South Gloucestershire Council

The Environmental Information Regulations gives the public the right to access environmental information held by public authorities. ​

Environmental information is divided into:

• The state of the elements of the environment, such as air, water, soil, land, fauna (including human beings)
• Emissions and discharges, noise, energy, radiation, waste and other such substances
• Measures and activities such as policies, plans, and agreements affecting or likely to affect the state of the elements of the environment
• Reports, cost-benefit and economic analyses
• The state of human health and safety, contamination of the food chain
• Cultural sites and built structures (to the extent they may be affected by the state of the elements of the environment).If we receive a request for information relating to any of these areas, we are legally obliged to provide it usually within 20 working days. There are a number of exceptions to this rule – for example, if the information is likely to prejudice national security – and if this is the case, the public authority must explain why the exception applies.

  For further information on environmental information regulations, please see the Information Commissioner’s Officers website.