Assessing site suitability is one of the most important procedures adopted by the CEA for non- prescribed activities under the EIA regulations. All proposed industrial activities which are going to be sited outside the industrial estates approved under part IV C of the National Environmental Act those which are provided with proper environmental infrastructure facilities such as common waste water treatment systems etc. are required to adopt and manage with environmentally sound pollution control measures before the operational stage.

Therefore all potential industrial sites or the establishment of new industrial activities which are not subject to EIA , particularly the small and Medium scale industries (SMIS) are advised to obtain environmental recommendation from the CEA for the proposed sites.

In considering the suitability, the proposed sites are evaluated in terms of its compatibility with respect to the zoning plans of relevant local Authorities surrounding land use, land availability for buffer zones, and the capacity of the area to receive additional pollution load and waste disposal requirements.

The main objective of the environmental recommendation procedure is to take adequate mitigatory measures in advance to abate or minimize the anticipated environment pollution arising from a proposed industrial activity.

The EPL is granted to the industries which conform to the standards stipulated by the CEA to mitigate pollution from existing industries i.e., which discharge, deposit their effluents/wastes to the environment or emit noise or gases to the environment.  But there are instances where some industrialists find difficulty to comply with the standards as they have located their industries in a haphazard manner without incorporating the mitigatory measures at the beginning.
In order to overcome this problem and control the possible pollution at the initial stage the Environmental Recommendation is granted by the CEA. This is beneficiary to both the CEA as well as the industrialists in various aspects. The CEA gets benefit by controlling the possible pollution at the initial stage and the industrialists gets the same if they adhere to the conditions stipulated in the Environmental Recommendation.

1. Obtaining an application from the CEA Head Office and CEA Provincial/District Offices
   
   
2. Submission of the duly filled application form to the CEA with relevant documents needed. (survey plan of the site, building plan if any, route sketch of the proposed site from the nearest town)
   
   
3. If the application form is duly filled and relevant documents submitted, a written request will be made to the applicant to pay the inspection fee. At present Minimum amount is Rs:3360/- and Maximum amount is Rs: 11200/-( with Government approved tax)
   
   
4. After the payment of the Inspection fee ,a field inspection will be carried out by a team of officers of the CEA
   
   
5. If the site could be recommended, issue of the Environmental Recommendation to the Municipal Commissioner /Chairman of the relevant Local Authority with conditions to mitigate the possible environmental pollution. A copy of the ER will be sent to the applicant and to any other organizations/firms if related.