Environmental Authorisations

This dataset holds information on the EPA's environmental authorisations.

The data is updated on a daily basis.

Under the Environment Protection Act 1993, the EPA administers 3 types of authorisations: licences, exemptions and works approvals.

Further information is available on the EPA website; https://www.epa.sa.gov.au/data_and_publications/environmental_authorisations_licences

What is a licence?

Certain types of industries and businesses need an EPA licence in order to operate. These range from large cement manufacturers, electricity generators and wastewater treatment plants to foundries, abattoirs and shipyards.

A full list of these industries can be found in Schedule 1 of the Environment Protection Act 1993 (EP Act) – ‘prescribed activities of environmental significance’.

A licence aims to control and minimise pollution and waste by setting conditions that the licensee must meet to minimise potential harm to the environment and people who live nearby.

What is an exemption?

Under certain circumstances an exemption is granted to allow a business to operate outside of the prescribed minimum standards under the Environment Protection Act 1993 and/or environment protection policies (referred to as EPPs).

An exemption might include a company being exempted from section 34 of the Act in relation to clause 15(1)(a) of the Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy 2015. In this example, the EPA may permit wastewater from fish processing activities to be discharged to the marine environment where this wastewater is otherwise prohibited from being discharged to sewer because of high salinity levels.

What is a works approval?

Under some circumstances a works approval is granted to allow a business to carry out construction, alteration or installation of a building, structure, plant or equipment to be used for a licensed activity.

A works approval is generally not required if the works have already been subject to the development assessment process under the Development Act 1993. In this circumstance the EPA may already have had the opportunity to provide comment or set conditions through powers conferred under the Development Act