Access the public register for environmental information
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-01)

How to access the Environment Agency's public registers of environmental information.

The Environment Agency regulates businesses and individuals who want to carry out activities that could pollute or negatively affect the environment. They issue licenses, permits, registrations and exemptions. These give people permission to carry out their activity, provided they follow certain rules.

The Environment Agency publishes information about these permissions on public registers (https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/index) so anyone can see it.

Environmental permits

You can use the public registers to find information about environmental permits for:
- waste operations (https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-operations)
- end of life vehicle authorised treatment facilities (https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-elv)
- industrial installations (https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-industrial-installations)
- discharge consents to water and groundwater (https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-water-discharge-consents)
- radioactive substances (https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-radioactive-substances-permits)
Registered exemptions

Some activities are exempt from needing an environmental permit, but the operator must register that they are carrying out that activity. There are strict rules and conditions they must follow to be able to register an exemption.

You can search the public register for registered exemptions for these activities:
- waste (https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-exemptions)
- water quality (https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-water-discharge-exemptions)
- flood risk (https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-flood-risk-exemptions)
Compliance assessment report (CAR) forms

Environment Agency officers use CAR forms to assess compliance with environmental permits.

Search the public register (https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/index) for CAR forms:
- discharge consents to water and groundwater published after 28 February 2025
- waste and installations published after 29 September 2025
Registered waste carriers

Search the public register to find registered waste carriers, brokers and dealers (https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers).

Licensed scrap metal dealers

Search the public register to find a licensed scrap metal dealer (https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-scrap-metal-dealers).

Environment Agency prosecutions

The enforcement action register (https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-enforcement-action) has information on formal cautions and prosecutions the Environment Agency has taken against companies.

For information on enforcement actions against individuals, contact the Environment Agency’s National Customer Contact Centre (#contact). The information it can release about individuals may be affected by data protection law and other relevant legal considerations.

Enforcement action information only covers the period from 2000 to the present.

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

The Environment Agency holds public register information collected under the WEEE regulations. Use the WEEE public registers (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/waste-electrical-and-electronic-equipment-weee-public-registers) to find information about:
- EEE producers
- WEEE approved producer compliance schemes
- WEEE approved authorised treatment facilities and approved exporters
Packaging and batteries

On the National Packaging Waste Database (http://npwd.environment-agency.gov.uk/?lang=_e) you can find public registers of:
- battery or packaging producers
- compliance schemes
- battery treatment operators or exporters
- packaging reprocessors
Large raised reservoirs

The Environment Agency manages a register of large raised reservoirs.

You can email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) to request a copy of this information.

Request a copy of a document

Once you have found the public register information you are interested in, you can ask the Environment Agency to send you a copy of the relevant permit or licence.

Contact us

General enquiries

National Customer Contact Centre PO Box 544RotherhamS60 1BY

Email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Telephone 03708 506 506

Telephone from outside the UK (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm GMT) xx-xxxx-xxxx

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.