The Environment Agency is minded to issue a permit variation for Powerfuel Portland Limited to change the permitted waste types that can be incinerated at their Portland facility.
A consultation on the permit application took place between 5th November 2025 and 18th December 2025, and approximately 685 comments were received.
The Environment Agency has carefully considered the documents provided by Portland Powerfuel Limited and explored several issues of concern, such as emissions to air, odour, noise and arrangements for the storage and handling of wastes.
The Environment Agency is now satisfied they have all the information needed and cannot find any reason to refuse this permit variation application and is minded to issue the permit variation.
This means that the Environment Agency thinks the draft permit is ready to be issued but will not make the final decision until they have considered all comments carefully.
A consultation has been launched so that the public can have their say on this draft decision.
The Environment Agency may only refuse a permit application if it does not meet one or more of the legal requirements under environmental legislation, including if it will cause significant harm to the environment or to human health.
If all the requirements are met, the Environment Agency is legally obliged to issue a permit.
The planning and permitting processes are separate from each other. A local authority can grant planning permission without an environmental permit in place, and the Environment Agency can grant a permit without planning permission having been provided.
An Environment Agency spokesperson said
We have considered all responses to our consultation carefully and are now minded to issue the permit variation.
At this stage, we can only refuse the permit variation if new evidence is brought to light showing the site will cause significant harm to the environment or human health.
We cannot consider planning issues such as the suitability of the location.
The consultation is open and runs until 31 July.
The draft variation notice and draft decision document can be viewed online on our Consultation Portal, Citizen Space.
Members of the public can send comments using Citizen Space, or by
Email pscpublicresponse@environment-agency.gov.uk
Post Environment Agency Permitting and Support Centre, Land Team, Quadrant 2, 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield, S9 4WF.
Comments must be received by 1159pm on 31 July 2026.
