Monitoring
SEPA monitors and reports on the state of Scotland’s
environment. We take thousands of samples every year from land,
water and air to help assess the quality of our environment.
This raw data needs to be turned into useful information, and we
complement our own activities with research commissioned from other
organisations.
As well as influencing our decisions, from strategy to
enforcement, information on environmental quality is reported to
our stakeholders through publications and our website.
See below to find out more about the specific parts of
Scotland's environment that SEPA monitors.
Air
Good air quality is essential for maintaining human health,
habitats, the climate and for achieving the goal of sustainable
development. SEPA monitors specific emissions to air from waste
sites and agricultural activities and reports on changes and
differences in air quality across the country. We also publish data
on over 120 airborne pollutants via the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory.
For more information, visit the Air section of this website.
Water
SEPA is responsible for monitoring Scottish groundwater,
wetlands, rivers, lochs, estuaries and coastal waters. We use this
information to identify where the environment is damaged by human
activities. We carry out classification of the water environment
and publish this information every year. We also monitor weather
forecasts, rainfall, river level data and, if necessary, issue
official flood warnings.
For more information, visit the Water section of this website.
Land
SEPA inspects and monitors industrial and agricultural
activities to prevent pollution to Scotland’s land. SEPA monitors
soil quality, which is important as it forms an essential part of
the carbon cycle.
For more information, visit the Land section of this website.
Waste
More than 85% of the waste produced in Scotland is sent directly
to landfill – a massive misuse of resources and a risk to the
quality of the environment. SEPA monitors the amount and type of
waste that is sent to landfill sites and also monitors business and
industry to ensure that waste is disposed of in accordance with the
conditions of waste management licences.
For more information, visit the Waste section of this website.
Radioactivity
SEPA’s main responsibility is to ensure that public exposure to
sources of radioactivity in food and the environment from
authorised discharges (eg nuclear power stations) does not go above
international limits.
In order to do this, we monitor levels of radioactivity in food
and the environment and identify people who are most likely to come
into contact with radioactivity from discharges. We arrange for
more than 1000 samples to be taken from around Scotland every year.
We are not responsible for public exposure to radiation from
natural sources or medical treatment.
SEPA has responsibility for managing Scottish interests in the
Radioactive Incident Monitoring Network (RIMNET). This system, set
up as a consequence of the Chernobyl accident, comprises 27 gamma
dose rate monitors located throughout Scotland with the aim of
providing an early response to nuclear accidents, both overseas and
closer to home.
For more information, visit the Radioactive substances section of this
website.