Environmental Better Regulation Act (Northern Ireland) 2016

Information, publicity and consultation

11.—(1) Enabling persons of any specified description (whether or not they are holders of permits or carrying on activities that are subject to registration or general environmental rules) to be required—

(a) to provide such information in such manner as is specified in the regulations; or

(b) to compile information on—

(i) emissions;

(ii) energy consumption and the efficiency with which energy is used; or

(iii) waste and the origin, nature, quantity, treatment, storage, transportation and destination of waste.

(2) Securing that—

(a) publicity is given to specified matters;

(b) regulators maintain registers of specified matters (but excepting information which under the regulations is, or is determined to be, commercially confidential and subject to any other exceptions specified in the regulations) that are open to public inspection free of charge;

(c) regulators publish, in a manner specified in the regulations, such registers; or

(d) copies of entries in such registers, or of specified documents, may be obtained by members of the public on payment of reasonable charges.

(3) Requiring or authorising regulators to carry out consultation in connection with the exercise of any of their functions (including consultation on any guidance they propose to issue in connection with the exercise of those functions), and providing for them to take into account representations made to them on consultation.

(4) Requiring or authorising regulators to hold, in specified circumstances and in a specified manner, a public local inquiry of a specified kind in connection with the exercise of any of their functions and providing for them to take into account representations made to them at that inquiry.