The purpose of the Integrated Pollution Prevention Control (IPPC) Directive is to "achieve integrated prevention and control of pollution" arising from the industrial activities listed in Annex I to the Directive, and to "prevent, or where that is not practicable, to reduce the emissions in the air, water and land including measures concerning waste, in order to achieve a high level of protection of the environment taken as a whole". The Directive will be implemented within the UK 30 October 1999 under the Pollution Prevention Control Act 1999.

The very concept of IPPC is very similar to the existing UK IPC system, and therefore, this Directive will have less impact within the UK than in other EU Member States. The difference is that some processes covered by LAPC are likely to be taken over by IPPC.