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Exemption from the Environmental Regulation or the Environmental Management Act

Published by:
Netherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO
Checked 26 Mar 2026
< 1 min read

Are you planning an activity that is not allowed under the Environmental Regulation or the Environmental Management Act? You are only allowed to do so in some cases. In such cases you have to apply for an environmental exemption to the provincial authorities.

Find out more or arrange now

at your municipality, province, or water authority

For some activities you have to apply for an environmental exemption to the provincial authorities.

For example if you want to:

  • dispose of industrial waste to someone without a permit
  • dispose of waste water or waste materials without complying with the conditions

Conditions for an environmental exemption

You can only apply for an exemption from the Environmental Regulation (Omgevingsverordening) or the Environmental Management Act (Wet Milieubeheer) if the rules on care for the physical environment disproportionally complicate the performance of the activities (in Dutch). The disadvantage for you must outweigh the importance of the rules.

Your province can impose additional requirements on the exemption. And the conditions also depend on your plans.

Applying for an environmental exemption

Go to the Environment and Planning Portal Omgevingsloket (in Dutch) to apply for the environmental exemption. In the Environment and Planning Portal you can see which rules apply in your municipality, province, or regional water authority. 

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Please contact the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO