Environment Act 2021

2021 c. 30 · Enacted 9 November 2021 · Extends to United Kingdom

Contents

1. Part 1: Environmental governance
2. Chapter 1: Improving the natural environment
3. Environmental targets
4. 1Environmental targets
5. 2Environmental targets: particulate matter
6. 3Environmental targets: species abundance
7. 4Environmental targets: process
8. 5Environmental targets: effect
9. 6Environmental targets: reporting duties
10. 7Environmental targets: review
11. Environmental improvement plans
12. 8Environmental improvement plans
13. 9Annual reports on environmental improvement plans
14. 10Reviewing and revising environmental improvement plans
15. 11Reviewing and revising plans: interim targets
16. 12Reviewing and revising plans: other requirements
17. 13Renewing environmental improvement plans
18. 14Renewing plans: interim targets
19. 15Renewing plans: other requirements
20. Environmental monitoring
21. 16Environmental monitoring
22. Policy statement on environmental principles
23. 17Policy statement on environmental principles
24. 18Policy statement on environmental principles: process
25. 19Policy statement on environmental principles: effect
26. Environmental protection: statements and reports
27. 20Statements about Bills containing new environmental law
28. 21Reports on international environmental protection legislation
29. Chapter 2: The Office for Environmental Protection
30. The Office for Environmental Protection
31. 22The Office for Environmental Protection
32. 23Principal objective of the OEP and exercise of its functions
33. 24The OEP’s strategy: process
34. 25Guidance on the OEP’s enforcement policy and functions
35. 25AGuidance on the OEP’s Northern Ireland enforcement policy and functions
36. 26Memorandum of understanding
37. 27Co-operation duties of public authorities and the OEP
38. The OEP's scrutiny and advice functions
39. 28Monitoring and reporting on environmental improvement plans and targets
40. 29Monitoring and reporting on environmental law
41. 30Advising on changes to environmental law etc
42. The OEP's enforcement functions
43. 31Failure of public authorities to comply with environmental law
44. 32Complaints
45. 33Investigations
46. 34Duty to keep complainants informed
47. 35Information notices
48. 36Decision notices
49. 37Linked notices
50. 38Environmental review
51. 39Judicial review: powers to apply in urgent cases and to intervene
52. 40Duty of the OEP to involve the relevant Minister
53. 41Public statements
54. Information
55. 42Disclosures to the OEP
56. 43Confidentiality of proceedings
57. Chapter 3: Interpretation of Part 1
58. 44Meaning of “natural environment”
59. 45Meaning of “environmental protection”
60. 46Meaning of “environmental law”
61. 47Interpretation of Part 1: general
62. Part 2: Environmental governance: Northern Ireland
63. 48Improving the natural environment: Northern Ireland
64. 49The Office for Environmental Protection: Northern Ireland
65. Part 3: Waste and resource efficiency
66. Producer responsibility
67. 50Producer responsibility obligations
68. 51Producer responsibility for disposal costs
69. Resource efficiency
70. 52Resource efficiency information
71. 53Resource efficiency requirements
72. 54Deposit schemes
73. 55Charges for single use items
74. 56Charges for carrier bags
75. Managing waste
76. 57Separation of waste
77. 58Electronic waste tracking: Great Britain
78. 59Electronic waste tracking: Northern Ireland
79. 60Hazardous waste: England and Wales
80. 61Hazardous waste: Northern Ireland
81. 62Transfrontier shipments of waste
82. 63Regulations under the Environmental Protection Act 1990
83. Waste enforcement and regulation
84. 64Powers to make charging schemes
85. 65Waste charging: Northern Ireland
86. 66Enforcement powers
87. 67Enforcement powers: Northern Ireland
88. 68Littering enforcement
89. 69Fixed penalty notices
90. 70Regulation of polluting activities
91. 71Waste regulation: amendment of Northern Ireland Order
92. Part 4: Air quality and environmental recall
93. Air quality
94. 72Local air quality management framework
95. 73Smoke control areas: amendments of the Clean Air Act 1993
96. Environmental recall of motor vehicles etc
97. 74Environmental recall of motor vehicles etc
98. 75Compulsory recall notices
99. 76Further provision about regulations under section 74
100. 77Interpretation of sections 74 to 76
101. Part 5: Water
102. Plans and proposals
103. 78Water resources management plans, drought plans and joint proposals Not yet in force
104. 79Drainage and sewerage management plans
105. Storm overflows
106. 80Storm overflows
107. 81Reporting on discharges from storm overflows
108. 82Monitoring quality of water potentially affected by discharges
109. 83Reduction of adverse impacts of storm overflows Not yet in force
110. 84Report on elimination of discharges from storm overflows
111. Regulation of water and sewerage undertakers
112. 85Authority’s power to require information
113. 86Water and sewerage undertakers in England: modifying appointments
114. 87Electronic service of documents
115. Abstraction
116. 88Water abstraction: no compensation for certain licence modifications
117. Water quality
118. 89Water quality: powers of Secretary of State
119. 90Water quality: powers of Welsh Ministers
120. 91Water quality: powers of Northern Ireland department
121. 92Solway Tweed river basin district: power to transfer functions
122. 93Water quality: interpretation
123. Land drainage
124. 94Valuation of other land in drainage district: England
125. 95Valuation of other land in drainage district: Wales Not yet in force
126. 96Valuation of agricultural land in drainage district: England and Wales
127. 97Disclosure of Revenue and Customs information
128. Part 6: Nature and biodiversity
129. Biodiversity gain in planning
130. 98Biodiversity gain as condition of planning permission
131. 99Biodiversity gain in nationally significant infrastructure projects
132. 100Biodiversity gain site register
133. 101Biodiversity credits
134. Biodiversity objective and reporting
135. 102General duty to conserve and enhance biodiversity
136. 103Biodiversity reports
137. Local nature recovery strategies
138. 104Local nature recovery strategies for England
139. 105Preparation of local nature recovery strategies
140. 106Content of local nature recovery strategies
141. 107Information to be provided by the Secretary of State
142. 108Interpretation
143. Conservation
144. 109Species conservation strategies
145. 110Protected site strategies
146. 111Wildlife conservation: licences
147. Habitats Regulations
148. 112Habitats Regulations: power to amend general duties
149. 113Habitats Regulations: power to amend Part 6
150. Tree felling and planting
151. 114Controlling the felling of trees in England
152. 115Local highway authorities in England to consult before felling street trees
153. Use of forest risk commodities in commercial activity
154. 116Use of forest risk commodities in commercial activity
155. Part 7: Conservation covenants
156. Creation of conservation covenant
157. 117Conservation covenant agreements
158. 118Conservation covenants
159. 119Responsible bodies
160. Effect of conservation covenant
161. 120Local land charge
162. 121Duration of obligation under conservation covenant
163. 122Benefit and burden of obligation of landowner
164. 123Benefit of obligation of responsible body
165. Breach and enforcement
166. 124Breach of obligation
167. 125Enforcement of obligation
168. 126Defences to breach of obligation
169. Discharge and modification
170. 127Discharge of obligation of landowner by agreement
171. 128Discharge of obligation of responsible body by agreement
172. 129Modification of obligation by agreement
173. 130Discharge or modification of obligation by Upper Tribunal
174. Replacement etc of responsible body
175. 131Power of responsible body to appoint replacement
176. 132Body ceasing to be a responsible body
177. Miscellaneous
178. 133Effect of acquisition or disposal of affected land by responsible body
179. 134Effect of deemed surrender and re-grant of qualifying estate
180. 135Declarations about obligations under conservation covenants
181. 136Duty of responsible bodies to make annual return
182. Supplementary
183. 137Crown application
184. 138Index of defined terms in Part 7
185. 139Consequential amendments relating to Part 7
186. Part 8: Miscellaneous and general provisions
187. Regulation of chemicals
188. 140Amendment of REACH legislation
189. Concurrent functions in Wales
190. 141Amendments of Schedule 7B to the Government of Wales Act 2006
191. General provisions
192. 142Consequential provision
193. 143Regulations
194. 144Crown application
195. 145Financial provisions
196. 146Extent
197. 147Commencement
198. 148Transitional or saving provision
199. 149Short title
200. Schedule 1: The Office for Environmental Protection
201. 1Membership
202. 2Appointment of non-executive members
203. 3Appointment of executive members
204. 4Interim chief executive
205. 5Terms of membership
206. 6Remuneration of non-executive members
207. 7Staffing and remuneration
208. 8Powers
209. 9Committees
210. 10Delegation to members, committees and employees
211. 11Procedure
212. 12Funding
213. 13Annual report
214. 14Annual accounts
215. 15Meaning of “financial year”
216. 16Status
217. 17Independence of the OEP
218. 18Disqualification from membership of legislatures
219. 19Paragraph 19
220. 20Public records
221. 21Freedom of Information
222. 22Investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner
223. 23Public sector equality duty
224. 24Meaning of “the Northern Ireland Department”
225. Schedule 2: Improving the natural environment: Northern Ireland
226. Part 1: Environmental improvement plans
227. 1Environmental improvement plans
228. 2Annual reports on environmental improvement plans
229. 3Reviewing and revising environmental improvement plans
230. 4Renewing environmental improvement plans
231. 5Environmental monitoring
232. Part 2: Policy statement on environmental principles
233. 6Policy statement on environmental principles
234. 7Policy statement on environmental principles: process
235. 8Policy statement on environmental principles: effect
236. Part 3: Interpretation
237. 9Meaning of “natural environment”
238. 10Meaning of “environmental protection”
239. 11General interpretation
240. Schedule 3: The Office for Environmental Protection: Northern Ireland
241. Part 1: The OEP’s Northern Ireland functions
242. 1Monitoring and reporting on the Department’s environmental improvement plans
243. 2Monitoring and reporting on environmental law
244. 3Advising on changes to Northern Ireland environmental law etc
245. 4Failure of relevant public authorities to comply with environmental law
246. 5Meaning of relevant environmental law, relevant public authority etc
247. 6Complaints about relevant public authorities
248. 7Investigations: relevant public authorities
249. 8Duty to keep complainants informed
250. 9Information notices
251. 10Decision notices
252. 11Linked notices
253. 12Review application
254. 13Judicial review: powers to apply to prevent serious damage and to intervene
255. 14Duty of the OEP to involve the relevant department
256. 15Public statements
257. 16Disclosures to the OEP
258. 17Confidentiality of proceedings
259. 18Meaning of UK environmental law and Northern Ireland environmental law
260. 19Interpretation of Part 1 of this Schedule: general
261. Part 2: Amendments of the OEP’s general functions
262. 20Paragraph 20
263. 21Paragraph 21
264. 22Paragraph 22
265. 23Paragraph 23
266. 24Paragraph 24
267. 25Paragraph 25
268. 26Paragraph 26
269. 27Paragraph 27
270. 28Paragraph 28
271. 29Paragraph 29
272. 30Paragraph 30
273. Schedule 4: Producer responsibility obligations
274. Part 1: Requirements
275. 1General power
276. 2Examples of provision that may be made
277. 3Registration of persons subject to producer responsibility obligations
278. 4Compliance schemes
279. 5Registration of compliance schemes
280. 6Power to direct compliance scheme operators
281. 7Certificates of compliance
282. 8Consultation etc requirements
283. 9Paragraph 9
284. 10Paragraph 10
285. 11Interpretation
286. Part 2: Enforcement
287. 12General power
288. 13Powers to confer functions
289. 14Monitoring compliance
290. 15Records and information
291. 16Powers of entry etc
292. 17Sanctions
293. 18Paragraph 18
294. 19Charges and costs
295. 20Consultation requirement
296. Schedule 5: Producer responsibility for disposal costs
297. Part 1: Requirements
298. 1General power
299. 2“Disposal costs” and “disposal”
300. 3Calculation of sums payable
301. 4Administration
302. 5Registration
303. 6Payment of sums
304. 7Distribution of sums paid
305. 8Repayment of sums paid
306. 9Charges
307. 10Consultation requirements
308. Part 2: Enforcement
309. 11General power
310. 12Powers to confer functions
311. 13Monitoring compliance
312. 14Records and information
313. 15Powers of entry etc
314. 16Sanctions
315. 17Charges and costs
316. 18Consultation requirements
317. Schedule 6: Resource efficiency information
318. Part 1: Requirements
319. 1General power
320. 2Meaning of “information about resource efficiency”
321. 3Persons on whom requirements may be imposed
322. 4Examples of provision that may be made
323. 5Consultation etc requirements
324. 6Interpretation
325. Part 2: Enforcement
326. 7General power
327. 8Powers to confer functions
328. 9Monitoring compliance
329. 10Records and information
330. 11Powers of entry etc
331. 12Sanctions
332. 13Costs
333. 14Consultation requirement
334. Schedule 7: Resource efficiency requirements
335. Part 1: Requirements
336. 1General power
337. 2Meaning of “resource efficiency requirements”
338. 3Persons on whom requirements may be imposed
339. 4Examples of provision that may be made
340. 5Consultation etc requirements
341. 6Interpretation
342. Part 2: Enforcement
343. 7General power
344. 8Powers to confer functions
345. 9Monitoring compliance
346. 10Records and information
347. 11Powers of entry etc
348. 12Sanctions
349. 13Costs
350. 14Consultation requirement
351. Schedule 8: Deposit schemes
352. 1Power to establish deposit schemes
353. 2Scheme suppliers
354. 3Scheme collectors
355. 4Deposit scheme administrators
356. 5Enforcement
357. 6Interpretation
358. Schedule 9: Charges for single use items
359. 1General power
360. 2Requirement to charge
361. 3Sellers of goods and services
362. 4Amount of charge
363. 5Administration
364. 6Registration
365. 7Record-keeping and publication of records
366. 8Enforcement
367. 9Civil sanctions
368. Schedule 10: Enforcement powers
369. 1Powers to search and seize vehicles in connection with waste offences
370. 2Paragraph 2
371. 3Powers of direction in relation to waste
372. 4Powers of entry in relation to pollution control etc
373. 5Paragraph 5
374. 6Paragraph 6
375. Schedule 11: Local air quality management framework
376. 1Paragraph 1
377. 2Paragraph 2
378. 3Paragraph 3
379. 4Paragraph 4
380. 5Paragraph 5
381. 6Paragraph 6
382. 7Paragraph 7
383. 8Paragraph 8
384. 9Paragraph 9
385. 10Paragraph 10
386. 11Paragraph 11
387. 12Paragraph 12
388. 13Paragraph 13
389. 14Paragraph 14
390. Schedule 12: Smoke control in England and Wales
391. Part 1: Principal amendments to the Clean Air Act 1993: England
392. 1Paragraph 1
393. 2Paragraph 2
394. 3Paragraph 3
395. 4Paragraph 4
396. 5Paragraph 5
397. 6Paragraph 6
398. 7Paragraph 7
399. 8Paragraph 8
400. Part 2: Principal amendments to the Clean Air Act 1993: Wales Repealed
401. 9Paragraph 9 Repealed
402. 10Paragraph 10 Repealed
403. 11Paragraph 11 Repealed
404. Part 3: Minor and consequential amendments
405. 12Minor and consequential amendments to the Clean Air Act 1993
406. 13Minor and consequential amendments to the Clean Air Act 1993
407. 14Minor and consequential amendments to the Clean Air Act 1993
408. 15Minor and consequential amendments to the Clean Air Act 1993
409. 16Minor and consequential amendments to the Clean Air Act 1993
410. 17Minor and consequential amendments to the Clean Air Act 1993
411. 18Minor and consequential amendments to the Clean Air Act 1993
412. 19Minor and consequential amendments to the Clean Air Act 1993
413. 20Minor and consequential amendments to the Clean Air Act 1993
414. 21Minor and consequential amendments to the Clean Air Act 1993
415. 22Minor and consequential amendments to the Clean Air Act 1993
416. 23Minor and consequential amendments to the Clean Air Act 1993
417. 24Minor and consequential amendments to the Clean Air Act 1993
418. 25Minor amendments to other legislation
419. Part 4: Smoke control areas in England: transitional provision
420. 26Paragraph 26
421. Schedule 13: Modifying water and sewerage undertakers’ appointments: procedure for appeals
422. Schedule 14: Biodiversity gain as condition of planning permission
423. Part 1: Biodiversity gain condition
424. 1Paragraph 1
425. 2Paragraph 2
426. Part 2: Consequential amendments
427. 3Paragraph 3
428. Schedule 15: Biodiversity gain in nationally significant infrastructure projects
429. Part 1: Principal amendments to the Planning Act 2008
430. 1Paragraph 1
431. 2Paragraph 2
432. 3Paragraph 3
433. 4Paragraph 4
434. 5Paragraph 5
435. Part 2: Supplementary amendments to the Planning Act 2008
436. 6Paragraph 6
437. 7Paragraph 7
438. 8Paragraph 8
439. 9Paragraph 9
440. Schedule 16: Controlling the felling of trees in England
441. 1Introductory
442. 2Penalty for felling without licence: increase of fine
443. 3Restocking notices to be local land charges
444. 4Enforcement notices to be local land charges
445. 5Further enforcement notices for new estate or interest holders
446. 6Power of court to order restocking after conviction for failure to comply with enforcement notice
447. 7Service of notices on directors of companies that have estates or interests in land
448. 8Requiring information from the owner of land
449. Schedule 17: Use of forest risk commodities in commercial activity
450. Part 1: Requirements
451. 1Meaning of “forest risk commodity”
452. 2Prohibition on using illegally produced commodities
453. 3Due diligence system
454. 4Annual report on due diligence system
455. 5Exemption
456. 6Guidance
457. 7Meaning of “regulated person”
458. Part 2: Enforcement
459. 8General power
460. 9Powers to confer functions
461. 10Monitoring compliance
462. 11Records and information
463. 12Powers of entry etc
464. 13Sanctions
465. 14Sanctions
466. 15Charges
467. 16Consultation requirement
468. Part 3: General provisions
469. 17Review
470. 18Interpretation
471. Schedule 18: Discharge or modification of obligations under conservation covenants
472. Part 1: Discharge by Upper Tribunal
473. 1Power to discharge on application by landowner or responsible body
474. 2Power to discharge on application by landowner or responsible body
475. 3Deciding whether to discharge
476. 4Supplementary powers
477. 5Supplementary powers
478. Part 2: Modification by Upper Tribunal
479. 6Power to modify on application by landowner or responsible body
480. 7Power to modify on application by landowner or responsible body
481. 8Power to modify on application by landowner or responsible body
482. 9Deciding whether to modify
483. 10Supplementary powers
484. 11Supplementary powers
485. 12Effect of modification
486. 13Interpretation
487. Schedule 19: Application of Part 7 to Crown land
488. Part 1: General
489. 1Application of Part 7
490. 2Interpretation
491. 3Demesne land
492. 4Land subject to escheat
493. 5Bona vacantia
494. Part 2: Conservation covenants relating to Crown land held by a person other than the appropriate authority
495. 6Agreements for the purposes of section 117
496. 7Modification of Part 7 in relation to obligations under certain Crown conservation covenants
497. 8Modification of Part 7 in relation to obligations under certain Crown conservation covenants
498. 9Modification of Part 7 in relation to obligations under certain Crown conservation covenants
499. 10Modification of Part 7 in relation to obligations under certain Crown conservation covenants
500. 11Modification of Part 7 in relation to obligations under certain Crown conservation covenants
501. 12Modification of Part 7 in relation to obligations under certain Crown conservation covenants
502. Part 3: Other modifications of Part 7
503. 13Cases where estate in land to which conservation covenant relates has been acquired by the Crown and is held by person other than the appropriate authority
504. 14Cases where estate in land to which conservation covenant relates has been acquired by the Crown and is held by person other than the appropriate authority
505. 15Cases where estate in land to which conservation covenant relates has been acquired by the Crown and is held by person other than the appropriate authority
506. 16Cases where estate in land to which conservation covenant relates has been acquired by the Crown and is held by person other than the appropriate authority
507. 17Cases where estate in land to which conservation covenant relates has been acquired by the Crown and is held by person other than the appropriate authority
508. 18Agreements under section 127(1) and (3)
509. 19Agreements under section 128(1)
510. 20Agreements under section 129(1)
511. 21Agreements under section 129(1)
512. Schedule 20: Consequential amendments relating to Part 7
513. 1Acquisition of Land Act 1981 (c. 67)
514. 2Acquisition of Land Act 1981 (c. 67)
515. 3Acquisition of Land Act 1981 (c. 67)
516. 4Housing and Planning Act 2016 (c. 22)
517. 5Housing and Planning Act 2016 (c. 22)
518. 6Housing and Planning Act 2016 (c. 22)
519. 7Housing and Planning Act 2016 (c. 22)
520. 8Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017 (c. 20)
521. 9Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017 (c. 20)
522. 10Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017 (c. 20)
523. 11Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017 (c. 20)
524. 12Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017 (c. 20)
525. Schedule 21: Amendment of REACH legislation
526. 1Amendment of the REACH Regulation
527. 2Amendment of the REACH Enforcement Regulations 2008
528. 3Consent of the devolved administrations
529. 4Requests by devolved administrations for exercise of powers under this Schedule
530. 5Consultation
531. 6The protected provisions
532. 7Other interpretation