The Environment Agency (EA) has begun to proactively publish Compliance Assessment Report (CAR) forms for those they regulate under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 to the Public Register Online.
Previously, CAR forms were available upon request but not proactively published online. In Spring 2025, the EA launched the proactive publication of water discharge activity CAR forms and are now moving on to the second tranche, waste and installation permits.
Please note that this is a process change, not a regulatory change. CAR forms for permitted sites are public register information and have always been available for inspection upon request. The change is that they are now available online without having to request them.
The EA will publish forms written from 18 August 2025 onwards, with the first forms scheduled to go live from 29 September 2025 to allow for a holding period of 42 days between a form being written and its appearance online. This allows for possible appeals, in line with the EA’s regulatory appeals process. CAR forms written before the go-live date will not be placed online but will continue to be provided on request.
The EA cites increased transparency and a reduction in the volume of information requests EA staff must handle as two reasons for the change.
Other CAR forms will be added to the online public register in the future across all regulated sectors. Currently, the timeline for similar changes is as follows (subject to change):
- Spring 2025: Proactive publication of water discharge activity
- Summer 2025: Proactive publication of first tranche of waste and installations
- Winter 2025: Proactive publication of permitted intensive pig and poultry installations
- Spring 2026: Proactive publication of flood risk activity
- Summer 2026: Proactive publication of radioactive substances.
The EA say they will be contacting stakeholders as they progress through each stage to ensure that interested parties are informed at a relevant time, with the right information.
Any queries can be sent to the EA’s National Customer Contact Centre via [email protected].