You can now apply for environmental permits through the e-service at lupapiste.fi. You must first register with the service, after which you can submit permit applications and notifications related to environmental control.

All the most common permit issues, such as soil extraction permits, applications for exemption from connection to water supply and sewerage systems, noise notifications and notifications for manure storage in exceptional circumstances, are now easily handled through the service.

However, when applying for an environmental or soil permit, you must submit 1 paper copy of the application documents to the authority for inspection and archiving.

Environmental permit

Activities that pose a risk of pollution require a permit under the Environmental Protection Act. These activities include forestry, metal and chemical industries, energy production, large animal housing and fish farming.

The environmental permit may specify provisions on, for example, the scope of the activity, emissions and their reduction. A permit may be granted only if, among other things the activity must not cause damage to health or significant environmental damage pollution or risk thereof.

Registration procedure

The activities to be registered are energy production plants with a fuel capacity of less than 50 MW, liquid fuel distribution stations, asphalt plants, dry-cleaning plants and activities using organic solvents, as well as stationary concrete plants and concrete product plants, as listed in Annex 2 of the Environmental Protection Act.

Registration is a recording measure, which does not involve an administrative decision or the issuing of orders. The municipal environmental protection authority must register the activity within the time limit laid down above. Once registered, the activity may commence. The authority must notify the operator of the registration of the activity without delay.

Notification procedure

The general notification procedure under the Environmental Protection Act is a procedure similar to a permit procedure for certain, minor activities that have a minor impact on the environment. The activity the obligation to notify is laid down in Section 115a of the Environmental Protection Act and the activities subject to notification are listed in Annex 4 to the Act.

In the public domain under the notification procedure, the authority issues an appealable decision on the basis of the information in the notification submitted by the operator. The information to be notified is broadly similar to that in the application for an environmental permit the information required in the permit application.

Land use permit

The extraction of soil for purposes other than your own domestic use requires a permit under the Land Materials Act. In Loimaa, a permit is applied for from the Permit Division of the Environment Committee. The Permit Board decides on the granting of the permit and supervises the extraction within the municipality. The environmental conditions laid down in Section 3 of the Land Material Act must be taken into account when considering the permit. According to the Geological Resources Act, no extraction of geological resources may be carried out in such a way as to cause damage to the environment:

• spoiling a beautiful landscape
• the destruction of outstanding natural beauty or special natural features
• significant or widespread adverse changes in natural conditions; or
• endangering the water quality or yield of an important groundwater body or other groundwater body suitable for water supply purposes, unless a permit has been obtained in accordance with the Water Act.