+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}