Environment Agency Chief Regulator’s report 2024-25: supporting evidence
Published 21 November 2025
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2025
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environment-agency-chief-regulators-report-2024-25/environment-agency-chief-regulators-report-2024-25-supporting-evidence
This evidence pack contains information and data on the activities we regulate, including compliance of businesses with environmental permits, emissions, pollution incidents and enforcement actions taken.
This evidence is for England. Most of the data presented are for the calendar year 2024. Where information is only available by financial year, it is for April 2024 to March 2025.
How we regulate
Supporting industry and sustainable economic growth
Our statutory role is to protect the environment in line with the government’s commitment to sustainable development. In carrying out our duties we consider the costs and benefits to the environment, society and the economy. We have due regard to the Growth Duty to ensure we consider economic growth when we carry out our regulatory functions. The Growth Duty sits alongside, but does not take precedence over, our existing statutory duties to protect or enhance the environment and promote sustainable development.
We fulfil our duties through a range of activities, including regulation, but also through strategic planning and partnerships. We provide advice on the environmental viability of future development in terms of sustainability and regulatory requirements. We use our local presence, our national voice and our scientific knowledge to help support and achieve sustainable growth locally and nationally.
To ensure we have the right evidence to support fair, proportionate and transparent decision making, we listen to our stakeholders and gather evidence, for example through local officers, national services, and trade and sector engagement. We also run public consultations. We ran 227 public consultations in 2024, which received nearly 52,000 responses.
As a regulator we have a process that enables operators to request an impartial internal appeal of a regulatory decision we may have taken. This is independent of any statutory appeal right. We considered 16 appeals from businesses against our regulatory decisions in 2024. After review, 3 appeals were upheld. Most of our decisions go unchallenged.
In December 2024, we revised our regulatory appeals process and introduced two stages designed to resolve issues more efficiently. Since then, we have conducted a 6-month post-implementation review of the procedure and noted a significant increase in regulatory appeals. One of the key reasons for this increase was the transition from the previous water company incident categorisation challenge process to the regulatory appeal process, replacing a long-established approach for both the Environment Agency and water companies. Our planned 12-month review of the procedure will ensure that we embed learning from appeals and develop our processes accordingly.
We engage at European level and internationally to influence and improve international regulatory frameworks that directly affect our regulation.
As detailed in our 2022 regulatory statement, we are committed to working with those we regulate to help them embrace eco-design, circular economy approaches and implement innovative solutions. We continue to work with government, partners, and those we regulate, to support regulatory reform, including greater focus on outcomes, and flexibility in implementation. We support government in its commitment to making sure regulations are contemporary and forward looking.
There are limited ways we can provide flexibility to allow businesses to operate. Often the regulations do not allow us to meet all the needs of our customers. But they do allow some activities to occur while we support government to make legislative changes. Currently we can:
- allow some time limited trials and pilots for some research activities (only where regulations allow)
- grant some derogations from normal standards where specific criteria are met
- adopt regulatory position statements (RPSs) for some activities – in 2024 we published 22 new RPSs
- provide early advice to technology designers on designs and permitting
We apply these measures using a risk-based approach, ensuring environmental protections remain in place and supporting business and innovation.
Permitting
National Permitting issues and deals with permits and licences for waste, water quality, water resources and industrial activities.
| Permitting activity | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| New applications | 4,588 | 4,971 |
| Variations | 2,794 | 3,779 |
| Surrenders | 1,192 | 767 |
| Transfers | 772 | 1,115 |
| Mobile plant deployments | 1,345 | 1,239 |
| Flood risk activity decisions | 1,682 | 1,443 |
| Flood risk activity exemptions | 1,091 | 1,410 |
Some waste operations are exempt from needing an environmental permit.
We are continuing to make our permitting activities as digital as possible. This digital transformation will increase the number of permits that can be applied for online and allow more applications to use modern online payments. There are currently about 30,000 permits on our new systems and about 2,500 live applications on our new permit management platform.
In 2024, water resources digital abstraction returns were at 92%, resulting in combined savings for businesses of around £255,000 per year. In addition, we rolled out water abstraction email alerts (e-Alerts) across all 14 areas in England. E-Alerts are designed to provide quicker, targeted warnings of approaching restrictions and provide an estimated benefit of £6.3m each year to affected businesses.
Compliance with the Environmental Permitting Regulations
We regulate businesses and industries to ensure that they comply with a wide range of environmental legislation. Our duties range from checking monitoring data to conducting site inspections, and detailed audits of site working practices and processes. We also give advice to operators to help them remain compliant with their permits and reduce the risk of an environmental incident.
The Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR) are the main mechanism by which we regulate industry. They provide for ongoing supervision by regulators of activities that could harm the environment. EPR requires operators of certain facilities to obtain a permit, or to register some activities which would otherwise require permits as ‘exempt facilities’. The industrial sectors we regulate under EPR include a range of industry types such as waste, chemicals, combustion, refineries, food and drink and metals.
The performance of facilities permitted under EPR is rated on a scale of A to F. Sites with permits in compliance bands A and B have demonstrated an expected level of compliance. Sites with permits rated C and D must improve to achieve compliance. Sites with permits rated E and F must significantly improve to achieve compliance.
Good performance
In 2024, 92% of EPR permits were in the top 2 compliance bands, A and B, down slightly from 93% in 2023. This compares with 92% in 2015 and 91% in 2010. The percentage of permits in the top 3 compliance bands, A, B and C has remained similar since 2013, at 97%.
In the waste sector, 91% of permits were in compliance bands A and B in 2024. In the remaining industrial sectors, 95% of permits were rated A and B.
Poor performance
Failure to comply with permit conditions (permits rated in bands D, E or F) means operator activities risk damage to the environment, people or places. The number of permits rated D, E or F increased from 385 (2.7% of 14,009 permits) in 2023 to 426 (3% of 14,143 permits) in 2024.
The reasons for poor compliance include the approach, behaviour and skills of the operator. The majority of the most serious permit breaches (categories 1 and 2) are due to general management issues. Some permit breaches can result in a pollution incident.
Poor performance in operator permit compliance (% of total permits), 2020 to 2024
| Year | Band D | Band E | Band F | Total number of D, E and F permits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 426 |
| 2023 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 385 |
| 2022 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 332 |
| 2021 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 361 |
| 2020 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 303 |
72% of all industrial EPR permits cover waste activities. In the waste sector, the rate of non-compliance in 2024 (permits in bands D, E or F) was 3.6%. For all the other industrial sectors combined, 1.4% were in bands D, E or F. Non-compliance in the refineries and fuel sector has remained high since 2020, with 11% of permits in bands D, E or F in 2024, but this is a very small sector with very few permits. For the 5 years 2019 to 2023 an average of 6% of permits in the ferrous metals sector were in bands D, E or F. In 2024 this increased to 18% of permits. Again, this is a very small sector with very few permits.
There were 165 persistent poor performers in 2024 – up from 141 in 2023 and the highest number since 2016. Persistent poor performers are those with permits in bands D, E or F for 2 or more consecutive years. These sites are more likely to have their permit revoked unless there is substantial evidence that they are working towards achieving compliance in a timely manner.
In 2024, 150 (91%) of persistent poor performer permits were in the waste sector. Of the remaining 15 persistent poor performers:
- 6 were in the food and drink sector
- 4 were in the chemicals sector
- 3 were in the refineries and fuel sector
- 2 were in the metals sector
Persistent poor performers: permits in compliance bands D, E or F for the last 2 consecutive years
| Year | Waste activities | All other industry | All sectors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 150 | 15 | 165 |
| 2023 | 129 | 12 | 141 |
| 2022 | 124 | 15 | 139 |
| 2021 | 116 | 17 | 133 |
| 2020 | 113 | 16 | 129 |
Permits in compliance band F for the last 2 consecutive years
| Operator | Sector | Permit number |
|---|---|---|
| A B Waste Management Ltd | Waste treatment (non-hazardous) | 42483 |
| Bespoke Recycling Solutions Limited | Waste treatment (non-hazardous) | 404731 |
| British Steel Ltd | Metals (ferrous) | RP3206BE |
| Caird Peckfield Limited | Landfill | BU9726IH |
| Dairy Crest Ltd | Food and drink | BP3200BF |
| Himley Environmental Limited | Landfill | VP3838YZ/UP3830NT |
| J & H Haulage Limited | Waste treatment (non-hazardous) | 403629 |
| Mineral Processing Limited | Waste treatment (non-hazardous) | 403307 |
| Opes MRF 2013 Ltd | Landfill | TP3436YQ |
| P R Recycling Limited | Landfill | 404293 |
| Stonegrave Aggregates Limited | Landfill | TP3735PA |
| Walleys Quarry Ltd | Landfill | DP3734DC |
| Waste Services (Yorkshire) Limited | Waste treatment (non-hazardous) | 402882 |
| Wastecare Limited | Waste treatment (metals recycling) | 102432 |
| Whiteheads Waste Management | Waste treatment (non-hazardous) | 65043 |
In 2024, 55% of the most serious permit breaches (category 1 and 2) in compliance band F were due to poor general management, particularly inadequate management systems and storage and handling. Poor infrastructure was also the reason for 11% of permit breaches.
Where minor permit breaches are found, we provide advice and guidance to help the operator bring their practices into compliance. Where significant or repeat breaches are found, we consider more stringent enforcement, which can include prosecution and site closure.
Compliance activities
We assess permit compliance through activities such as site inspections, site audits, reviewing monitoring submissions required by permits, monitoring checks and procedure reviews. We use past environmental performance, operational intelligence and other data we collect to identify sites that pose the greatest risk to people and the environment. This means that sites with more problems will receive a greater compliance effort.
We completed nearly 22,000 compliance activities for EPR sites in 2024. This included:
- 10,573 on-site inspections
- 8,306 report or data reviews
- 705 procedure reviews
- 616 audits
- 719 remote site inspections and audits
- 530 assessments under the Pig and Poultry Assurance Scheme
- 525 monitoring or sampling checks
The number of inspections fell in 2020 because we were not able to do as many on-site regulatory visits at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. We did, however, begin conducting remote visits for low-risk activities.
Site inspections at EPR regulated sites, 2020 to 2024
| Year | Number of on site inspections | Number of remote site inspections | Total inspections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10,573 | 446 | 11,019 |
| 2023 | 10,099 | 513 | 10,612 |
| 2022 | 9,299 | 463 | 9,762 |
| 2021 | 9,186 | 1,680 | 10,866 |
| 2020 | 7,195 | 1,531 | 8,726 |
Enforcement
We are responsible for enforcing laws that protect the environment. We use our enforcement powers efficiently and effectively to secure compliance. This contributes to our work to create better places for people and wildlife and support sustainable development.
We support operators to do the right thing, but we will act to prevent or reduce environmental harm. To get the best outcome for the environment and for people, we use the full range of enforcement and sanctioning options available to us. Our enforcement and sanctions policy sets out how we follow the requirements of the Regulators’ Code and the principles we work to when we carry out enforcement activities.
In 2024, we:
- brought 168 prosecution cases, 98 of which resulted in fines totalling £3.8 million
- issued 4 formal cautions
- issued 295 enforcement notices, almost double that in 2023
- accepted 52 enforcement undertakings totalling £4 million in donations to environmental projects or improvements
- imposed 1 civil sanction under the Water Resources Act for £19,778
These are enforcement actions used for all environmental offences by businesses and individuals. We issue few formal cautions because we have found them to be less effective than other mechanisms we can use.
Enforcement actions used for environmental offences, 2020 to 2024
| Year | Enforcement notices | Prosecutions (defendants with fines) | Cautions | Enforcement undertakings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 295 | 98 | 4 | 52 |
| 2023 | 161 | 91 | 5 | 40 |
| 2022 | 181 | 114 | 4 | 36 |
| 2021 | 206 | 107 | 2 | 53 |
| 2020 | 100 | 70 | 6 | 80 |
The scale of fines and other penalties set by the courts depends on the size of the business or company and the severity of the offence. The largest fines tend to be imposed on large organisations such as the water companies because of this. In 2024, we completed 6 prosecutions against 4 different water companies, which led to total fines of £3,527,000.
Over 90% of the 295 enforcement notices we served in 2024 were to the waste sector at mostly exporter sites, transfer stations and treatment facilities. There were 34 waste related prosecutions. This included 18 prosecutions for registered companies or corporate entities and 16 for individuals. Our prosecution cases against the waste sector in 2024, led to total fines of around £320,000 and 37 custodial sentences.
Enforcement undertakings remain an effective enforcement option for less serious offending. Polluters and those who breach environmental requirements may restore the environment themselves or fund other environmental projects or improvements in the local catchment or area. Over the past 5 years, more than £15 million has been put towards environmental projects or improvements as a result of enforcement undertakings.
Businesses that completed enforcement undertakings totaling over £100,000 in 2024
| Company | Sector | Payments for environmental projects or improvements |
|---|---|---|
| Severn Trent Water Ltd | Water industry | £600,000 |
| Budweiser Budvar UK Ltd | Food and drink | £414,005 |
| Northumbrian Water Ltd | Water industry | £375,000 |
| WFL (UK) Ltd | Wholesale of petroleum and petroleum products | £350,000 |
| Sembcorp Utilities (UK) Ltd | Energy industry | £290,000 |
| Cleveland Potash Ltd | Oil and gas | £215,000 |
| Puig UK Ltd | Wholesale | £208,040 |
| Yorkshire Water Services Ltd | Water industry | £200,000 |
| Royal Mail Group Ltd | Service sector | £150,000 |
| Reckitt Benckiser (UK) Ltd | Chemical industry | £150,000 |
| Axil Integrated Services Ltd | Waste treatment | £100,000 |
Pollution incidents
We respond to and investigate reports of environmental pollution incidents. Serious pollution incidents can harm people and the environment and can have significant financial and reputational effects on a business. We categorise incidents from 1 (most serious) to 4 (little or no impact), according to their effects on air, land and water.
We describe category 1 and 2 incidents together as ‘serious’ pollution incidents. A category 1 incident has a major, serious, extensive, or persistent effect on the environment, people or property. Category 3 incidents have a minor or minimal impact on the environment, people or property.
We take enforcement action, including prosecution where appropriate, against operators who cause pollution incidents. In 2024, there were:
- 74 category 1 incidents
- 548 category 2 incidents
- 10,488 category 3 incidents
- 4,453 category 4 incidents
The number of serious pollution incidents increased by 9% between 2023 and 2024 from 569 to 622 – the highest number of serious incidents since 2013. Most of these increases were seen in the water and sewerage sector, the waste management sector and the farming sector.
Of the 622 serious pollution incidents in 2024, 47% were caused by sites or activities that we do not regulate under an EPR environmental permit, 38% by activities with permits and 15% by an unidentified source. The number of serious pollution incidents caused by the activities we regulate increased from 165 in 2023 to 237 in 2024.
Serious pollution incidents, 2020 to 2024
| Year | Non-permitted activities | Activities with permits | Not identified | Total incidents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 292 | 237 | 93 | 622 |
| 2023 | 309 | 165 | 95 | 569 |
| 2022 | 236 | 179 | 89 | 504 |
| 2021 | 281 | 191 | 89 | 561 |
| 2020 | 279 | 193 | 91 | 563 |
Serious pollution incidents by sector, 2024
| Number of serious pollution incidents | Percentage of total incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| Water and sewerage companies (7 out of 9 caused incidents) | 75 | 12 |
| Other water companies | 21 | 3 |
| Agricultural activities | 74 | 12 |
| Permitted and exempt waste management activities | 146 | 23 |
| Illegal waste activities | 91 | 15 |
| Industry regulated under EPR | 15 | 2 |
| Other industry | 20 | 3 |
| Other sources, such as the service, domestic and residential and transport sectors | 61 | 10 |
| Natural sources | 27 | 4 |
| Unidentified | 93 | 15 |
One additional incident that does not fit the criteria for serious environmental pollution incidents, but is a serious fish mortality incident, is included in the water and sewerage company incidents. This is due to changes in the way water company incidents are recorded and reported.
EPR industrial operators with 4 or more reported separate serious pollution incidents in 2024
| Operator | Site | Sector | Number of serious incidents |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | The Oaks | Illegal waste management | 21 |
| Walleys Quarry Ltd | Walleys Quarry Landfill Site | Waste management | 15 |
| Caird Peckfield Limited | Peckfield Landfill | Waste management | 11 |
| Reclamet (Holdings) Limited | The Recycling Centre | Waste management | 10 |
| Verdant Specialty Solutions Halifax Limited | Holywell Green Chemical Facility | Manufacturing | 9 |
| Stonegrave Aggregates Limited | Aycliffe Quarry Landfill | Waste management | 8 |
| Suez Recycling And Recovery Lancashire Ltd | Whinney Hill Landfill | Waste management | 7 |
| Transwaste Recycling And Aggregates Limited | Jameson Road Landfill | Waste management | 7 |
| BW Skip Hire Limited | Whitehall Road | Waste management | 6 |
| Glass Recycling (UK) Limited | Carlton Road | Waste management | 6 |
| Biowise Limited | Albion Lane | Waste management | 5 |
| Potters (Midlands) Limited | Granville/Woodhouse Landfill | Waste management | 5 |
| Waste Recycling Group (Central) Limited | Sutton Courtenay Landfill | Waste management | 5 |
| Associated Waste Management Limited | Valley Farm Road | Waste management | 4 |
Pollution incidents from water and sewerage companies
In 2024, there were 75 serious water pollution incidents caused by the sewerage and water supply assets of 7 of the 9 water and sewerage companies operating in England. This is an increase of 60% from 2023 and the highest number of serious incidents since 2013. The majority (61 out of 75, 81%) were from the assets of 3 water companies – Thames Water (33), Southern Water (15) and Yorkshire Water (13). 2 companies – Northumbrian Water and Wessex Water – caused no serious incidents. The total number of incidents (category 1 to 3) for the sector was 2,801, a significant increase (29%) from 2,174 in 2023.
We have identified several factors that caused this increase in pollution incidents. It was a very wet and stormy year, which puts extra pressure on water company assets. Companies have been running with the risk of an ageing network and underinvestment meaning they are not resilient to pressures from extreme weather and population growth. In addition, increased monitoring, inspection and awareness of the issues is bringing more failings to light.
More information can be found in our Water and sewerage companies in England: pollution incident report for 2016 to 2024.
Serious pollution incidents caused by water and sewerage companies, 2020 to 2024
| Year | Serious incidents per year |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 75 |
| 2023 | 47 |
| 2022 | 44 |
| 2021 | 62 |
| 2020 | 44 |
Pollution incidents from agricultural activities
In 2024, farming activities caused 74 serious pollution incidents, increasing from 53 in 2023. Only 1 of these incidents was caused by an activity we regulate under EPR. Of the 74 incidents, 67 were serious incidents to the water environment, 12 had a significant impact on land and 3 had a significant impact to air. Of the incidents to water:
-
dairy farming caused 46
-
arable and other farming caused 21
A further 641 less serious (category 3) incidents were caused by farming in 2024.
The number of dairy farms in England has decreased from 8,066 in 2015 to 5,878 in 2024. However, we have seen an upward trend in the number of serious pollution incidents caused by the sector since 2019. Looking at 5-year moving averages helps to smooth out variations which may be due to external factors such as particularly wet or dry years. The 5-year moving average has increased since 2022.
Serious pollution incidents caused by dairy farming, 2020 to 2024
| Year | Serious incidents per year | 5-year moving average of serious incidents |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 48 | 33 |
| 2023 | 36 | 28 |
| 2022 | 31 | 27 |
| 2021 | 27 | 29 |
| 2020 | 25 | 31 |
The sector still has problems with the storage of silage and slurries. 92% of the dairy incidents in 2024 involved silage or slurry, most of which were due to failing storage infrastructure for slurry and silage liquor and spreading activities. Alongside advice and guidance and our full range of enforcement powers, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra’s) Slurry Infrastructure Grant is aiding some farmers in improving slurry management.
Pollution incidents from waste management activities
We recorded 146 serious pollution incidents from waste management activities in 2024. This is an increase of 57% compared with 93 incidents in 2023. The 5-year moving average of pollution incidents from waste management activities has increased every year since 2020.
The landfill and deposit for recovery sector caused the most waste management serious pollution incidents in 2024, with 76 incidents. Of these, 63 (83%) were odour pollution related. Just 6 individual sites caused 51 of these incidents, with 1 site responsible for 15 incidents.
As in 2023, the Walleys Quarry landfill site in Newcastle under Lyme was responsible for the highest number of incidents in 2024 (15 incidents). After exhausting other enforcement options, we issued a closure notice to the site on 28 November 2024.
We continue to provide additional training and guidance to our staff who regulate and respond to odour incidents. We are also developing training that will specifically cover odour pollution from the landfill and deposit for recovery sector.
The number of serious incidents caused by waste treatment sector activities increased from 50 in 2023 to 58 in 2024. Of these 58 incidents, 42 caused pollution in form of amenity impact. 17 incidents were noise related, 13 were odour related, 8 were related to smoke, 4 were related to dust and 1 was related to flies.
A further 787 less serious (category 3) incidents were caused by waste management activities in 2024.
Serious pollution incidents caused by waste management activities, 2020 to 2024
| Year | Waste treatment | Biowaste | Landfill and deposit for recovery | Other waste activities | Total incidents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 58 | 11 | 76 | 1 | 146 |
| 2023 | 50 | 15 | 26 | 2 | 93 |
| 2022 | 66 | 16 | 17 | 2 | 101 |
| 2021 | 50 | 19 | 26 | 2 | 97 |
| 2020 | 38 | 12 | 33 | 8 | 91 |
Pollution incidents from industrial sectors
In 2024, the remaining industrial sectors we regulate under EPR (that is, excluding waste, water and agriculture) caused 15 serious pollution incidents. This was 2% of all serious pollution incidents. The number of serious pollution incidents caused by these industrial sites has reduced from 33 in 2020.
The chemicals sector caused 10 serious incidents in 2024. We have seen increased poor performance in the chemicals sector and are working with the industry to identify the reasons and develop solutions.
We have done an in-depth, root cause analysis of environmental incidents in the food and drink sector from 2020 to 2025. We found that incidents often stemmed from systems and processes that were in place but weren’t used or followed. Other causes included ageing infrastructure, unclear responsibilities, and missed early warnings. It revealed sector-wide patterns that require more proactive, embedded controls with clearer accountability. We are working with the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) over the next year to share our finding more widely. This initiative reflects a joint effort led by us and operators to strengthen practices across the sector.
There were a further 20 serious pollution incidents in 2024 caused by industrial sites that we do not regulate, for example, in manufacturing and retail.
Serious pollution incidents caused by the industrial sectors we regulate under EPR (excluding waste, water and agriculture), 2020 to 2024
| Year | Chemicals | Food and drink | Power generation | Metals | Cement and minerals | Refineries and fuel | Mining and quarrying | Paper and textiles | Total incidents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 2023 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 27 |
| 2022 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 26 |
| 2021 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 |
| 2020 | 2 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 33 |
Odour and noise pollution incidents
Many of the industrial activities we regulate have the potential to cause odour and noise pollution. Odour pollution is a major cause of public concern, and both odour and noise can have significant negative effects on quality of life.
In 2024, we declared 88 serious odour pollution incidents, an increase of 63% from 2023.
Serious odour pollution incidents, 2020 to 2024
| Year | Biowaste treatment | Waste treatment (non-hazardous) | Landfill and deposit for recovery | Food and drink | Agriculture | Other sectors | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7 | 13 | 63 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 88 |
| 2023 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 54 |
| 2022 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 48 |
| 2021 | 13 | 1 | 25 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 52 |
| 2020 | 5 | 3 | 32 | 17 | 8 | 1 | 66 |
We may receive multiple reports from members of the public about the same odour pollution incident. In 2024, we received about 45,500 reports of odour pollution, which is double the previous yearly average of around 22,500 reports per year. Of the 2024 odour pollution reports that we received, 99% could be attributed to specific Environment Agency regulated sites.
Odour pollution reports, 2020 to 2024
| Year | Odour pollution reports |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 45,378 |
| 2023 | 17,025 |
| 2022 | 26,259 |
| 2021 | 58,254 |
| 2020 | 20,730 |
The industrial sites that we regulate are required to have controls in place to prevent odour pollution, or where that isn’t possible, to minimise it.
In 2024, we identified 25 serious noise pollution incidents, a 46% decrease from 46 incidents in 2023. 2 individual sites were responsible for 64% of these incidents. It typically takes 3 years to fully resolve a serious noise case, which could mean that cases arising in 2020 to 2021 were in many instances resolved in 2023 to 2024.
Serious noise pollution incidents, 2020 to 2024
| Year | Waste treatment | Cement and minerals | Food and drink | Biowaste | Energy from waste | Agriculture | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 25 |
| 2023 | 30 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 46 |
| 2022 | 33 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 51 |
| 2021 | 30 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 50 |
| 2020 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 31 |
Control of major accidents and hazards
The Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Regulations aim to provide a high level of protection to people and the environment from major accidents. They apply where there are sufficient inventories of dangerous substances or activities to give rise to significant risks. We regulate COMAH establishments in England as a joint competent authority with either the Health and Safety Executive or the Office for Nuclear Regulation.
As lead for environmental protection, with a core aim of contributing to delivering sustainable development, our work focuses on environmental risk assessments and protection measures, containment systems, flood preparedness and adaptation to climate change. Using a range of options, from advice and guidance to more formal enforcement, we have secured improvements across many COMAH sites. We also ensure learning from national and international incidents is identified and embedded into our regulatory activities.
In the first decade of our regulation of COMAH establishments (from 1999), we were investigating 1 or more major accidents to the environment every year. In 2024, the environmental impacts of the few incidents that did occur at COMAH sites were prevented or controlled, so that no serious harm was caused to the environment.
There are 680 COMAH establishments in England. In 2024, we identified 470 sites (69%) as a priority for our regulation. These priority sites either have the potential to cause serious harm to the environment or were identified due to other site safety concerns such as climate change adaptation, which we lead on. During 2024, we delivered planned regulation at half of the COMAH sites in England. The remainder of our work involved unplanned investigation or enforcement activity.
Protecting water, land and biodiversity
Our water sampling and monitoring work helps to identify problems in the water environment and where we need to secure investment to make improvements. Part of this work also informs water body classifications; we are legally obliged to classify every water body in England every 6 years. The last full classification was in 2019, with the next in 2025.
In 2019, 16% of surface water bodies and 14% of rivers met the requirements of good ecological status under the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) Regulations. The classification is made up of several different assessed individual tests. Looking at those individual tests for surface waters, 79% met environmental quality standards. If any single assessed element fails to meet the appropriate standard, the water body overall is classed as not achieving good ecological status. In this assessment, 14% of lakes were at good ecological status, 19% of estuaries and 45% of assessed coastal waters.
Discharges from the water industry are the reason 36% of waterbodies fail to reach good ecological status. The majority are discharges the industry is permitted to make at the end of sewage treatment, but also includes permitted storm overflows, and non-permitted ‘dry weather sewage overflows’. Diffuse pollution from farming is the reason 40% of water bodies fail. And run-off from urban areas and transport routes causes 18% of our water bodies to fail. One waterbody may be affected by multiple reasons, for example, water industry and urban run-off.
We regulate the water industry and farming to protect and improve water, land and biodiversity. We also use strategic water resource management and partnership working.
We work with others to deliver Defra’s Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 for achieving clean and plentiful water. Working in partnership at catchment scale, restoring habitats to be more naturally functioning to improve the water environment overall and prevent flooding, secure supplies and create resilience to droughts. Our regulation supports nature-based solutions for creating water storage in the landscape, slowing water down, restoring peatlands and protecting wetlands.
Defra’s Outcome Indicator Framework describes environmental change relating to the 10 goals within the 25 Year Environment Plan. The B3 indicator takes a broad overview of the condition of the water environment.
Water and sewerage companies
We regulate the water industry, ensuring compliance with permits. There are 9 water and sewerage companies operating in England that provide both clean (drinking) water and wastewater (sewerage) services. There are also 7 water companies that provide clean (drinking) water services only. We regulate and work in partnership with all companies to ensure they protect and improve the environment, monitoring their environmental performance throughout the year.
In October 2025, we published our annual report on the Environmental performance of the water and sewerage companies in 2024. In our Environmental Performance Assessment (EPA), 1 of the 9 water and sewerage companies was rated as poor performing, 7 were rated as requiring improvement (2 stars) and 1 was rated as industry leading (4 stars). Collectively the sector achieved a total of 19 stars out of a maximum of 36, down from 25 in 2023 and the lowest since the EPA process began in 2011. We have tightened the criteria in many ways since 2011 to meet rising expectations for performance. But the 2024 results bring to an end a steady trend of improvement based on consistent criteria for star ratings 2011 to 2024.
Combined storm overflows
Combined storm overflows (CSOs) are part of the combined sewerage system. They are designed to discharge sewage to rivers or the sea at times when the volume of rainfall and/or snow melt exceeds the sewer system capacity. This prevents it backing up into homes or streets. Their use has increased as climate change has led to greater rainfall in shorter bursts, and water infrastructure has not kept up with population growth.
The permits we issue to water companies legally oblige them to report event duration monitoring (EDM) data. This allows us to consistently monitor how often and for how long companies use their storm overflows. We use the data to underpin our planning, compliance, and enforcement work. The government target of having all storm overflows in England monitored at the end of 2023 was met. In 2024, there were 14,254 active storm overflows in England.
The number of monitored spill events, 2020 to 2024
| Year | Number of monitored spill events |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 450,398 |
| 2023 | 464,056 |
| 2022 | 301,091 |
| 2021 | 372,533 |
| 2020 | 403,375 |
In 2024, there was a 3% decrease in the number of sewage spills compared with 2023, from 464,056 to 450,398. Although the total number of spill events decreased, the total duration of these spill events increased from 3,606,170 hours in 2023 to 3,614,428 hours in 2024.
Also in 2024:
- the average number of spills per storm overflow was 32, compared with 33 in 2023
- 6.5% of storm overflows spilled more than 100 times, compared to 7.4% in 2023
- 12.5% of storm overflows did not spill at all, compared to 13.9% in 2023
This year, we published guidance to ensure all water companies identify dry day spills consistently and report them to us as incidents. These spills are identified by analysing EDM data and rainfall data. From January 2026, these incidents will be counted in our EPA of water and sewerage companies. Through this work we have identified that storm overflows are spilling too often on dry days, highlighting issues in the management of these assets and networks.
We have also reviewed our duties under Urban Wastewater Treatment Regulations to limit pollution. We worked with Defra, Ofwat, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) and water companies to update the Storm Overflow Assessment Framework (SOAF). SOAF guides how Water Companies apply the “best technical knowledge not entailing excessive costs” (BTKNEEC) when designing and maintaining sewer networks.
The next 5 years will see a £11 billion investment in storm overflows. This will see about 2,500 storm overflows improved to meet storm overflow discharge reduction plans targets, 6,000 investigated to inform future improvement work, and continuous water quality monitoring to better understand the impact of storm overflows.
Pollution loads from sewage treatment works
The main pollutants in water arising from water company discharges that are permitted within limits include phosphorus, ammonia, and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD, a measure of organic pollution). Environmental improvements made by water companies have resulted in large reductions in these pollutants from sewage treatment works discharged to rivers.
Measured loads discharged (thousand tonnes) to rivers from water company sewage treatment works in England and Wales, 1995 to 2024
| Year | Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) | Phosphorus | Ammonia |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 23.2 | 6.9 | 4.2 |
| 2020 | 20.3 | 8.3 | 4.2 |
| 2015 | 20.5 | 9.6 | 4.8 |
| 2010 | 21.2 | 11.2 | 5.3 |
| 2005 | 23.0 | 12.8 | 7.3 |
| 2000 | 29.3 | 22.9 | 9.8 |
| 1995 | 36.1 | 21.4 | 17.0 |
Our analysis of long-term trends in river quality shows that over the period 1990 to 2023:
- ammonia concentrations reduced by 85%
- BOD concentrations reduced by 46%
- orthophosphate concentrations reduced by 83%
Sewage sludge
Sewage sludge, a byproduct of the wastewater treatment process, can be treated and recycled to agricultural land as biosolids. In 2024, over 800,000 tonnes of biosolids were produced by water companies in England, with 93% reused to support soil and agriculture. On average, just 1.6% of the UK’s agricultural land area receives biosolids each year.
Anti-microbial agents and a wide range of chemicals have been found in biosolids, including poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and pharmaceuticals. In addition, up to 99% of microplastics travelling through wastewater treatment works end up in biosolids.
We remain committed to the safe and sustainable use of sludge in agriculture, ensuring water companies can support productive farming while meeting their environmental responsibilities to protect waterways and groundwater and promote soil health. We are working closely with Defra to strengthen the regulatory framework, and where there is evidence of environmental harm, we will take appropriate action.
Agriculture
The agriculture sector is made up of around 100,000 premises covering 70% of the land in England. It is one of the most significant influences on water quality and water-dependent ecosystems. The main pollutants from farming are:
-
nutrients (phosphorus and nitrate)
-
chemicals including pesticides, veterinary medicines, and emerging chemicals
-
faecal bacteria and pathogens
-
soil run-off from fields
We work with farmers to secure environmental improvements and improve compliance with environmental regulations such as:
- the Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil storage regulations (The Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Silage, slurry and agricultural fuel oil (England) Regulations 2010)
- Farming Rules for Water (the Reduction and Prevention of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution (England) Regulations 2018)
- Nitrate Vulnerable Zones under the Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2015
- The Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989
We also regulate intensive pig and poultry farms and other activities, such as protecting groundwater, under the EPR. In 2024, 98% of these (1,298 permits) were in the highest compliance bands (A and B) with no or minor environmental effect. 0.8% of these (11 farms) were in band D or below, which could have significant or major environmental effect.
In 2024, there were 978 inspections of farms permitted under EPR – 426 undertaken by us, and 552 assurance scheme inspections by third party certification bodies. 94% of breaches identified were assessed as being lower risk (category 3 or 4). Where non-compliances were identified, around 80% resulted in advice and guidance, and around 20% resulted in a warning, formal caution or prosecution.
We carried out 4,767 targeted farm inspections at 4,348 non-permitted farms in 2024. This has increased from 4,675 inspections in 2023 and 3,471 in 2022 due to increased funding through the Agriculture Regulatory Taskforce programme.
Compliance at non-permitted farms, 2022 to 2024
| Year | Compliant with regulations assessed | Non-compliant |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2,346 | 2,421 |
| 2023 | 2,425 | 2,250 |
| 2022 | 1,770 | 1,701 |
From these inspections we found that 6,592 of 7,804 improvement actions had been completed (84%). At 51% of these farm inspections, we found non-compliance with environmental regulations. And at 46% of inspections we found non-compliance with at least one of the Farming Rules for Water. Failure to undertake current nutrient planning and soil tests was the most common reason for breach.
We continue to provide advice and guidance to support farmers to take steps to be compliant. But we will use our enforcement powers when advice is not taken or there is a risk of, or actual, environmental impact or deliberate offending. During 2024, we issued 806 enforcement actions from our inspections, primarily warning letters and site warnings.
We use evidence in our risk-based approach to targeting farm inspections. There are more than 100,000 farm holdings in England and we have identified the highest risk farms in the highest risk catchments. Our inspections focus on the sectors where we find the highest number of pollution incidents, for example dairy. We also target farms that pose the highest risks to European protected sites, nutrient neutrality catchments, and other protected areas.
Chemicals
Many chemical substances have the potential to cause harm in the environment. The likelihood of harm from a chemical is based on its hazardous properties and the level of exposure. Some substances, such as pesticides and biocides, are designed to be toxic to be effective in their application. Others may cause harm if safety guidelines and regulations are not followed. For some chemicals, new concerns have arisen since they were first marketed.
We have a responsibility to review the science and develop evidence of chemical risks and exposure. To support this, we commission a wide range of science and environmental monitoring. We identify risks from legacy chemical pollution and ongoing pollution, while developing evidence on future risks to advise government on UK and international policy.
We assess compliance and take enforcement action for chemical legislation. We work to ensure chemical risks are managed through multiple regulatory regimes, such as:
- the REACH Enforcement Regulations 2008
- the Persistent Organic Pollutants Regulations 2007
- the Environmental Protection (Disposal of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and other Dangerous Substances) (England and Wales) Regulations 2000
- the Control of Mercury (Enforcement) Regulations 2017
In 2019, no surface water bodies met the criteria for achieving good chemical status under the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) Regulations, compared with 97% passing in 2016. The reason for this large shift was the introduction of new, more accurate sampling and analysis methods, and the inclusion of extra substances identified as persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic, in the chemical quality assessment. We now assess 52 different chemicals. The use of many of these substances has already been restricted in the UK, while others are used every day in the home, and in industry. The substances that caused the most failures in 2019 were:
-
polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) used in electrics, foams and textiles
-
mercury from past industrial activity and current sources such as crematoria
-
perfluoroctanesulfonate (PFOS – one of the group of PFAS chemicals) used for its non-stick, water repellent and oil resistant characteristics, including in firefighting foams and textiles
The use of PBDEs, PFOS and mercury have already been restricted in the UK.
In 2019, 45% of groundwater bodies achieved good chemical status.
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
POPs are chemical substances that break down slowly in the environment. They are toxic to both humans and wildlife. We are the competent authority for their regulation under The Persistent Organic Pollutants Regulations 2007.
In 2024 to 2025 we conducted over 90 site inspections at facilities permitted to accept POPs waste. We:
- reviewed duty of care documentation
- ensured POPs waste was accurately described and managed
- confirmed that all waste containing POPs was incinerated, destroying the pollutants
As part of this work, we collaborated with local authorities to ensure the proper management of waste upholstered domestic seating (WUDS) containing POPs.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are a group of POPs. We regulate their decontamination and disposal under The Environmental Protection (Disposal of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and other Dangerous Substances) (England and Wales) Regulations 2000. We process registrations for equipment contaminated with PCBs annually. In 2024 to 2025 we:
- processed 49 applications
- completed 5 de-registrations
This leaves 44 registered holders of contaminated equipment in England. Following this registration period, we carried out risk profiling of registered PCB holders to identify possible non-compliances. We completed 8 compliance audits, 7 enforcement visits and 3 inspections and continue to identify and progress possible offences.
We also conducted information campaigns across 4 industrial sectors – theme parks, supermarkets, food and drink manufacture and storage, and water companies – to identify unregistered holders of contaminated equipment. The campaign succeeded in initiating new registrations.
From 31 December 2025 it will be an offence to hold equipment containing PCBs.
Mercury
We monitor and enforce the export, import and manufacture of certain products containing mercury under The Control of Mercury (Enforcement) Regulations 2017. The prevalence and dangers of skin-lightening creams containing mercury have become apparent in recent years, and we conducted a compliance monitoring exercise to investigate their manufacture and distribution.
In 2024 to 2025, we identified 4 offences for importing banned products into Great Britain and issued advice and guidance and warning letters as appropriate. We also issued advice and guidance to all identified sellers in Great Britain and shared their product and seller details with local Trading Standards officers.
We contacted our international partners through the Minamata Convention on mercury, and shared product information with countries of manufacture identified in our research.
We continue to analyse these products for mercury and conduct regular online monitoring to remove them from sale. In 2024 to 2025, we removed 165 listings of products believed to contain mercury.
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
PFAS are a large group of synthetic organofluorine chemicals that have been widely used in a range of industries since the 1940s. PFAS are often referred to as ‘forever chemicals’ due to their stability, their ability to resist chemical attack and high temperatures and their resistance to degradation. This persistence results in the potential for long-term exposure of people and wildlife. Some PFAS are designated as POPs. In 2023, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) working group upgraded perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) to a human carcinogen.
Several of the known PFAS are subject to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulations. Since the 2000s, we have increased monitoring and supported options to ban or highly restrict the use of specific PFAS chemicals.
We have been monitoring PFAS in surface and groundwaters since 2014. PFOS is one of the PFAS we monitor for in water bodies in England and it is ubiquitous. It is contributing to widespread failure of the chemical status in our rivers, and we need to understand what is driving this and do more to reduce levels. PFOS is included in the most recent update of water body classification in England.
Chemicals Investigation Programme (CIP)
The CIP has been running since 2010 and aims to better understand the occurrence, behaviour, and management of chemicals in the environment. The programme is co-ordinated by UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) and involves collaboration between water companies in England, Wales and Scotland, and the respective national regulators.
CIP has given us insights into chemicals present in wastewater treatment effluent, sewage sludge, groundwater and receiving water bodies. The fourth phase, CIP4, began sampling in April 2025 and will include monitoring over 300 chemicals and microplastics in groundwater, sewage sludge, wastewater treatment works’ influent and effluent, surface waters, fish, plants and sediment. CIP4 also incorporates marine sampling and the development of models to quantify the impacts of sewage works’ effluents on chemical concentrations in several estuaries. Sampling will complete in April 2027.
Prioritisation and Early Warning System (PEWS)
PEWS was developed by the Environment Agency to support delivery of objectives in the 25 Year Environment Plan. PEWS helps to identify emerging chemical issues and substances of concern so that effective intervention can be considered. This may be in relation to new chemicals, or to new understanding of the impacts of chemicals that have been in use for a long time.
The system allows us to screen nominated chemical substances using available hazard and environmental monitoring data. Nominations are generated from various sources including REACH registrations, our monitoring data, projects and priorities throughout the Environment Agency, and academic publications. Chemicals are then prioritised for further investigation if it is considered there is a sufficient level of risk to the environment and/or human health.
For some substances, the process identifies a need for further environmental monitoring to understand current concentrations and increase certainty in prioritisation. For substances where PEWS indicates the greatest potential environmental risk and where the Environment Agency has sufficient monitoring data and evidence, we carry out regulatory planning work to identify regulatory outcome gaps and potential interventions.
Bathing waters
We have been monitoring bathing water sites for bacteria such as E. coli and intestinal enterococci since the 1990s. The monitoring results can vary depending on weather, pollution from agricultural and urban sources, storm water overflows and other factors. The annual classifications look at the test results from the past 4 years to produce a classification of excellent, good, sufficient or poor. High-quality bathing waters have health and wellbeing benefits and boost local economies. In 2024, there were 60 million domestic day visits taken to the seaside in England, with visitors spending £3.3 billion on these trips.
Overall, 91.8% of bathing waters passed the required standards in 2024. This is lower than 95.7% in 2023. The percentage of waters meeting the highest standard, excellent, also dropped from 66.4% in 2023 to 64.2% in 2024. Although the percentage dropped, the actual number of bathing waters classified as excellent increased from 281 in 2023 to 289 in 2024. The number of poor bathing waters rose to the highest level since adopting the new classification system in 2015; 8.2% of all bathing waters in England. The 2024 classifications are discussed in more detail on our Environment Agency blog.
In 2024, 27 new bathing waters were designated – the biggest ever increase in new designations in a single year. This brings the total number of bathing waters in England to 451 and the highest number to date. Of these new sites, 12 were rivers. Rivers face a greater challenge to meet the bathing water standards than coastal locations, which benefit from the natural disinfection of salt-water as well as high levels of dispersion of pollutants.
In November and December 2024, Defra and the Welsh government consulted on proposals for reforming the Bathing Water Regulations 2013. The consultation received 1,528 responses and the government confirmed that the reform is going ahead. The changes include removing the fixed dates of bathing season, changes to designation criteria, expanding the definition of ‘bathers’ and introducing multiple monitoring points at bathing sites.
The Environment Agency’s Swimfo website provides detailed information on each bathing water and notifies bathers when pollution risk forecasts have been issued.
Drinking water protected areas
Drinking water protected areas are the rivers, lakes and groundwater that supply water for human consumption. We seek to protect drinking water supplies from pollution and ensure they are resilient to future pressures. Our report Drinking water protected areas: challenges for the water environment sets out current and future issues for drinking waters, with a review of current measures to address the challenges.
Many drinking water sources are ‘at risk’ of pollution from pesticides, nitrates from fertilisers, other chemicals and micro-organisms. Surface water drinking water protected areas are assessed on an ongoing basis, whereas groundwater drinking water protected areas are assessed on a cycle aligned to River Basin Management Plans.
In 2024, 253 of the 438 surface water drinking water protected areas (58%) were ‘at risk’ of deterioration. This is a slight increase on 53% ‘at risk’ of deterioration from 2021 to 2023. The changes are a result of a thorough review in 2024 as part of the water company business planning process.
In 2019, the last year of assessment, 127 of the 271 groundwater drinking water protected areas (47%) were ‘at risk’ of deterioration and 71 were not meeting good chemical status.
Working with water companies, we identify safeguard zones around public water supplies where additional pollution control measures are needed. Safeguard zones focus pollution prevention and regulatory activity to protect drinking water quality.
Water abstraction and licensing
In 2022, levels of water abstraction from the environment were unsustainable in 27% of groundwater bodies and 15% of surface waters, reducing water levels and damaging wildlife.
Abstraction and impounding licensing in England is regulated through the Water Resources Act 1991, as amended by the Water Act 2003 and supporting regulations. Under this legislation any person who abstracts more than 20 cubic metres (m3) per day of water from the environment, or impounds water, may need a licence.
We grant licences to abstract (take) and impound (store) water. We include conditions on these licences to protect the environment and the rights of existing abstractors, such as water companies and farmers. We regulate around 20,500 abstraction and impounding licences that allow about 45 billion m3 of water to be taken from the environment every year. We check compliance with licence conditions by reviewing data submitted by licence holders, undertaking inspections, or by licence holders self-reporting breaches.
In 2024, we received abstraction returns from 86% of licence holders required to submit them. Of these returns, 92% were submitted digitally. The transition from paper returns has resulted in combined savings for businesses of around £255,000 per year.
In 2024, we inspected 3,147 abstraction and impounding licences (15% of all licences); 866 of these inspections were of all water company licences. We recorded 1,047 non-compliances against 706 abstraction licences (around 5% of all licences). Some licences had more than 1 non-compliance.
Most licence compliance breaches were recorded against agricultural (41%) and water industry (22%) licences. The water industry abstracts by far the most water from the environment, and agriculture has the greatest number of licences.
Number of licence compliance breaches per sector, 2024
| Number of licence compliance breaches | |
|---|---|
| Agriculture | 425 |
| Water company | 226 |
| Other | 130 |
| Tourism and leisure | 115 |
| Mining and mineral extraction | 56 |
| Fish farming | 34 |
| Hydropower | 27 |
| Domestic | 22 |
| Retail outlets | 12 |
The highest proportion of non-compliant licences were recorded for abstraction metering or measurement issues (31%), over abstraction (taking more water than the licence allowed – 16%) and not submitting a record of abstraction quantity (16%).
We categorise licence compliance breaches as having a major (category 1), significant (category 2), minor (category 3) or no (category 4) reasonably foreseeable impact on the environment or other abstractors.
In 2024 we classified:
- no category 1 breaches
- 19 (2%) category 2 breaches, the majority (50%) due to over abstraction
- 571 (55%) category 3 breaches
- 457 (44%) category 4 breaches, mainly due to records or metering non-compliance
While category 4 breaches do not have any impact on the environment or other abstractors, they do undermine our ability to ensure compliance and manage water resources. Unchecked, these could lead to more significant non-compliances in the future.
For more serious offences we can impose civil sanctions in the form of variable monetary penalties (VMPs). In 2024, we imposed a VMP on Ilchester Estates for over-abstraction. The amount was £19,778, and they also paid us costs of £8,299.
We are making changes to improve how we regulate water resources. We are reviewing our approach to licence compliance assessment and enforcement, including introducing new digital compliance systems, and reassessing our approach to regulating metering of water abstractions.
As climate pressures and demand for water grows, our strategic planning role is more vital than ever. In June, we published the National Framework for Water Resources 2025 to guide long-term water management. This updated framework sets out essential actions for a sustainable and resilient water future.
Our Restoring Sustainable Abstraction (RSA) programme, which began in 2008, identifies and rectifies instances where water is being taken from the environment at unsustainable levels, potentially causing harm to the environment. The programme focuses on reviewing existing abstraction licenses, potentially reducing or revoking them, and promoting more efficient and less harmful water usage. By the end of the 2024, our RSA programme was 94% complete. Under the programme, we have changed 372 abstraction licences to make them more sustainable, retaining about 58 billion litres of water a year in the environment. We are working with abstractors to complete the programme before the end of December 2027. The completed programme will have reviewed nearly 400 abstraction licences.
We work in close partnership with farmers and growers to help secure their water needs. This year, we have provided targeted support through guidance and practical options for those facing challenges with water access during the dry summer. In the short-term, where feasible, we enable flexible adjustments to abstraction licences. We encourage water rights trading between licence holders to improve access to available supplies. We also support long-term solutions that strengthen industry resilience. These include the formation of Water Abstractor Groups, which facilitate the sharing of water rights and the development of jointly owned infrastructure.
Since April 2022, some water abstraction licence holders have been able to opt-in to receive e-Alerts through the Manage your water abstraction licence service (MWAS). We rolled this out to all licence holders in 2024. These alerts are designed to provide quicker, targeted warnings of approaching restrictions that protect the environment and the rights of other water users. This enables licence holders to better prepare for any disruption and quickly start taking water again once river flows or groundwater levels have recovered.
In 2024, we sent more than 3,000 water abstraction email alerts, compared with 915 during the 2022 to 2023 financial year. Of these, 1,529 were ‘reduce’ or ‘stop’ alerts. Of all the alerts we sent in 2024, 79% were by email – reaching the customer instantly – and 21% were via post as letters. We have calculated that more timely water abstraction e-alerts provide an estimated benefit of £6.3 million each year to affected businesses. E-Alerts have also helped to improve our internal reporting, as they allow us to map alerts sent in near-real time.
Reservoir regulation
Reservoirs in England are regulated by the Reservoirs Act 1975. This sets stringent conditions for their operation to ensure high levels of safety. They are designed and operated to ensure the likelihood of failure is extremely low. Responsibility for ensuring the safety of reservoirs lies with their operators. Our job, as the regulator, is to ensure they comply with the legal safety requirements. We assess compliance at all 2,142 large, raised reservoirs in England. We use a range of enforcement options to address non-compliance.
In 2024, we:
- recorded 143 certificates after satisfactory completion of an inspection
- recorded 69 certificates showing that measures to be taken in the interests of safety had been satisfactorily completed
- served 63 enforcement notices: 2 for overdue measures in the interest of safety, 29 for failure to appoint a supervising engineer, 8 for failure to appoint an inspecting engineer and 10 for failure to appoint a construction engineer – 14 of these notices relate to powers of entry, so they may not be directly related to non-compliance
Reservoir compliance assessments, 2021 to 2024
| Year | Certificates recorded after satisfactory completion of an inspection | Certificates recorded showing that measures to be taken in the interests of safety had been satisfactorily completed | Enforcement notices served |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 143 | 69 | 63 |
| 2023 | 161 | 53 | 18 |
| 2022 | 147 | 113 | 9 |
| 2021 | 155 | 67 | 18 |
We are working on a Reservoir Safety Reform programme and update this webpage regularly with our progress.
Fishing and fisheries
Anyone 13 and over who fishes with a rod and line in freshwater in England must hold a valid Environment Agency rod licence. We reinvest rod licence income to directly support angling and fisheries across England by boosting fish stocks, enhancing fishery habitats, providing more safe places to fish, combatting illegal fishing and ensuring a sustainable future for fisheries.
In 2024 to 2025, we sold 934,000 fishing licences, which generated an income of £24.15 million. We also received £1.45 million grant-in-aid from central government. With this money we were able to work with 350 different project partners to:
- complete 10 fish pass solutions and remove 25 weirs and barriers
- improve habitats for fish on 675km of rivers and protect habitats for fish on 474km of rivers
- enhance 204 hectares of stillwater fisheries and created 22 hectares of stillwater habitat
We were also able to respond to fisheries incidents involving dead or dying fish, do fish stock surveys and supply and stock coarse fish.
We make sure anglers comply with regulations to protect fish stocks, such as during the close season. Unlicensed anglers can face fines of up to £2,500. In 2024 to 2025, our Fisheries Enforcement Officers checked over 60,000 licences, which led to 769 prosecutions and £132,095 in penalties. The average penalty received was £171.78.
An integral part of our enforcement activity is the Fisheries Enforcement Support Service provided by the Angling Trust. This includes the Voluntary Bailiff Service which operates across all of England with a total of 736 volunteers, as of 31 March 2025. In 2024 to 2025, voluntary bailiffs did 16,631 patrols and gave 43,705 volunteer hours on the bank.
Our annual fisheries report has more details on how we spend rod licence income to enhance and protect England’s fisheries.
Protecting air quality
Air pollution is caused by the combustion of fuels for heat and power, industrial and waste processes, manufacturing, transport, and agriculture.
Air quality has improved in England, but it continues to be the biggest environmental risk to public health, damaging the quality of life for many people. Children, the elderly, the already vulnerable and low-income communities are some of the most affected. Around 30,000 deaths per year in the UK are estimated to be attributed to air pollution, with an economic cost of £27 billion in the UK due to healthcare costs, productivity losses and reduced quality of life. When wider impacts such as dementia are accounted for, the economic cost may be as high as £50 billion.
Poor air quality also has significant effects on the natural environment and biodiversity. Sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and ammonia can contribute to acidification, while NOx and ammonia can also contribute to terrestrial eutrophication. The percentage of sensitive habitats areas in England where acid deposition exceeded the critical load, or the amount the ecosystem can tolerate without damage, reduced from 77% in 2003 to 67% in 2021. The area where nitrogen deposition exceeds the critical load for eutrophication has shown little or no change, from 100% in 2003 to 99% in 2021.
There are legally binding targets to reduce emissions of 5 damaging air pollutants by 2030. They apply to NOx, SOx, particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 microns (PM2.5), ammonia, and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs). Under the Environment Act 2021, there were also two legally binding long term targets to help drive reductions in exposure to PM2.5 and reduce concentrations in the worst PM2.5 hotspots across the country. These reductions are for ambient air quality across England and not just from emissions from the industrial sites we regulate. Most emissions of damaging air pollutants are produced by sources that we do not regulate under EPR, such as transport and domestic wood burning.
Emissions to air from the activities we regulate
We regulate emissions to air through the EPR. Operators of installations regulated under EPR are required to record and submit details of their emissions to us each year through a process known as the Pollution Inventory.
We work with government, local authorities and the industries we regulate to implement the Clean Air Strategy and further reduce emissions to air. The Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 sets out the actions we are taking to build on this and make further progress for our health and environment.
We have a statutory obligation to review environmental permits periodically to check that they reflect the latest regulations and environmental standards. We expect that tighter and more innovative emission control measures on operators introduced by these reviews will result in lower atmospheric emissions. The shut-down or process changes of some installations, in part driven by our increased regulatory requirements, also contribute to emission reductions.
It is possible to estimate the financial cost caused by the damage that certain air pollutants have on society. These include costs such as hospital admissions, retirement, time off work and also the loss of habitat. Using Defra damage costs we can estimate the value of the effect of changes in emissions from industry we regulate. Reductions in emissions from regulated sites between 2023 and 2024 of NOx, SOx and PM2.5 present reduced damage costs of an estimated £23 million, £43 million and £19 million respectively.
Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
Almost half of all NOx emissions in England come from transport, and nearly a third come from energy industries and industrial combustion. The businesses we regulate under EPR contribute just 14% of all NOx emissions in England. These emissions have dropped by 74% since 2010, and by 64% since 2015. There was a 4% decrease in NOx emissions from the industries we regulate between 2023 and 2024.
NOx emissions to air from sites with permits, 2020 to 2024 (thousand tonnes)
| Year | Combustion (power) | Incineration and energy recovery | Refineries and fuel | Cement and minerals | All other industry with permits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 19 | 18 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 61 |
| 2023 | 21 | 18 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 64 |
| 2022 | 25 | 17 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 68 |
| 2021 | 29 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 73 |
| 2020 | 30 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 82 |
Sulphur oxides (SOx)
Over half of SOx emissions in England come from energy industries and industrial combustion and processes. Almost a fifth come from residential, commercial, and public sector combustion. The businesses we regulate under EPR contribute around 33% of SOx emissions in England. Emissions of SOx from these industries have decreased by 89% since 2010, and 79% since 2015. There was a 10% decrease in SOx emissions from industries we regulate between 2023 and 2024.
SOx emissions to air from sites with permits, 2020 to 2024 (thousand tonnes)
| Year | Refineries and fuel | Cement and minerals | Metals (ferrous) | Combustion (power) | All other industry with permits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 23 |
| 2023 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 26 |
| 2022 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 29 |
| 2021 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 25 |
| 2020 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 34 |
PM10
PM10 is small particulate matter less than 10 micrometres in size, such as dust, smoke particles and pollens. The main sources of PM10 emissions in England are industrial combustion and processes (44%), transport (21%), residential, commercial, and public sector combustion (12%) and agriculture (12%).
The businesses we regulate under EPR contribute just 9% of all PM10 emissions in England. Most of this (63%) comes from intensive pig and poultry farming. PM10 emissions from the industries we regulate have decreased by 48% since 2010, and 50% since 2015. There was a 5% decrease in PM10 emissions from industries we regulate between 2023 and 2024.
PM10 emissions to air from sites with permits, 2020 to 2024 (thousand tonnes)
| Year | Intensive farming | Metals (ferrous) | Refineries and fuel | Combustion | All other industry | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5.1 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 8.0 |
| 2023 | 5.4 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 8.4 |
| 2022 | 5.6 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 9.5 |
| 2021 | 5.8 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 9.4 |
| 2020 | 6.1 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 10.2 |
Ammonia
Farming is the biggest source of ammonia emissions in England, contributing around 84% of total emissions. Farms not required to hold a permit under EPR emitted 94% of farming ammonia emissions in 2024.
The businesses that we regulate under EPR contribute about 6% of all ammonia emissions in England. Most of this comes from intensive pig and poultry farming. There was a 1% increase in ammonia emissions from intensive farming between 2023 and 2024. These emissions have decreased by 10% since 2010, and 12% since 2015.
Ammonia emissions are a major contributor to biodiversity loss. As well as affecting biodiversity, ammonia also creates PM2.5 in the air by reacting with other pollutants. This is known as secondary PM2.5, which can negatively affect air quality far from the original source.
Ammonia emissions to air from sites with permits, 2020 to 2024 (thousand tonnes)
| Year | Intensive farming | Chemicals | All other industry with permits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 9.4 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 11.0 |
| 2023 | 9.3 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 10.9 |
| 2022 | 9.7 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 11.3 |
| 2021 | 10.0 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 12.2 |
| 2020 | 10.4 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 12.9 |
Non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs)
Solvent processes are the largest source of NMVOC emissions in England, accounting for almost half of total emissions. These emissions come from both domestic and industrial solvent applications. Other sources of NMVOCs include agriculture and fugitive emissions from fuels.
The businesses we regulate under EPR contribute just 3% of all NMVOC emissions in England. Emissions of NMVOCs from these sites have decreased by 54% since 2010, and 43% since 2015. The refineries and fuel sites we regulate contribute 2% of the total NMVOC emissions in England.
Climate change
Rising temperatures, rising sea levels and changing rainfall patterns are reshaping our environment and bringing complex challenges. We are seeing more floods, increased pressure on water supplies and changing ecosystems.
We are responsible for:
- acting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and supporting net zero transition
- regulating low carbon and renewable energy schemes
- accounting for climate impacts across our environmental duties, to help businesses and people prepare for a changing climate.
The Industrial decarbonisation strategy sets out the government’s vision for a prosperous, low carbon UK industrial sector in 2050, with the Energy white paper detailing the changes required to make the transition to low carbon energy by 2050. The Environmental Improvement Plan commits to improving the overall regulatory framework for UK businesses.
New technologies and industries, such as small modular nuclear reactors, carbon capture and hydrogen production require changes in the way we regulate to protect the environment and people. The role of regulation in enabling net zero is to provide a framework that ensures natural resource constraints are understood and industry is provided with a level playing field and regulatory certainty.
We administer several industrial decarbonisation schemes, including energy efficiency and emissions trading schemes.
Climate change adaptation
We continue to strengthen our regulatory approach to climate resilience by embedding climate adaptation across our statutory functions. In response to the increasing frequency and severity of climate-related hazards, we are integrating climate risk considerations into environmental permitting, compliance, and enforcement activities. This ensures that regulatory decisions are informed by future climate scenarios, enabling long-term protection of people, property, and the natural environment.
As part of our fourth round of adaptation reporting, we have prioritised actions that enhance the resilience of our regulatory frameworks. This includes reforming water abstraction licensing to reflect future water availability, incorporating climate projections into planning and permitting processes, and supporting nature-based solutions that deliver both environmental and climate resilience benefits. We continue to align our risk management practices with government guidance and work collaboratively across sectors to ensure a consistent and effective regulatory response to climate change.
We continue to see increasing climate threats to those we regulate, making it more difficult for them to prevent and mitigate accidents and comply with the environmental and safety legislation we regulate.
We are working with businesses and operators that hold EPR permits to maintain or improve compliance with climate change adaptation requirements. In 2024, these operators should have completed initial assessments of climate change risks to and from their businesses. We are now following up with those who have not completed these assessments. We are also auditing sites to better understand how operators are embedding climate change adaptation into their site management systems.
We have continued to improve our guidance and regulatory approaches to support climate adaptation and resilience and undertake adaptation-focused inspections and audits. However, we cannot deliver the systemic improvements required for resilience on our own. We can only regulate where we have power to do so, mainly to ensure safety and environmental protection.
The Climate Change Committee estimates that unmitigated climate impacts could reduce UK economic output by 7% gross domestic product by 2050. Our risk assessment shows that investing in adaptation reduces risks from climate impacts. For example, for every £1 invested in flood defences, around £8 of damages are prevented.
We are working with the other COMAH competent authority regulators across the UK to identify and control new or changing risks associated with delivering net zero. We are also engaging with trade bodies through organisations such as the COMAH Strategic Forum and the Chemicals and Downstream Oil Industries Forum on net zero and climate change adaptation working groups. While there are many existing good practices that are relevant to addressing the challenges of delivering net zero and climate change adaptation, new and updated practices may still be needed.
We have also started a new inspection campaign, which will run from 2025, exploring how operators are maintaining safety in a changing climate, as outlined in this Operational Delivery Guide. The COMAH Competent Authorities publish inspection delivery guides so that operators can self-assess and improve, whether or not they receive an inspection from us on a specific topic.
Greenhouse gas emissions
UK greenhouse gas emissions were 50.4% lower in 2024 than in 1990. The UK is part of a leading group of nations that have achieved strong emissions reductions since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015. Reductions since 1990 have been mainly driven by the electricity supply sector, with smaller contributions from the industry, fuel supply, and waste sectors.
Emissions of greenhouse gases from the businesses we regulate under EPR are 54% lower than in 2010, and 41% lower than in 2015. The emissions from these sites contribute around 32% of greenhouse gases in England.
Greenhouse gas emissions, as global warming potential, to air from sites with permits (million tonnes CO2 equivalent), 2020 to 2024
| Year | Combustion (power) | Cement and minerals | Incineration and energy recovery | Refineries and fuel | All other industry | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 41.2 | 5.6 | 17.6 | 9.1 | 12.4 | 86.0 |
| 2023 | 43.2 | 5.9 | 16.8 | 9.3 | 13.4 | 88.6 |
| 2022 | 52.6 | 6.6 | 15.1 | 9.2 | 14.5 | 97.9 |
| 2021 | 54.0 | 6.7 | 11.6 | 9.3 | 11.6 | 93.1 |
| 2020 | 50.1 | 5.7 | 11.9 | 9.1 | 15.7 | 92.5 |
Methane
Reducing methane emissions is essential if the UK is to achieve its climate change targets and net zero by 2050. The UK Methane Memorandum details how UK methane emissions dropped by over 62% since 1990 and what more is being done to secure further progress. In 2022, the UK signed the Global Methane Pledge to collectively reduce global methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels. In 2023, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) agreement called on all countries to accelerate efforts to reduce methane emissions by 2030. Methane is a priority pollutant that requires capture and control for certain sectors we regulate, such as landfill sites and anaerobic digestors operating under EPR.
In April 2024, we published our methane action plan. The plan sets out how we will reduce methane emissions in England, focussing on improving data, maximising the effectiveness of our regulation, and working with others. We published the methane action plan to coincide with the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee inquiry on methane. The plan was discussed during the inquiry and also highlighted by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero at COP28, leading to increasing international awareness of our work.
Farming contributes 42% of methane emissions in England. The majority of this comes from the beef and dairy sectors that we do not regulate under EPR. Emissions from the intensive pig and poultry farming sites that are regulated under EPR contribute less than 1% of all methane emissions in England.
Methane emissions from the landfills we regulate under EPR have decreased by 62% since 2010, and 30% since 2020. The early reduction in emissions was largely due to the implementation of the Landfill Directive. This diverted biodegradable waste away from landfill and led to a reduction in the number of operational sites. As these sites were closed and capped, collection of landfill gas improved. We have also focussed our regulatory effort on improving landfill gas collection and minimising emissions at operational landfill sites.
In 2024, landfill sites that we permit (both operational and closed), collectively released 88,000 tonnes of methane to air. This accounts for 84% of all methane emissions reported from the sites we regulate, and about 7% of total methane emissions in England. This figure does not include methane emissions from older closed landfill sites that are permitted as waste operations because there isn’t a reporting requirement at these sites.
Methane emissions to air from sites with permits (thousand tonnes), 2020 to 2024
| Year | Landfill | All other industry with permits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 88 | 17 | 104 |
| 2023 | 100 | 14 | 114 |
| 2022 | 104 | 13 | 117 |
| 2021 | 112 | 15 | 127 |
| 2020 | 125 | 15 | 140 |
We have updated both internal and external guidance to improve the quality of data we receive and collect. In November 2024, we published updated pollution inventory reporting guidance to help provide an increased focus on methane emissions monitoring and reporting, which supports our international reporting requirements.
Energy efficiency and UK Emissions Trading Schemes (UK ETS)
There are several industrial decarbonisation schemes, including energy efficiency (EE) and emissions trading schemes (ETS), that we administer for the UK and regulate in England. The main goal of these schemes is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with a particular focus on carbon emissions. They cover the emission of over 160 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent from industry, businesses and the public sector. This is over 40% of the UK’s carbon emissions.
We regulate more than 10,000 organisations across these schemes in the UK and in 2024, successfully delivered compliance rates of 98% for the:
- UK ETS for installations
- UK ETS for aviation
For the non-ETS schemes we met our compliance targets and where relevant completed enforcement actions for non-compliant participants:
- Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA)
- Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (phase 2)
- Climate Change Agreements (CCA)
- Fluorinated greenhouse gases (F gas) and ozone-depleting substances
We issued 93 civil penalties totalling over £5.1 million for breaches of these climate change schemes in 2024. In 2024, the UK ETS installations operators that we regulate delivered a 11.1 million tonne reduction of CO2 compared to 2023. Using the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero 2024 carbon values, this equates to an estimated £2.8 billion in carbon cost savings. We are supporting government and the UK ETS Authority on the development and implementation of new schemes. In 2024, the government launched consultations on the implementation of the expansion of the UK ETS to include maritime emissions and waste from 2026.
In 2024, we prepared for the launch of the new Clean Heat Market Mechanism, which launched on 1 April 2025. The scheme sets a target for companies placing large numbers of gas and oil boilers on the UK market to also supply low carbon heating technologies for existing UK homes.
We work in partnership with His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Border Force to identify potential breaches of the F gas and ozone depleting substances (ODS) regulations and to bring importers into compliance. F gas and ODS are substances with a high global warming potential and can be hazardous to health. We received 2,286 referrals on imports during 2024 and cleared them for import. Our monitoring of online illegal sales has resulted in the taking down of 57 listings selling just under 1,154 tonnes of CO2 equivalent of prohibited substances.
Waste, resources and waste crime
The regulatory framework for the waste sector exists to protect the environment and human health and to provide a level playing field for a market in which legitimate businesses can operate and invest with confidence.
Waste reuse and recovery helps protect natural resources and reduce the need to dispose of material to landfill. Managing waste properly and tackling waste crime also contributes to a more circular economy where resources are used and reused, with minimal waste and pollution. This shift has environmental, financial, and social benefits.
We are the main regulator of waste management in England. The EPR provide the framework to regulate waste activities. We are responsible for:
- determining environmental permits
- the registration of exemptions for low-risk waste treatment
- the registration of waste carriers, brokers and dealers
- carrying out related inspection and other compliance assessment activities
We also work to prevent, disrupt and prosecute those who attempt to operate illegally outside the regulatory framework.
We network extensively with regulators worldwide on environmental regulation. We exchange best practices, intelligence, and gain insights into developments in legislation and regulatory approaches. This helps inform our domestic approach to regulation and supports a regulatory level playing field across Europe and beyond. It also supports trade on cross-border issues such as waste shipments and chemicals, tackling global environmental issues collectively.
We have developed a roadmap setting out our plans for international engagement over the next 3 years. This work supports the government’s ambition to strengthen relationships with European and wider international partners.
Waste management
Most waste produced in England is reused or used for energy generation, rather than sent to landfill. This means that there are a lot of sites storing, processing and treating wastes, often in or near communities. Risks of problems such as fires, odour and noise are common. Operators are expected to reduce these risks through the use of appropriate management plans. If problems persist, we use the enforcement and sanctioning options available to us to reduce environmental harm and the impact on local communities.
Waste management inputs (million tonnes) 2020 to 2024
| Year | Treatment | Transfer | Landfill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 97 | 46 | 38 |
| 2023 | 95 | 45 | 39 |
| 2022 | 96 | 43 | 40 |
| 2021 | 92 | 45 | 43 |
| 2020 | 87 | 46 | 40 |
Waste produced by regulated industry
In 2024, the total amount of waste produced by the industrial sites we regulate under EPR was 16.4 million tonnes. This is a 16% increase from 2023, and an 18% increase from 2015. Waste produced by the sites we regulate makes up around 9% of the total waste produced in England. Waste recovered by sites with permits was 77% in 2024. This has increased from 66% in 2015, and 74% in 2020.
The sectors producing the most waste in 2024 were:
- incineration and energy recovery, producing 4.3 million tonnes, of which 82% was recovered
- biowaste treatment, producing 4 million tonnes, of which 82% was recovered
- food and drink, producing 2.7 million tonnes, of which 89% was recovered
Waste produced by sites with permits, 2020 to 2024 (million tonnes)
| Year | Biowaste treatment | Chemicals | Incineration and energy recovery | Food and drink | Landfill | All other industry | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4.0 | 1.6 | 4.3 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 16.4 |
| 2023 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 4.1 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 14.1 |
| 2022 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 14.4 |
| 2021 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 3.9 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 3.1 | 15.2 |
| 2020 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 14.6 |
Packaging waste extended producer responsibilities
On 1 January 2025, new legislation, The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 came into force for producers. For reprocessors and exporters this will come into force on 1 January 2026.
This fundamental reform ensures that businesses that supply packaging to the UK market pay for the full waste management costs associated with the packaging that they supply. It’s an important step in driving forwards a circular and net-zero waste economy. It will create stronger financial incentives for producers to reduce the overall amount of packaging they use, and encourage them to design and use packaging that is easily re-usable or recyclable. We worked closely with Defra, the scheme administrator (Pack UK) and the devolved governments to develop and implement the new regulations.
As the regulator for the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging scheme (pEPR), we support producers to comply with new duties and ensure new and tougher producer responsibilities are implemented. This will result in minimising waste, promoting resource efficiency and reducing waste crime.
In 2024, in the run up to the regulation change, under the 2007 Packaging Waste Regulations, we put more resource into monitoring producers for compliance. We audited 176 in total, a third more than the previous year. This increase in producer audits will continue under pEPR. We responded to over 800 technical queries, providing essential guidance and regulatory advice to industry. In addition, we reviewed producer data on thousands of tonnes of packaging to ensure the new reporting obligations were complied with.
We work to tackle waste crime and free riders (market operators who evade legal obligations and exploit the system to avoid fees) by gathering intelligence to identify unregistered producers and detect fraud. Where non-compliance was identified, we took enforcement action in line with our enforcement and sanctions policy. Between October 2024 and March 2025 our teams investigated and brought into compliance 1,787 suspected free-riders. During 2024, our interventions disrupted around 110,000 tonnes of waste with an estimated packaging recycling note (PRN) value of over £14 million.
In 2024 we received 409 applications for accreditation from waste reprocessors and exporters. After checking, processing and risk profiling, we accredited 356 compliant re-processors and exporters. We refused 33 accreditation applications, ensuring that only compliant operators can handle PRNs and PERNs. Through our compliance work, we also suspended and cancelled 34 existing accreditations.
We accepted 23 enforcement undertakings from packaging producers in 2024. This resulted in over £1 million in financial contributions to environmental projects. The top 5 largest enforcement undertakings in 2024 totalled nearly £700,000.
Hazardous waste
Hazardous waste has the potential to cause serious environmental damage, and without effective regulation it can cause harm to people and wildlife. Our hazardous waste and waste classification regime works to ensure hazardous waste is managed in accordance with the Hazardous Waste (England & Wales) Regulations 2005. We do this by making sure that hazardous waste is described, moved and treated correctly.
Waste classification checks at waste sites, installations and producers ensure that hazardous waste is correctly classified. During the 2024 to 2025 financial year, we undertook 2,162 waste classification audits continuing the upward trend.
Waste classification audits, 2020 to 2021, to 2024 to 2025
| Number of waste classification audits | |
|---|---|
| 2024 to 2025 | 2,162 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 2,142 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 1,701 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 1,687 |
| 2020 to 2021 | 193 |
In 2024, there were over 7 million tonnes of hazardous waste moved, an increase from 6 million tonnes in 2023. Of this waste, 40% was sent for recovery, 20% was sent to waste transfer stations prior to recovery and 19% was sent for treatment. Over 770,000 tonnes (11%) of hazardous waste were sent to landfill in 2024. Other fates for hazardous waste include transfer for deposition and incineration with or without energy recovery.
The increase in hazardous waste movements is due largely to the work we’re doing to ensure hazardous waste is correctly identified and managed appropriately to reduce the risk to human health and the environment. The biggest increases in hazardous waste have come from the metal recycling and incineration sectors, which we prioritised for scrutiny. In addition to protecting the environment, dealing with misclassification enables these hazardous substances to be removed from system, which is vital for progression to a circular economy.
Following a misdescriptions evaluations audit in the Hazardous Waste regime, there will be a pilot to test the effectiveness of Fixed Penalty Notices from 1 October 2025. This pilot will focus on offences in 2 areas and will test the deterrent impact of an increase in sanctions as well as a more streamlined internal process to prioritise resource.
Waste exports
The Environmental Improvement Plan commits to strengthening the regulation of those controlling and transporting waste to require more background checks and to make it easier for regulators to take action against non-compliant operators.
Over the past 4 years, exports of notified waste, which is exported under stricter controls have increased. In 2024, 2.6 million tonnes of notified waste were exported from England, compared with 2.1 million tonnes in 2021. Imports of notified waste to England have been decreasing year on year from a peak of 282,000 tonnes in 2020 to 120,000 tonnes in 2024.
We carry out assessments of exporters that ship packaging waste subject to producer responsibility regulations. In 2024, over 3.5 million tonnes of this type of packaging waste were exported by accredited exporters in England. This is around the same as in 2023, and higher than the 3.2 million tonnes in 2022. We approved 6,780 applications from operators for overseas sites to receive packaging waste for reprocessing. We prevented fraud by rejecting 27 exporter accreditation applications. We removed 15 packaging waste exporter accreditations in 2024, compared with 8 in 2023. During 2024, 14 individuals were arrested and interviewed for waste export frauds.
High risk fire sites and abandoned sites
We are supporting the government’s ambitions for waste reduction by focusing our compliance work on poor performing waste management operators and directing resources to sites presenting a high fire risk or risk of abandonment. During the 2024 to 2025 financial year, there were 279 sites that were a high fire risk, abandoned or pre-abandoned. Of these sites, 159 (56%) were resolved at the end of the financial year, 115 (41%) were still active and 5 (2%) were re-opened.
High risk fire sites and abandoned sites, 2020 to 2021, to 2024 to 2025
| Year | High risk fire sites | High risk fire sites and abandoned sites | Abandoned sites | Pre-abandoned sites | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 to 2025 | 229 | 28 | 14 | 8 | 279 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 202 | 25 | 9 | 8 | 244 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 179 | 23 | 6 | 7 | 215 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 145 | 24 | 6 | 4 | 179 |
| 2020 to 2021 | 271 | 69 | 12 | 8 | 360 |
Waste crime
Waste crime covers a range of illegal activities, including dumping, exporting, or deliberately mis-describing waste. Waste crime affects the environment, local communities and legitimate businesses. It costs the economy and taxpayer an estimated £1 billion each year.
Our 2025 waste crime survey respondents estimated that, on average:
- 20% of all waste produced may be illegally managed – enough to fill Wembley stadium 35 times
- 20% of all waste operators are thought to engage in illegal activity
- 35% of waste crime is committed by organised crime groups
- only 27% of all waste crimes are reported to the Environment Agency
- 50% of the waste industry is affected by waste crime, causing financial costs in excess of an estimated £60 million across all survey respondents in the last 12 months
Since the last survey in 2023 we have launched our Economic Crime Unit. This has been an important step in responding to the changing nature of waste crime. It targets the money and assets behind offending and uses financial mechanisms to stop criminals, including organised crime groups, from operating.
Our National Waste Crime Surveys provide an insight into the scale and nature of waste crime in England, highlighting the damage that waste crime causes. The findings will be used to inform our strategic approach to eliminate waste crime by 2042.
Illegal waste sites
At the end of March 2025, we recorded 451 illegal waste sites as being active. The number of high-risk illegal waste sites was 176 at the end of March 2025, lower than our target of 180.
Illegal waste sites active at the end of the financial year, 2020 to 2021 to 2024 to 2025
| Year | All sites active at the end of the financial year | High risk sites active at the end of the financial year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 to 2025 | 451 | 176 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 344 | 164 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 407 | 174 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 419 | 188 |
| 2020 to 2021 | 470 | 197 |
New illegal waste sites found and illegal activity stopped, 2020 to 2021, to 2024 to 2025
| Year | New sites found | Illegal activity stopped |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 to 2025 | 749 | 743 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 427 | 462 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 443 | 482 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 445 | 561 |
| 2020 to 2021 | 621 | 722 |
Illegal dumping
In the financial year 2024 to 2025, we dealt with 98 incidents of illegal dumping that were within our remit.
Illegal dumping incidents within our remit and dealt with by us, 2020 to 2021, to 2024 to 2025
| Year | Illegal dumping incidents |
|---|---|
| 2024 to 2025 | 98 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 103 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 57 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 91 |
| 2020 to 2021 | 151 |
Illegal waste shipments
Businesses involved in the shipment of wastes must ensure that the waste they handle is managed in an environmentally sound manner throughout its shipment and recovery at the end destination. Waste is sometimes deliberately mis-described as recyclable material when it is not to circumvent legislative requirements.
We inspected 1,803 containers of waste in the financial year 2024 to 2025. Of these, 561 were stopped which, combined with our regulatory intervention at waste sites, prevented the illegal export of 79,713 tonnes of waste. The total estimated revenue to the UK economy from waste prevented and stopped at site was around £8.4 million.
We are working with HMRC to identify illegal waste exports using customs export data. This consists of live and historic data which make it easier for us to identify and stop exports made by waste operators without the required controls.
Illegal waste exports, 2020 to 2021, to 2024 to 2025
| Year | Number of containers stopped | Number of containers inspected |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 to 2025 | 561 | 1,803 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 320 | 2,772 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 490 | 1,556 |
| 2021 to 2022 | 260 | 1,390 |
| 2020 to 2021 | 176 | 1,719 |
Nuclear and radioactive substance activities
Radioactive substances have many beneficial uses including their use in medicine, industry and in low carbon power generation. We regulate radioactive substances by applying relevant legislation, government policy and international standards to protect people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionising radiation, now and in the future.
Nuclear
We regulate the disposal and discharge of radioactive wastes from the nuclear industry in England, as well as conventional activities on nuclear sites, which are covered in other sections of this report. We work with government and the nuclear industry, providing advice and guidance on the regulatory framework and opportunities to streamline regulation of the nuclear industry and new power stations.
We deliver risk-based regulation at nuclear sites across England. There are 17 companies in England that operate nuclear sites. These companies hold 31 radioactive substances activity environmental permits.
Radioactive substances regulation
Away from nuclear sites, radioactive substances are widely used by hospitals, universities and in industry. We regulate activities to do with the use and storage of radioactive material, the security of radioactive sources and the management and disposal of radioactive waste to make sure people and the environment are protected. We work closely with the National Counter Terrorism Security Office when regulating radioactive sources.
The use of radioactive substances is a developing area with increasing novel and innovative applications. We work to ensure the public and environment are protected while enabling the development of new techniques, for example to diagnose and treat cancer. As the security regulator, we work to ensure all sites meet the latest standards to protect radioactive sources. In addition to nuclear sites, there are over 1,000 radioactive substances activity environmental permits in England.
Regulation and enforcement
Non-compliance with radioactive substances activity environmental permits is split into four categories:
- category 1 has the potential for a major impact on human health or the environment
- category 2 has the potential for a significant impact
- category 3 has the potential for a minor impact
- category 4 has no potential impact, for example, failure to return information on time, as required by the permit
We recorded fewer non-compliances with permits in 2024 compared with 2023 but there were 2 category 2 non-compliances in 2024, 1 in nuclear and 1 in other radioactive substances regulation.
Non-compliance with radioactive substances activity environmental permits 2023 and 2024
| 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Category 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Category 3 | 125 | 93 |
| Category 4 | 119 | 82 |
Most non-compliances were recorded against an operator’s management system and submissions of reports and notifications to the Environment Agency.
We provided advice and guidance in most instances of minor non-compliances to help bring those sites back into compliance. We issued 50 warnings to sites in response to most of the more serious category 3 non-compliances found and are progressing enforcement action against the category 2 non-compliances.
New nuclear and fusion
The construction of new nuclear power stations and the development of new nuclear technologies forms part of the government’s strategy to ensure that we continue to have secure supplies of low carbon energy and to achieve net zero by 2050. In 2024, nuclear power stations provided just over 14% of total electricity generated in the UK. Just a single UK reactor (Sizewell B) is currently planned to be operating when the last of the Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor stations cease electricity generation in 2030, representing a significant reduction in stable, low carbon energy generation.
In 2024, we continued our generic design assessment of the UK Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor design and welcomed two new small modular reactor designs into our generic design assessment process; the Holtec SMR-300 and GE-Hitachi BWRX-300. We continued our regulation of the construction of the new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C and continued regulatory engagement with EDF on the Sizewell C development. Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C are each capable of meeting 7% of the UK’s future electricity needs.
In 2024, we continued providing advice to Great British Nuclear (now called Great British Energy – Nuclear) around two potential new nuclear projects at the Oldbury site in England and Wylfa in Wales. Great British Nuclear was set up by the government in 2023 to accelerate the development of new nuclear projects in the UK. We also continued to provide a nuclear assessment and regulation service to Natural Resources Wales, which means we will have an involvement alongside Natural Resources Wales for any nuclear projects in Wales.
In 2024, following the publication of the government’s Civil Nuclear Roadmap, we launched our joint Early Engagement process with the Office for Nuclear Regulation. This process is aimed at designs that may not be ready for other regulatory processes, such as Generic Design Assessment, due to lack of design maturity or organisation capability. The process is flexible with a variety of options including technical workshops and limited, targeted assessment. The purpose is to identify and provide feedback on the areas of highest regulatory risk. This is so designers and future operators can address these early, prior to entering processes such as Generic Design Assessment and permitting, therefore de-risking future deployment of the technology in England.
We continue to work with government to build our internal capacity and capability to enable ongoing development and potential deployment of advanced nuclear technologies. These include Small Modular Reactors and Advanced Modular Reactors. We have been supporting the government’s advanced modular reactor research, development and demonstration programme, engaging with industry and preparing to assess and regulate a potential High Temperature Gas Reactor demonstrator.
We are engaging in the government’s advanced fuel programme, building our capability to regulate a High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) industry. The UK government announced in 2024 that development of a HALEU supply chain in the UK was a priority to achieve energy security and an export opportunity. We have been engaging with current and future operators to ensure that regulatory risks are reduced and future projects are optimised.
We are working closely with government to review the regulatory framework for fusion to ensure that it enables the future deployment of a range of fusion energy technologies. We are building our capability by engagement with industry, other regulators such as the Health and Safety Executive and international partners including the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. In 2024, we led on work to engage with industry to gather views on regulatory processes. We are currently in early engagement with the UK government’s Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) fusion demonstrator plant to be built in West Burton, Nottinghamshire.
Radioactivity in the environment
Each year, the UK environment and food safety agencies collaborate on the monitoring and assessment of radioactivity in food and the environment, publishing the results in the Radioactivity in food and the environment (RIFE) report. This independent programme is an important part of our regulation and fulfils a vital reassurance role.
The most recent RIFE report, published in November 2024, presents data from 2023 and showed that there were no major changes in radioactivity levels, and that radiation exposure of the public from the permitted discharge of radioactive waste continued to be well below legal limits.
Disposal of radioactive waste
Together with the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), we continue to provide pre-application advice to Nuclear Waste Services’ Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) Programme. We have published our most recent annual report that summarises our work related to the geological disposal of radioactive waste. This is a joint report with the ONR.
We will jointly regulate a GDF with the ONR in a staged manner as described at Regulating the geological disposal of radioactive waste: environmental protection. As this is a first of a kind activity, we are preparing for the first stages of regulation and revising our guidance to the developer. We consulted on our revised guidance for authorisation and stated regulation of disposal facilities for solid radioactive waste in 2024 to 2025 as summarised in the Consultation summary: guidance on the requirements for authorisation and staged regulation for the disposal of solid radioactive waste.
We are independent of the siting process, but we do provide information to the public and other stakeholders on how we will regulate a GDF to protect people and the environment. There is more information on how we engage with stakeholders on GDF matters in the paper Environment Agency’s engagement plan for geological disposal.
We have received an application from Nuclear Restoration Services to vary its environmental permit for the Winfrith site to use low level radioactive demolition waste to backfill voids in the sub-surface structures of 2 research reactors. On site disposal of radioactive waste could offer a more sustainable way to decommission a nuclear site, after carefully balancing social, economic and environmental factors. We are in the process of determining the permit application to ensure it meets our guidance so we can ensure that people and the environment are protected.
Radiation incident management
Our role and responsibilities for radiation incident management are focussed on providing technical advice to our partners. For example, the impact of a release of radioactivity on water in the environment. As a radiation incident transitions from the emergency response phase to recovery, we:
- advise on aspects of environmental contamination
- work with our partners to identify feasible options for environmental remediation
- advise on the management and disposal of radioactive waste
In 2024, we planned, participated in, debriefed and embedded learning from 5 multi-agency nuclear emergency exercises designed to test the effectiveness of off-site nuclear emergency plans at sites around the UK.
During 2024, we also participated in the UK’s involvement in the Nuclear Energy Agency’s sixth International Nuclear Emergency Exercise (INEX-6). Building on the outcomes of previous exercises, INEX-6 focussed on the recovery phase, 1 year after a major radiological incident, with workshops in 2024 focused on health, food, remediation and waste management. Following INEX-6, we are working with Defra and UK partners to take forward the learning from the exercise through Defra’s Radiation Recovery Group work programme.