The Ministry provides advice such as pre-planning and also authorises certain activities.  Application forms are available online and these can be downloaded, printed and submitted to the respective offices for further processing.

Please note that authorisation is required from the Ministry in case you want to cut down a tree, light a fire and to remove, transport or release any hazardous chemicals. The processing fee for such services are listed below.

1. Application to light a fire

You need a permit from the Environment Department to light a fire as stipulated under the Lighting of Fire Act.  Application form is available online or can collected at Forestry office located at Room 205 at the Aarti Building.  Fill in the form and attach all necessary documentation.  There is a processing fee SCR 100 per application.  The staffs will conduct a site visit prior to issuing you with a burning permit.

You can download your permit here

Please note that the Ministry will not process any application form when a fire ban is in force.

2. Application to fell a tree

Permission is required from the Ministry to fell a tree listed in the Schedule of the Breadfruit and other Trees Act.  The application form can be downloaded online or can be collected at Room 205 at the Aarti Building.  A fee of SCR 100 needs to be submitted to process your application.  The Ministry reserves the right to approve or reject your application.

A copy of the application form can be download from here

3. Authorisation to discharge effluent on Land and in any Watercourse

In line with the EPA, Authorisation is required from the Ministry to discharge any effluent on land or in the watercourse.  This include the release of effluent from Sewage treatment plant, industries or from any other treatment or processes.  Based on the quality and standards of the effluent, permission may be granted by the Environment Department to release the effluent either in the sea or in any neighbouring wetland or watercourse

The application form can be downloaded here and there is a processing fee of SCR 200.

4. Disposal of hazardous waste

Given that Seychelles is Party to the Basel and Stockholm Convention, you need permission from the Environment Department (the Designated Authority) to dispose off any hazardous waste. Hazardous waste is defined under the Environment Protection Act 2016. A person who is to dispose any hazardous waste must first contact the Environment Department. To fill in a Hazardous waste form, doaloaded here which is available at the Department… The original completed form must then be returned to the Department for further processing. Method of disposal will be stipulated by the Environment Department.

5. Transboundary movement of hazardous wasteunder Basel Convention

In view that Seychelles is party to the Basel Convention any transboundary movement of waste must be done with prior consent of the Competent Authority which is the Department of Environment.  Examples of such types of waste include car batteries, electronic waste, waste oil, aluminum cans and pets just to name a few.

You need to complete an application form and there is no processing fee. A copy of the form can be downloaded here.

i) Application for a permit to hold an activity on the beach

Authorisation is required from the Seychelles Police and the Environment Department to conduct certain activities such as Beach Extravaganza which include sports, night picnic and bonfire nights. In the event that the applicant would want to also install a temporary structure such as stall on the beach, a drawing of the structure needs to be submitted with their application.  Application can be made by filing in the application to hold an activity on the beach.  This should be submitted to the office of the Principal Secretary for Energy and Climate Change Department.

ii) Application for container

Permission is required for placing a container on your property or at any location apart from the Port Area.  The application can be made directly through a letter addressed to the Principal Secretary of the Environment Department.  In your application you need to state the size of the container, location where you will like permission to place the container, use of the container and also the time you intend to leave container at your site.

iii) Pre-planning Advice

Any member of the public can contact the Ministry in case they would like to have some pre-planning advice.  For example, if you have a plot of land and would like to have certain development, the Ministry can advise you accordingly.  You can make an application through a letter addressed to the Principal Secretary of the Environment Department.

iv) Application for blasting