Medium Combustion Plant Environmental Permits

If your business’ activities include the operation of a medium combustion plant (MCP), you may require an environmental permit as regulated under the Medium Combustion Plant Directive.  You are breaking the law if you operate without a permit when you should have one.  

Our experts can help you figure out if you need a permit and guide you through the application process.  

How to comply with the Medium Combustion Plant Directive

Operators of MCP’s need to: 

1. Hold a permit by the relevant deadline 

2. Comply with conditions within the permit 

3. Monitor emissions to demonstrate compliance to Emission Limit Values (ELVs) (MCPD stack testing) 

4. Keep records for a minimum of 6 years to demonstrate compliance 

5. Pay annual subsistence charge 

Applying for a Medium Combustion Plant permit 

To give you peace of mind that your business has the correct permits, our environmental consultants can identify the rated thermal input of your combustion plant to determine whether your business requires an mcpd permit and, if so, we will: 

• Prepare and submit application forms and supporting documentation 
• Liaise with the Environment Agency (EA) or regulatory authority on your behalf and attend site meetings 
• Carry out risk assessments 
• Prepare Environment Agency Pollution Inventory Reporting 

Our experience in applying for and obtaining various environmental permits provides us with the expertise to support and guide you through the entire application process. We can advise on the best way to demonstrate to the Environment Agency (EA) or regulatory authority that you have the correct policies and procedures in place to protect the environment and operate under the conditions of an environmental permit. 

Using our service delivered by a team of experienced environmental experts will ensure your business operates in line with regulatory requirements, allowing you to concentrate on your core activities. 

What is the deadline for having an MCPD Permit?

The date you need a permit depends on when you installed the plant. 

What is the Medium Combustion Plant Directive? 

The Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD, Directive 2015/2193/EU) is a European Union directive aimed at controlling emissions from medium-sized combustion plants. It focuses on reducing air particulate matter and pollutants such as nitrogen oxides(NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). It was transposed into UK legislation via the following amendments: 

• England and Wales: Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2018; 
• Northern Ireland: Pollution Prevention and Control (Industrial Emissions) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2018; and 
• Scotland: Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2017 

The amendments require that Medium Combustion Plants (MCPs), or plants with a rated thermal input greater than or equal to 1MWth and less than 50MWth, must be permitted in order to effectively: 

• Reduce harm to the environment; 
• Reduce harm to human health; and 
• Assist in meeting legally-binding emission reduction targets. 

What is a Medium Combustion Plant (MCP)? 

A medium combustion plant is any plant or equipment used to burn (combust) materials, with a rated thermal input between 1 and 50MWth. This includes: 

• Burning biomass waste (all other waste is covered by Waste Incineration Directive);  
• Specified generators; 
• Boilers; 
• Combined heat and power (CHP) systems; 
• Combustion plants under Chapter III and Chapter IV of the Industrial Emission Directive; 
• Waste incinerators and waste co-incinerators; 
• Combustion plants designed to purify waste gases; 
• Gas turbines; 
• Diesel engines; 
• Combustion plants designed for indoor heat provision; 
• Plants for drying, heating or other treatment of objects/materials; and 
• Mobile combustion plants. 

The EMS Group has partnered up with Shenton Group, the UK’s leading technical experts in standby power, uninterruptible power supplies, and combined heat and power systems. With Shenton’s extensive technical knowledge and EMS’ environmental skills and experience, this partnership will provide customers with peace of mind that they are fulfilling their compliance requirements.A particular area of focus will be the Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD). The MCPD requires all new and existing Medium Combustion Plants (including boilers, turbines, and engines) with a rated thermal input between 1MWth and 50MWth to have a permit in place by the relevant deadline.