How to ask for environmental information (EIR)
Information about the environment, from pollution and emissions to planning and land, is requested under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, which give some stronger rights than the Freedom of Information Act.
What counts
Environmental information includes things like carbon emissions and the environment's effect on human health. You do not need to name the regulations in your request. 1
How to ask
You can ask for environmental information in writing, in person or by phone, and you do not need to give your name. 2
As well as public authorities, private or public companies with public responsibilities, such as water companies, must answer. 1
Deadline
The information must be made available as soon as possible and no later than 20 working days after the request is received. 3
A presumption in favour of disclosure
Regulation 12 says a public authority shall apply a presumption in favour of disclosure, and may only withhold information under an exception where the public interest in keeping it back outweighs the public interest in disclosing it. 3
Where the information is about emissions, an authority cannot refuse it under the exceptions in regulation 12(5)(d) to (g), which include commercial confidentiality. 3
Cost and 'manifestly unreasonable' requests
There is no fixed cost limit like the £450 and £600 limits for FOI. Instead an authority may refuse a request that is manifestly unreasonable, or too general (after first helping you to narrow it). 3
GOV.UK says an organisation can refuse an environmental request if it thinks the cost of getting the information is too high. 1
Asking them to think again
If you believe the authority has not followed the regulations, you can make representations in writing no later than 40 working days after the failure. The authority must consider them free of charge and tell you its decision, which under the regulations as made in 2004 is no later than 40 working days after it receives them. 3
After that, the same route applies as for FOI: a complaint to the Information Commissioner and then an appeal to the tribunal. 4
Sources
- gov.uk/api/content/make-a-freedom-of-information-request, read 4 November 2026 · saved copy
- gov.uk/make-a-freedom-of-information-request/how-to-make-an-foi-request, read 4 November 2026 · saved copy
- legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/3391/pdfs/uksi_20043391_en.pdf, read 4 November 2026 · saved copy
- gov.uk/information-rights-appeal-against-the-commissioners-decision, read 4 November 2026 · saved copy
More ways to hold power to account
- How to make a Freedom of Information request
- How to get the information an organisation holds about you
- If a public body refuses or ignores your request
- How to check what people in power have declared
- How to make a Freedom of Information request in Scotland
- How to see your council's papers and accounts
- Records you have a right to because of your role
- How to escalate a complaint about government
- How to challenge a public body's decision in court
- Who to blow the whistle to
- Public registers of power and money
This guide explains the rules; it is not legal advice. Report an error.