Abstract |
At the invitation of the United Kingdom (UK) Environment Agency (EA), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated the Integrated Permitting International Collaboration Effort (IP ICE). The UK EA has been a dedicated partner throughout the effort. The objective of the effort was to study the EU-mandated Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) permitting system as implemented in the UK. A comprehensive report is the product of US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) collaborative research effort. The report introduces the historical and cultural setting for the UK integrated permitting system and provides information regarding the legal and organizational permitting structure and function. In order to understand the UK system, detailed information is offered about the permitting process and permit requirements. In addition, a comparative analysis is provided of several individual permits in the UK and US for the pulp and paper sector and the specialty organic chemical sector. Finally, the report delivers a series of findings regarding features of the UK permitting system that are of particular note to US observers. This executive summary very briefly covers the introductory and analytical elements detailed in the full report and focuses instead on the report findings (in a summarized fashion). |