ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

The Environmental Protection Team consists of one Senior and one District Environmental Health Officer. There are a number of different areas of work that is dealt with within this section, including: - regulating and inspecting premises under PPC regulations. consultations on planning applications, dealing with noise, illegal dumping and burning complaints, smoke control areas, air quality etc. 

Meet the Team

Senior Environmental Health Officer  – Niall Currie

District Environmental Health Officer – Miss Sarah McMenamin

What we do

Investigate Noise Complaints

The section deals with over 360 complaints per year and we were the 4^th council in the NI statistic table in 2008/09 year for complaints received. The most common complaint received is in relation to barking dogs, and this has been the focus for noise action week in the past.

Further information on noise statistics can be found at www.doeni.gov.uk and www.noiseni.co.uk

Pollution Prevention and Control (NI) Regulations 2003 as amended

There are approximately 31 premises that are regulated and inspected under the above legislation. The types of premises the Council has enforcement responsibility for include, Cement Processes, Petrol/Service Station, Blood Processors, Dry Cleaners, Resprayering of Road Vehicle etc.

Planning Consultations

The section deals with approximately 240 planning applications per year. These range from simple applications such as single dwellings to more complex applications that have noise impact assessments and contaminated land reports attached.

Air Quality

Monitoring of NOx is undertaken in Craigavon. There are 12 sites throughout the borough with 5 sites in Portadown and 8 sites in Lurgan.

Smoke Control Areas

The Council has designated smoke control areas that include the whole of Craigavon and areas within Lurgan and Portadown. This means if your property is located within a Smoke Control Area you must not burn unauthorised fuel such as wood, turf or household coal. There is a list of authorised fuels that can be burnt within these areas, and this can be obtained from the department. Smoke Control forms a key part of the Local Air Quality Management system which is aimed at achieving air quality objectives.

Further information on approved appliances etc can be found on http://smokecontrol.defra.gov.uk

Other complaints

There are approximately 80 complaints a year in relation to various other issues that are dealt with by the Environmental Protection team. These include illegal dumping, fly tipping and burning complaints etc.

• Pollution Control Enforcement & Prosecution Policy (.pdf)

Contact for information:

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