INTRODUCTION:
National Environmental Regulations are tools use to set standards in order to promote environmental governance towards attaining sustainable development. These tools also serve as instruments to address issues of environmental pollution, environmental degradation, climate change, among others.
With the emergence of new and trending environmental issues due to variety of human activities such as industrialization as well as natural causes like flood, have necessitated the need for relevant regulations to be reviewed periodically to accommodate and address them.
The National Environmental (Permitting and Licensing System) Regulations, 2009, S. I. No. 29 is among the eleven (11) National Environmental Regulations developed by the Agency in 2009. The Regulation (Permitting and Licensing Systems) seeks to control the activities of the regulated community in order to achieve statutory environmental target and outcomes such as improvement in air quality, environmental conservation and avoidance of exposure to waste, toxic and other hazardous substances, by issuing environmental permits to the Industries, Facilities, Businesses, among others.
These Environmental Permits which have significantly aided the Agency in achieving its mandate are categorized into 4 namely:
i. Air Quality Permit: Relating to issues on Industrial Emissions, Vehicular Emissions, Open Burning, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning equipment (RAC), and Noise;
ii. Waste and Toxic Substances Permit: Relating to issues on Waste Generation, Restricted Chemicals, Sludge Disposal and Effluent Discharge;
iii. Used Electrical and Electronic Equipment (UEEE) Permit: Relating to handling, import and export of UEEE; and
iv. Biodiversity Conservation Permit: Relating to issues on Assess to Genetic Resources.
OBJECTIVE:
The main objective of reviewing the National Environmental (Permitting and Licensing System) Regulations, 2009, S. I. No. 29 Regulation is to strengthen its provisions, by putting into consideration trending and emerging issues, as well as gaps identified in its implementation processes.