The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has gone out to public consultation on its proposals for an interim charging scheme relating to the new integrated pollution prevention and control regulatory regime.

The Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 provides for the implementation of EC Directive 96/61 on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC). It paves the way for a single pollution control regime for Scotland and is intended to help industrial operators move towards greater environmental sustainability.

The detail of the new regulatory regime is set out in the draft Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations (PPC Regulations) which the Scottish Executive has issued for comment in its Consultation Paper on the Implementation of the IPPC Directive.

Under the PPC Regulations, SEPA will have an essential role in regulating specified types of activity. This will bring together a wide range of industrial operations, large landfill sites and some intensive agriculture activities currently regulated by SEPA under separate regulatory regimes.

It is intended that SEPA’s interim charging scheme will run from the date the PPC Regulations come into force until 31 March 2001. It will apply to any new activities starting up for the first time on or after 30 October 2000 and to existing installations which undergo a substantial change. The proposals, in line with the polluter pays principle, are aimed at ensuring that SEPA recovers the costs it will incur in regulating these activities.

SEPA’s scheme utilises the structures of the existing schemes for integrated pollution control, waste management licensing, and discharges to water. The consultation document describes the rationale behind the proposal to adopt an interim charging scheme.

Proposals for a long-term scheme will be the subject of a separate consultation process in 2000 and the suitability of this interim scheme will be taken into account at that time.

The deadline for comments on the Consultation is 29 October 1999 and should be sent to

Linda Watters
Scottish Executive
Environmental Protection Unit
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ

Copies of the consultation documents are available from:-

SEPA Public Affairs
Erskine Court
The Castle Business Park
Stirling
FK9 4TR

Tel. 01786 457700
Fax. 01786 448040

Note to Editors:

The charging scheme will be subject to the approval of Scottish Ministers.

It is intended that any interim charging scheme in place from the date the PPC regulations come into force to 31 March 2001 and will apply to:

(i) new installations from any relevant sector (i.e. those generally coming into operation after the date the Regulations come into force) requiring an integrated PPC permit;

(ii) existing installations which undergo a substantial change in operation and are therefore brought at least partially under PPC control ahead of planned transfer dates and any sectors phased in to PPC before 31 March 2001.

The number of installations from all sectors falling within the interim charging regime is estimated to be around 60.