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Intensive Agriculture

The Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Directive aims to reduce pollution from industrial activity by controlling emissions. Indoor pig keepers with more than 2000 finishing pig places (above 30 kg) or 750 sow places at a site are required to obtain a permit from the Environment Agency (EA) with an annual renewal charge.

The Directive, implemented through national regulation, requires permitted sites to adopt minimum standards of management practise and Best Available Techniques (BAT) for their production processes; this involves keeping records and regularly reviewing the use of raw materials, inputs such as animal feed, water and electricity, as well as using techniques such as housing systems and manure spreading equipment which minimise emissions produced.
During 2007, Pollution Prevention and Control Permits (PPC) were replaced by Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR) Permits. The format of the permits did not alter, although the application, variation and surrender forms did. The change was to enable standardisation across a number of permitting regimes regulated by the EA including PPC and Waste Management.

Blowing in the wind: IPPC explained http://www.bpex.org.uk/Article.aspx?ID=295708

IPPC Update: Important key information (May 2008)

EC Pollution prevention and control