The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is a powerful public body, which protects air, land and water from pollution. It also contributes to the government’s goal of sustainable development through its work on regulating industry.

SEPA regulates the discharges from industrial processes such as papermills, power stations, gas terminals, quarries, sewage works and fish farms. SEPA also regulates various aspects of the waste industry - movement, storage, treatment and disposal.

It enforces a range of legislation to protect the environment. This legislation has different standards and approaches depending on the activities and environmental media covered.

SEPA's work in Aberdeen, as well as the rest of Scotland, is overseen by the Agency Board as the responsible corporate governing body. The North Region Board, one of three regional boards, is advisory only and has no involvement in the determination of licence applications or decisions regarding enforcement action.

Both the meetings of the Agency Board and the North Region Board are open to the public and are advertised in the public notices section of the Press and Journal and other newspapers.

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FAQs. Still have questions about how SEPA determine applications? Click here .