4 Months Left For Large Plant To Comply With MCPD

Only four months left for existing sites, with combustion plant rated between 5MW and 50MW, to achieve compliance with their Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD) permits.

Based on MCPD transitional rules, these sites should have secured a permit by 1^st January 2024 and now have until 1^st January 2025 to comply with their permits. Compliance could include:

• Installation of abatement equipment to achieve emissions limit values;
• Reduction of operating hours to limit emissions concentrations;
• Fitting of test points to satisfy monitoring requirements;
• Reporting in line with legislative requirements;
• Notifying the EA of any change or breach.

Key Points to note:

• Under the MCPD, sites are classed as existing if the combustion plant was installed prior to 20^th December 2018;
• Existing sites with individual combustion plant rated between 1MW and 5MW don’t need a permit until 1^st January 2029. Operators should plan for works that may be required to achieve compliance by 1^st January 2030;
• New sites installed after 20^th December 2018 are required to have an MCPD permit in place before combustion plant is operated or commissioned;
• An MCPD permit is a legal requirement and the EA have the right to take enforcement action, including prosecution, for non-compliance.