The UK's implementation of the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) under the Kiev Protocol - Call for views

Overview

The UK has a publically available inventory of pollution from industrial sites and other specified sources. Known as the UK Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR), this is a searchable database providing information on the pollution from a wide range of industrial sites and for 91 pollutants dating back to 2007.

The UK’s PRTR can be accessed at the following weblink: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-pollutant-release-and-transfer-register-prtr-data-sets#. In essence the PRTR is an environmental database of potentially hazardous chemical substances and / or pollutants released to air, water and soil, and transferred off-site for treatment or disposal. It applies to specific industrial activities which meet or exceed stated pollutant thresholds. This means that an installation whose details are not shown on the PRTR is either not an industrial activity covered by PRTR or it has not reached the stated pollutant specific thresholds. Further detail on the applicable industrial activities, pollutants and thresholds can be accessed at the following weblink: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-pollutant-release-and-transfer-register-prtr-data-sets.

The United Kingdom (UK) is a signatory to the UN Kiev Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTR) which aims ‘to enhance public access to information through the establishment of coherent, nationwide PRTRs’. This international Protocol puts in place a legally binding requirement on the signatories to provide information on pollution sources to members of the public. The UK PRTR website and database are important milestones towards the UK Government’s ratification and implementation of the Kiev Protocol on PRTRs.

Parties to the Protocol are required to prepare a national implementation report which contains information on:

• The legislative, regulatory or other measures that have been taken to implement the provisions of the Kiev Protocol
• The practical implementation of these measures at the national and regional levels

The UK submitted an implementation report in 2014 which can be viewed at the following weblink: https://www.unece.org/env/pp/reports_trc_implementation_2014.html

Why your views matter

We are seeking views from interested organisations and individuals on the UK’s implementation of the Kiev Protocol on PRTR to inform the implementation report. We invite you to submit your thoughts and ideas with supporting evidence where possible, specifically on the questions provided. The Protocol has been included in the supporting documents so that it can be reviewed alongside the questions for additional context.

There are several ways to send us your views. You can either email them to control.pollution@defra.gsi.gov.uk or complete the online questionnaire on the call for views page. Responses must be submitted by 23.59 on 06 April 2017. This is to ensure the UK submits the implementation report to the United Nations on time.

When answering the questions please indicate with either a yes, no, or unsure response. You are welcome to provide additional information or supporting evidence to support your answer although we ask that you limit responses to 200 words per question.

What happens next

Once the call for views has closed all responses which have been submitted will be reviewed and considered fully for inclusion into the UK’s implementation report. We will provide a summary of responses which will be published within three months of the closure of the call for views. This document will provide an analysis of all responses received.