Non-contact water (such as cooling water/boiler blow down) can be discharged in rivers subject to permission from the local sanitary inspector. Domestic law requires separation of sanitary waste-water and rain runoff. To discharge into public waterway, the local sanitary inspector must inspect the waste-water. Process waste-water must comply with existing regulations. Process water can probably be discharged into a river, subject to permission from the local sanitary inspector. Otherwise, process waste-water can be discharged into the sewers.
Industrial scale biomass wastes are composted in a local recycle center in Sauðárkrókur. Companies are responsible for bringing the biomass to the recycle center. Local contractors can provide containers and transport.
Solid waste is discharged in a landfill. Companies are responsible for their solid waste, and can lease containers and arrange with local contractors that handle solid waste. The waste disposal site in Skagafjörður is located at Reykjaströnd, in the outskirts of Sauðárkrókur.
Overall management of waste is in the hands of the Environmental and Food Agency. Local health committees issue operating licenses for the majority of enterprises and drainage systems in urban areas, while the Environmental and Food Agency is responsible for operating licenses for heavy industry and the treatment of waste. Operating licenses include requirements for pollution control. Industries must get operating permission from the local sanitary inspector. The company applying pays the cost of inspection.
All firms with emissions of greenhouse gasses in excess of 30.000 metric tons annually need special licenses from the environmental ministry of Iceland. Companies with lower emissions of greenhouse gasses as well as other gasses, can be obligated to draw a pollution distributional chart, in order to determine if the cummulative pollution from multiple factories will surpass the pollution regulations.