It may also be necessary to consider the volume of a discharge as well as the particular substances which it contains. The main paper discusses possible ways of dealing with these and other detailed issues. The Government is commissioning the more detailed work that would be necessary to develop a charging scheme. Separate consultation would be undertaken on the detailed implementation of any proposed system of charges. Tradeable permits 16.
Tradeable permits allow dischargers to buy and sell rights to discharge within overall limits.
The total permitted level of emissions of particular substances for a particular stretch of water would be divided amongst the relevant dischargers. Some dischargers may be able to reduce their discharges below permit levels at low cost. If they do so, they may then sell their rights to discharge to others - polluters for whom reduction is more expensive and who therefore wish to buy permits. There may be scope for such trading on estuaries such as the Thames since there are likely to be more dischargers along longer stretches of water and therefore the possibility of a larger number of participants. The Government will explore this further as well as the scope for a wider, national trading scheme aimed at reducing inputs of certain substances to the sea.