Newsroom | Releases/Statements | Archive | 1998 | 'SEPA Announces New Charging Scheme For 'Part B' Processes'

SEPA Announces New Charging Scheme for
'Part B' Processes

Issued on 4 May 1998 - Ref 18/98

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has announced new charges for Local Air Pollution Control in Scotland.

Earlier this year SEPA proposed to revise the scheme of fees and charges for processes which are regulated under Local Air Pollution Control (these are frequently referred to as ‘Part B’ processes). The sorts of businesses affected include smaller industrial operations such as vehicle re-spraying, roadstone coating, the manufacture of cement products as well as the unloading of petrol into stationary storage tanks at service stations.

The new charges more accurately reflect the actual costs incurred by SEPA in determining applications for authorisation and their subsequent enforcement. This is in line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle.

After public consultation, approval for the scheme was been given by The Secretary of State for Scotland, and the new scheme came into effect on 1 May 1998. Details of the new charges are given in the table below.

One new feature of the scheme, which was made in response to the consultation exercise, is a reduced application fee of £100 in the special case of processes, primarily timber processes, currently regulated by SEPA under Integrated Pollution Control ("Part A" processes) which after modification become Part B processes. This reduced fee is justified as little additional regulatory effort is required in considering the application for the modified process.

ENDS

Summary of Charges in the New Scheme

	New Charges from 1 May 1998
Application fee for an authorisation
All Part B processes except	£1,775
where the process comprises one or more waste oil burning appliances under 0.4MW	£175
where the process relates to the unloading of petrol into storage tanks at a service station	£300
where an IPC process is modified in such a way that it becomes a Part B process	£100
Annual subsistence charge
All Part B processes except	£800
where the process comprises one or more waste oil burning appliances under 0.4MW	£175
where the process relates to the unloading of petrol into storage tanks at a service station	£250
Variation of the conditions of the authorisation involving substantial change
All Part B processes except	£1,105
where the process comprises one or more waste oil burning appliances under 0.4MW	£110
where the process relates to the unloading of petrol into storage tanks at a service station	£110
where the change is to implement an agreed upgrading plan	£100

NB: As the new scheme comes into effect later than anticipated, the annual subsistence charge for the year beginning 1 April 1998 for existing Part B process will be based pro rata on the previous and new charging schemes. (1/12 times the old rate plus 11/12 times the new charge).

SEPA Press Office contacts

Press Officer: Maggie Hamilton. Tel: 01786 457724 Mobile 0370 686073
Head of Public Affairs: Monica Straughan. Tel: 01786 457723 Mobile 0421 942498

SEPA Head Office, Erskine Court, The Castle Business Park, STIRLING FK9 4TR
Tel: 01786 457700 Fax: 01786 448040

Contact SEPA Public Affairs at publicrelations@sepa.org.uk