Comply with a waste discharge authorization
Last updated on May 14, 2024Once you have an authorization, you must understand, maintain and comply with your conditions to ensure environmental compliance.
Ensure compliance with your authorization
Carefully review your authorization to understand all requirements.
You may need to:
You must comply with all terms and conditions of your authorization at all times.
Failure to do so is a non-compliance and could result in enforcement action.
Submit required reports
A required report may include, but is not limited to:
- Routine reports
- Monitoring data
- Assessments
- Management and operational plans
- Other authorization documents
Who has to submit required reports?
- Each authorization includes unique requirements
- Many authorizations require you to submit:
- Routine reports and data
- Site-specific documents, such as assessments, studies, plans, etc.
To learn more about submitting reports, deadlines and details to include:
- Check the specific regulation you're authorized under
- Check the authorization sent to you by ministry staff (if you were sent one)
How to submit
Step 1: Gather information
Check your authorization for details, expectations and other requirements for submissions.
For authorizations under a regulation, check the regulation for specific information.
Step 2: Submit
Review the Naming Conventions Guidance Document (PDF, 396KB) for details and instructions.
Reminders for submission:
- Only PDF and Excel file formats are accepted
- Data must be attached to an email and not put in the body of the email
- For documents larger than 50MB, submit via multiple emails and number the emails in the subject line
- For example: Email 1 of 5, 2 of 5, 3 of 5
- If naming conventions are not followed, it will not be accepted
Submit all reports and data to:
An email reply from the ministry will notify you that your email:
- Is accepted
- Needs to be resubmitted with corrections
Upload data to the Environmental Monitoring System
The Environmental Monitoring System (EMS) is a database for physical, chemical and biological data of air, water and soil analyses throughout the province.
Who has to upload environmental data to EMS?
If it's required by your authorization, you must upload discharge and receiving environment monitoring data directly in the EMS.
How to submit
Step 1: Gather information
Review your authorization to determine the parameters and monitoring frequency that's required.
Choose an accredited laboratory capable of working with the EMS database to perform data analyses.
Step 2: Upload data
Read the Step-by-Step Guide (PDF, 144KB) to upload data to EMS.
Reminders:
- Ensure data meets quality, accuracy and correctness standards
- Data must be uploaded by an accredited laboratory
The Environmental Monitoring System page provides detailed instructions on how to view and use data entered into EMS.
Submit annual status forms
An annual status form (ASF) is used to report your compliance status for all of your authorization requirements (Permit, Operational Certificate, etc. ) under the Environmental Management Act (EMA).
Learn how to submit an annual status form
Who must submit an ASF?
You're required to submit an ASF as an appendix to the annual report every year if your authorization states this is a requirement.
Who can complete the ASF?
Anyone designated by the authorization holder can complete the ASF form and sign it. It should be someone familiar with the site and operations.
For example, the environmental manager, technician, corporate officer, or consultant engineer.
How to submit
Step 1: Gather information
You need:
- A copy of your authorization
- Monitoring data from the last year
- All reports submitted as a requirement under your EMA authorization from the last year
Review:
- Example of Annual Status Form (PDF, 255KB) to understand what information and level of detail is required for the ASF form
Step 2: Complete ACSF form
Use the Annual Status Form Template (XLSM, 264KB) for instructions on how to fill out the form.
Reminders while completing the form:
- All authorization requirements should be included
- Requirement headings should not be included
- You must update the document to reflect the most current version of the authorization
- For example: after permit amendment
- If there's insufficient space for all the information you wish to include, additional pages can be appended to the form
- You should clearly note in the applicable section where additional information has been appended
Step 3: Submit
Review the Naming Conventions Guidance Document (PDF, 396KB) for details and instructions.
Reminders for submission:
- Only PDF and Excel file formats are accepted
- If naming conventions are not followed, it will not be accepted
Submit all forms and documents to:
An email reply from the ministry will notify you that:
- Your email is accepted, or
- If it needs to be resubmitted with corrections
Report a non-compliance
In the event of a non-compliance, authorization holders may need to submit a report to the ministry.
For example: an unauthorized bypass, malfunctions, toxicity test failures, or discharge exceedances.
If human health or the environment is actively being harmed
If a spill is occurring, please contact the 24-Hour Spill or Environmental Emergency Reporting line at 1-800-663-3456.
More information can be found at Report a Spill.
Once you've contacted the Spills line, you must also submit a report of non-compliance and follow the directions below.
How to submit a report of non-compliance
Review your authorization to determine if you have non-compliance reporting requirements.
If it's not a requirement of your authorization, you're still encouraged to self-report any non-compliance because it proves a willingness to comply and develops a compliance history.
If you fail to submit reports of non-compliance in accordance with your authorization, you're in non-compliance.
Ensuring environmental compliance is your responsibility.
Step 1: Gather information
It's best practice to report any non-compliance as soon as sufficient information is available.
The non-compliance report must include the following:
- Authorization number
- Legal name of the authorization holder, including ‘doing business as’ names
- Date of the event
- Description of the non-compliance
- If available:
- Test results
- Remedial action
- Explanation of most probable cause
Step 2: Submit
Read Compliance Report Email Template (PDF, 272KB)
Submit all reports and data to:
Reminders:
- In the subject line of the email, include:
- Authorization number
- Non-Compliance Report (NCR)
- Start date of non-compliance
- Description of non-compliance
- For example: 123456 NCR 20200101 TSS Exceedance
You'll receive an email stating your submission has been received.
Ministry staff may contact you to:
- Request further information
- Arrange an environmental compliance inspection
Prepare for an environmental compliance inspection
An environmental compliance inspection can occur at any time with and without notification.
It's your responsibility to learn how to prepare and what to expect if a compliance inspection occurs.
Pay annual fees and securities
You'll receive an invoice for annual discharge fees which are based on the Permit and Approval Fees and Charges Regulation.
Fees specific to:
For asphalt plants and wood waste landfills, you must submit your annual production data to PermitAdministration.VictoriaEPD@gov.bc.ca in order to calculate your annual fees.
Ensure your securities are up to date as agreed upon during the authorization process.
Need help?
If you have questions about how to maintain your authorization, our administration staff can help.