SEPA's 1996/97 Annual Report and Accounts was published in December 1997.
The Website version of the accounts are in PDF format. Printed copies of the report are available from SEPA Public Affairs.
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Contents
Annual Report
Report and Accounts
- Section 1 (PDF format 479KB)
Board Members and Professional Advisors
Foreword
Corporate Governance Matters
Statement of Board's and Chief Executive's Responsibilities
Auditors' Report
Income and Expenditure
Balance Sheet
Cash Flow Statement
Notes to the Accounts
- Section 2 (PDF format 53KB)
Appendix
Foreword by SEPA's Chairman
I was greatly honoured when, in 1995, I was asked by the Secretary of State for Scotland to become the first Chairman of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The establishment of SEPA as a result of the Environment Act 1995 was a milestone for environmental protection, providing Scotland for the first time with a single, powerful Agency responsible for pollution control and with sustainable development as its underlying principle.
Setting up a single organisation by merging, and expanding on, the work of 64 predecessor bodies was a considerable challenge, but as this Report shows we achieved a great deal in our first year. During the year, the Agency Board considered a wide range of significant environmental issues relating to controlling pollution to air, land and water. We also devoted time to developing our vision for the future, moving SEPA from being perceived purely as a regulatory organisation to one which is also recognised as a major force in influencing environmental improvement.
Credit for the achievements of SEPA’s first year must go to the many people who worked so hard during a time of great change. To my fellow Board members, members of our three Regional Boards and to all the staff of SEPA, without whose commitment and professionalism we could not have come so far, so quickly.
We have made much progress in improving the Scottish environment during the year, but the future beckons with ever greater challenges. SEPA accepts these challenges and will endeavour to remain at the forefront in making Scotland an even cleaner and better place in which to live.
Professor William Turmeau
Chairman
December 1997
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An Introduction by SEPA's Chief Executive
On 1 April 1996, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) faced two challenges: to establish itself as a new,powerful and integrated organisation and, simultaneously, to continue to provide Scotland with effective day-to-day pollution control systems.
With a budget of £29m and a total of 596 staff in offices throughout Scotland, SEPA was formed from 64 predecessor bodies with widely differing methods and financial procedures. There were real difficulties in establishing SEPA’s opening financial position for 1996/97 because of the lack of information, or verifiable information from predecessor bodies. A large amount of resource was devoted to ensuring that a new information system was installed and running in time for full financial control to be in place from 1 April 1997. This was achieved in record time.
During the year, operational planning was carried out on a net of VAT basis, in the expectation that VAT would be recovered. It transpired that this was not the case. As a result of this and other factors, including the need to invest heavily in premises to house the staff complement, SEPA ended the year 1996/97 with a substantial forward commitment to be met in 1997/98.
In spite of these initial difficulties, SEPA achieved a great deal during its first year of operation. We took up our duties in environmental regulation, enforcement and monitoring with vigour over a wide range of issues. Sampling, inspection and monitoring programmes for all environmental media were established. A key achievement for the organisation during 1996/97 was the formation of multi-disciplined pollution control and licensing teams.
In November 1996 we laid the foundations for future environmental improvements by publishing the 1996 State of the Environment Report, which was well received. SEPA also issued a draft National Waste Strategy for consultation in March 1997.
I would like to thank all SEPA staff for their dedication during a difficult but exciting first year.We will continue to build on this excellent beginning.
Alasdair C Paton
Chief Executive
December 1997
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Background, Aims and Objectives
Background
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) was established by the Environment Act 1995 and came into being on 12 October 1995. The Agency is a non-departmental public body which is responsible for the protection of the environment and is accountable to the Secretary of State for Scotland. It became fully operational on 1 April 1996 and took over duties and responsibilities from the following bodies:
- The seven river purification boards in Scotland and the river purification functions undertaken by the three Islands Councils.
- Her Majesty’s Industrial Pollution Inspectorate (HMIPI).
- The waste regulation and local air pollution functions of the District and Islands Councils.
- Many of the duties of the Hazardous Waste Inspectorate of the Scottish Office.
The Environment Act also gave SEPA several new duties and powers. These, along with the responsibilities which it inherited, provide for a new national, integrated approach to environmental protection.
This Annual Report covers the period12 October 1995 until 31 March 1996,during which the Agency was being set up, and the fiscal year to 31 March 1997, SEPA’s first year of regulatory operation. The Report describes SEPA’s functions and responsibilities together with a report of its activities during the year, including the detailed accounts of its finances. The final Annual Reports of the river purification boards, for the period 1995/96 were published by the Agency together with the relevant accounts in June 1997.
Aims, objectives and functions
The functions of the Agency relate to regulation, monitoring and the use of sound science to develop a full awareness of the state of Scotland’s environment. All of these are underpinned by the need to act in accordance with the Government’s overall environmental strategy. This is based on the 1990 white paper entitled ‘This Common Inheritance’ and the 1994 ‘UK Strategy for Sustainable Development’.
The Agency’s main aim has, therefore, been defined as:
‘to provide an efficient and integrated environmental protection system for Scotland which will both improve the environment and contribute to the Government’s goal of sustainable development.’
The Secretary of State for Scotland has set seven strategic objectives for the Agency in its management statement which underpin its operations. The Agency decided, in recognition of its wish to demonstrate its commitment to be a model employer, to add an eighth objective. These objectives are:
To adopt, across all its functions, an integrated approach to environmental protection and enhancement which considers impacts of substances and activities on all environmental media and on natural resources.
To work with all relevant sectors of society, including regulated organisations, to develop approaches which deliver environmental requirements and goals, without imposing excessive costs (in relation to benefits gained) on regulated organisations and society as a whole.
To adopt clear and effective procedures for serving its customers, including developing single points of contact through which regulated organisations can deal with the Agency.
To operate to high professional standards, based on sound science,information and analysis of the environment and of processes which affect it.
To organise its activities in ways which reflect good environmental and management practice and provide value for money for those who pay its charges and tax payers as a whole.
To provide clear and readily available advice and information on its work.
To develop a close and responsive relationship with the public, local authorities and other representatives and regulated organisations.
To act as a good employer, providing training and a challenging environment for employees to develop their potential.
Standards of service
SEPA is committed to providing an efficient, high quality public service which fully meets the Government’s Citizen’s Charter principles. It builds on the predecessor bodies’ firm commitment to providing a convenient, courteous and efficient service to its customers. The creation of the Agency has provided a major step forward in this by introducing single points of contact through which regulated organisations can deal with it.
During the period covered by this Report,standards of service delivery have been based on those operated by the Agency’s predecessor bodies. SEPA’s Service Charter, which rationalises these and sets out the standards of service which people can expect to receive in dealings with the Agency in future, is being prepared with a view to publication by the end of 1997.
Information and openness
SEPA is committed to conducting its business in a style which is open and responsive, and to listen. As an open and accountable organisation it also publishes a wide range of informative material. The standards which apply will be set out in the Service Charter which will also encompass the Agency’s Code on Openness. Systems will be put in place to monitor compliance and results will be reported. In the interim, a leaflet setting out the availability of information and access to it, can be obtained from SEPA offices and from the Agency’s Website (http://www.sepa.org.uk).
Since its vesting day on 1 April 1996, SEPA has produced a series of reports in its first year on different aspects of the environment. Several draft documents were put out to public consultation such as The draft National Waste Strategy. The Agency also organised several launches including The State of the Environment Report in November 1996. Public access to information is available from local offices as well as at the three regional headquarters through public registers covering Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) licensing, regulation and enforcement.
More than 75 press releases were issued and SEPA staff participated in numerous TV and radio programmes. SEPA’s Website has proved a great success and inquiries have been received from all over the world.
Internal environmental policy
SEPA recognises that it occupies an unique position in respect of care for the environment and is committed to integrating high standards of environmental responsibility into all of its operations. The Agency will seek to operate in a manner based on best environmental practice in achieving the goal of sustainable development. It will therefore aim to minimise the environmental impact of its own activities and demonstrate its commitment to sustainability. During its first year of operation it has put in place a number of procedures to underpin this commitment such as recycling arrangements and meeting energy efficiency criteria.
A formal policy covering all aspects of its operations was approved for publication by the Main Board on 11 March 1997 and will be introduced over the next year.
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The Structure and Development of SEPA
The Agency Board was appointed by the Secretary of State for Scotland and is comprised of a Chairman, a deputy Chairman and ten members, including the Chief Executive. The Board also appointed from its membership the Chairmen of the three Regional Boards and established an Audit Committee to ensure the effectiveness of SEPA’s internal financial control systems. The Board has specific responsibility for establishing the overall strategic direction of SEPA; ensuring high standards of corporate governance; overseeing the delivery of planned results and ensuring that SEPA operates sound environmental policies in relation to its own operations.
SEPA has three operational Regions, each with a Regional Board. Regional head-quarters are located at Dingwall, East Kilbride and Riccarton. Offices are sited at 21 locations throughout Scotland to enable operational delivery of services at a local level, and these provide a ‘one-door’ approach for all of SEPA’s services. The Agency’s head office is in Stirling where support and policy direction is provided centrally to ensure an even-handed approach across Scotland.
During its first year of operation SEPA was presented with the task of establishing a medium sized business at the same time as providing a full range of services without interruption from its 64 predecessor bodies. This was completed successfully and during 1996/97 SEPA:
- processed 1,800 applications for consents, authorisations and licences;
- reviewed 400 licences and authorisations;
- undertook 46,500 visits or inspections;
- investigated 8,000 complaints; and
- analysed nearly 71,000 samples in its laboratories.
Considerable time and effort was also spent in developing a foundation for a successful national agency, particularly in the areas of human resources and information technology.
Human Resources
SEPA produced a human resource strategy paper in August 1996 which outlined the organisation’s general approach to human resources and this has been used as the basis for all subsequent staffing initiatives. The strategy is based on the principles of:
- fair and equitable treatment of all staff;
- effective procedures that embody the strategic aims of the organisation;
- maintenance of appropriate best practice and compliance with current legislation;
- promotion of a culture that encourages personal and organisational growth and learning;
- promotion of a quality conscious culture which is customer focused; and
- provision of support to management in the recruitment and retention of quality staff.
From this base, the Agency’s personnel department has initiated a number of projects throughout the year which have been aimed at helping the organisation integrate into a cohesive unit. In the main the work of the department from vesting day has been undertaken with a two year timetable. Of these projects the main achievements have been:
Recruitment of new staff: Since vesting day over 270 members of staff have been recruited, joining those who transferred from SEPA’s predecessor bodies.
Introduction to SEPA training course: All SEPA staff have been involved in a two day workshop designed to help them understand the aims and objectives of the Agency and their contribution to these aims.
Job evaluation project: This project runs over two years and is aimed at creating a consistent platform for the relative sizing of all SEPA posts. One of the fundamental principles of the project is that all SEPA staff will be placed on a unified structure as a result of this exercise. This project is due for completion in December 1997.
Harmonisation of terms and conditions of employment: A two year project which will result in a unified and consistent set of employment conditions for all SEPA staff. This project is due for completion in March 1998.
Performance appraisal: The first SEPA performance appraisal scheme was introduced in January 1997. This scheme will be developed over the coming years and is designed to aid employees and their managers in the management of personal performance.
Personnel policy and procedures manual: This manual which contains the current policy documents on human resource issues has been issued to all line management within SEPA and is kept up-to-date.
Staff/trade union consultation: SEPA has established a Joint Negotiating and Consultation Committee. SEPA recognises three trades unions and regular consultation is fundamental to the process of human resource policy and procedure development. In addition, SEPA has established Staff Liaison Committees, in each of its regions to facilitate informal discussions between staff and management. Health and Safety committees have also been established at each of the Agency’s major locations.
Development of information technology
SEPA is a national organisation which delivers a local service via a network of 21 offices covering the mainland and islands of Scotland. Being widely dispersed geographically, SEPA recognises the important role that electronic communication plays in its effective and efficient operation. A primary objective for the IT function has been the design and implementation of a corporate wide network providing electronic mail, bulletin boards and other computer based means of electronically sharing information among staff. During 1996/97, an investment of over £1m in hardware, software and training provided SEPA with a system which is already proving its worth and on which further developments can be based.
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SEPA's Key Achievements
During 1996/97, the Agency’s main tasks were to integrate the delivery of regulatory functions while continuing the daily business of its predecessors and to establish the right structure to ensure a sound approach to running the business. Although all of its senior staff were not appointed until December 1995, within four months the Agency had:
- an operational framework;
- established the Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) teams; and
- integrated its science and laboratory functions.
SEPA also made a significant investment in accommodation and equipment, as much of its inheritance was inadequate for the new tasks. In bringing together regulatory activities across all media, along with a new central strategic focus, the Agency has been able to gain a better understanding of the problems which face Scotland’s environment. Collectively, all these factors have combined to provide a firm base on which SEPA can move forward. Key achievements are summarised below. A more detailed report is set out in the Environment Review section. Environmental performance statistics are provided in the appendices.
SEPA’s key achievements during 1996/97 included:
Establishing the organisation
- established multi-disciplined pollution control and licensing teams.
- all staff attended ‘Introduction to SEPA’ training course.
Environmental strategy development
Environmental regulation, enforcement and monitoring
- established sampling, inspection and monitoring programmes for all environmental media.
- reviewed the authorisation for Dounreay’s radioactive substances operation.
- established a research and development programme.
- conducted a River Habitat Survey (RHS) for Scotland.
Working with others
- established links with business, local authorities, environmental and community groups.
General
- extended quality accreditation for water related laboratory activities.
- installed SEPA-wide office systems and established a communications network linking all SEPA offices.
- opened local offices in Kirkwall (Orkney), Lerwick (Shetland), Stornoway (Western Isles), Glasgow (North Clyde) and Newton Stewart.
- purchased a new building to house the West Region headquarters in East Kilbride.
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Environment Review
Sustainable Development
Sustainable development is that which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. SEPA has a key role to play in achieving sustainable development, and it features strongly in SEPA’s main aims. Most of SEPA’s work is aimed at reducing adverse impacts on the environment, helping to achieve a more sustainable use of resources and minimising the production of waste.
Although the concept of sustainable development is a relatively recent one, some of the actions required to implement it had been undertaken by SEPA’s predecessor bodies. SEPA’s regulatory functions are geared towards ensuring that economic activity can take place without harm to the environment.
For example, SEPA issues consents to discharge waste water under the Control of Pollution Act (1974) based on the ability of the receiving water to assimilate effluent without causing environmental damage. IPC regulations take this a stage further, by ensuring that major industrial processes are carried out using the best available technology without imposing excessive costs and that an holistic approach is taken in considering emissions.
However, whilst it is comparatively easy to regulate discharges and emissions from point sources, such as outfall pipes and chimney stacks, it is difficult to regulate diffuse sources of pollution. Examples of diffuse sources of pollution include the deposition of air-borne pollutants causing acid runoff in sensitive areas and the over-enrichment of water bodies caused by nutrient runoff from agriculture and plantation woodlands.
SEPA works with others to reduce the impact of unsustainable activities which it does not directly regulate. It has, for example, worked closely with the Woodland Grants Scheme to ensure that grants are awarded only to those applicants who comply with the Forest Authority’s ‘Forest and Water Guidelines’, and which do not pose an unacceptable threat to Scotland’s lochs, rivers and streams.
In addition, environmental information and educational initiatives can help promote sustainable development by preventing or minimising undesirable activities. SEPA has launched several such initiatives.
Education and Environmental Information
SEPA has an essential role to play in educating the public on environmental issues and in reporting on the state of the Scottish environment. The production of its first State of the Environment Report in November 1996, and the early development of information leaflets on environmental issues for use in schools demonstrates SEPA’s commitment to this task.
SEPA established a Website on the Internet in April 1996, as a route for informing the public on environmental issues and providing information on SEPA’s activities. The Website was continuously upgraded during the year and has become a major route for the dissemination of information on the environment and on SEPA’s activities. The Website has been visited over 23,000 times during the first year.
SEPA has acknowledged from the outset that education, in its widest sense, can be a very effective tool in encouraging environmental awareness and responsible behaviour. SEPA’s education initiatives are aimed at key groups in the community which can have a direct impact on the environment and has been particularly effective in combating diffuse pollution, an issue over which SEPA has no direct statutory control.
During the year, guidance and information on best practice was produced for urban runoff, oil pollution and a range of agricultural activities. This information has been widely distributed. The importance of providing information and guidance on best practice is stressed in the Agency’s education strategy. The Strategy is available from SEPA offices and via the Website.
| SEPA's Education Programme
During 1996/97 SEPA:
- published the 1996 State of the Environment Report.
- developed an education strategy.
- produced guidance on agricultural practices.
- launched the ‘Natures Way’ video in partnership with the International Association for Water Quality.
- published guidance on surface water best management practices and buffer strips.
- developed an Oil Care campaign with the Environment Agency.
- established its Website (SEPA Website address: http://www.sepa.org.uk).
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Biodiversity
SEPA has a keen interest in biodiversity (the range of plants and animals present in an area) as it is a measure of a healthy environment. SEPA was one of the organisations invited to sit on the Scottish Biodiversity Group, announced by The Scottish Office in May 1996. SEPA has taken a leading role in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan's work in conserving and enhancing a priority habitat- mesotrophic lakes. SEPA is also actively involved in conserving other species and habitats, and will play an important part in data management and public awareness.
| Enhancing the habitat diversity of river channels
The physical structure of river channels is of prime importance in determining the diversity of the plants and animals able to use this habitat, the greater the physical diversity, the greater the biodiversity. Under the Environment Act 1995 (section 34), SEPA has a duty to promote the conservation of flora and fauna which depend upon the aquatic environment. SEPA has actively collaborated with a number of organisations, both statutory and voluntary, in securing support, work plans, and funding for initiatives aimed at improving the physical diversity of degraded river corridors. These range from wetland creation and stream habitat improvement on a golf course, best practice demonstration sites for farming, mitigation of the effects of overgrazing on upland stream habitats, and a proposal to recreate salt marsh from poor rough grazing land.
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Sound science
SEPA seeks to ensure that all of its activities are underpinned by sound science. For example, the Agency’s environmental monitoring programme has been developed on the basis of a wide range of scientific data to ensure that it is relevant and meets the standards necessary to deliver its operations. SEPA effectively regulates,persuades and influences situations through a well-founded understanding of the sources and causes of pollution, their pathways and impacts on the environment.
Research and Development
SEPA recognises the important role that research and development plays in developing and maintaining robust policies and working practices. SEPA has been proactive in developing an annual programme of research and development, structured to provide output which will assist SEPA in routine monitoring or long-term planning.
During the year, 13 projects were funded which were of particular relevance to SEPA (see Table 1 below) - for the majority of these, contractors were chosen on the basis of competitive tendering and a SEPA project manager appointed to oversee the work programme. SEPA recognises the value of partnerships in maximising value for money and consequently several of these projects were funded in collaboration with other organisations, including the Water Authorities, the Environment Agency,Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Agricultural College.
SEPA subscribes to the Scotland and Northern Ireland Forum for Environmental Research (SNIFFER). SNIFFER is a charitable company limited by guarantee whose objectives are environmental research and education. This partnership greatly enhances SEPA’s ability to promote environmental research and offers great benefit in terms of value for money. It also facilities a co-ordinated approach to research requirements as SNIFFER has a recognised identity and considerable credibility. Each year, over 30 projects are funded by SNIFFER. More information on SEPA’s research programme and on SNIFFER is available from the Research and Development Co-ordinator
Copies of SNIFFER Annual Reports are available from the Research and Development Co-ordinator.
Table 1: SEPA Research and Development projects funded during 1996/97
| Title |
Purpose |
| Development of a risk assessment system for improved business performance. |
Contribution to a baseline report on statutory for improved business performance. risk assessments for industry and to improve quality, and robustness of risk-based business decisions. |
| Public information and incident management under the new contaminated land regime. |
To identify information needs on contaminated land issues that require public information materials, and the development of an incident management manual. |
| Validation of the Phosphorus Land Use and Slope (PLUS) model and the purchase of data. |
To provide user modifications to the PLUS model. |
| The assessment of remote sensing technologies. |
To assess the feasibility of using remote sensing techniques (satellite, aerial and land based) as an investigating tool for PPC. To conduct a review of current technology against SEPA's roles and duties. |
| Calibration of airborne remote sensing. |
To enhance the capability of assessing phytoplankton bloom events using aerial surveillance. |
| Decommissioning of offshore oil and gas installations. |
Desk study on the environmental implications of decommissioning of oil and gas installations to assist SEPA in formulating policy. |
| Rock dust and mineralised compost. |
To investigate, in the laboratory, the effect of mineral fines additives to plant substrates. |
| East of Scotland Waste Minimisation project. |
Contribution to project to demonstrate the benefits of waste minimisation to a wide range of local industries and to encourage practical application of sustainable development in relation to waste management. |
| Scottish groundwater database. |
To develop the groundwater database and to report on the current status of Scottish aquifers. To establish baseline monitoring data. |
| Flood estimation handbook. |
To provide new methods for obtaining generalised rainfall and flood frequency estimates at any site. |
| Hydrological use of weather radar. |
Contribution to a project to identify opportunities for improvements to water management and flood warning systems which might be realised from the use of weather radar. |
| Mirror task force on water. |
To promote UK interests to the EC water task force and contribute towards the development of the European strategy for sustainable management and the rational use of water. |
| Critical loads. |
To develop a series of models to assess the impact of acid deposition. |
Regulation
SEPA has responsibility for implementing and enforcing a number of environmental regulations and seeks to do so in a fair and open manner. After inheriting these responsibilities from 64 predecessor bodies, one of its first aims was to apply existing regulation in a consistent manner. This has involved:
- the production of common systems and templates to cover the regulatory process;
- progress towards the harmonisation of inspection, enforcement and authorisation arrangements;
- staff training; and
- the review of existing authorisations where appropriate.
New initiatives have also been pursued. Modelling techniques for setting consents have been introduced and the new consent procedures developed for implementation of the EC Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) are now being put in place throughout Scotland. These consents incorporate both percentile and upper limits for discharges.
Templates have also been produced to ensure the consistent application of IPC Part A regulations to timber treatment processes and to paper mills.
Whilst SEPA seeks to achieve environmental protection through agreement with industry, the regulations must be enforced. SEPA cannot take its own cases to court but it does send reports to the Procurator Fiscal. Table 2 lists the outcomes of such reports made in 1996/97. SEPA believes that the level of fines imposed on conviction should reflect the level of environmental damage caused and should represent a greater deterrent to potential offenders.
| Tarbolton Moss Landfill
Tarbolton Moss Landfill Site near Ayr was the subject of the first ever suspension of a Waste Management Licence in Scotland in early 1997. The Licence, held by operator Trashman & Co Ltd, was suspended following repeated instructions by SEPA to improve leachate control. The licence was subsequently suspended for a second time before Trashman was fined £7,500 for breaches of both the Environmental Protection Act and the Control of Pollution Act. The company is now in liquidation
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| Regulations enforced by SEPA
SEPA’s prime focus is the understanding and assessment of environmental pollution and its appropriate control through the operation of several key statutes. These often have a long pedigree, and have evolved through modification by subsequent legislation. The most recent in the key areas are:
- Control of Pollution Act 1974 - regulates discharges to controlled waters which include surface, ground and coastal waters.
- Environmental Protection Act 1990 Part I - established IPC for authorisation of ‘Part A’ processes and regulates emissions to air from ‘Part B’ processes.
- Environmental Protection Act 1990 Part II - provides for the licensing of management, movement and disposal of controlled waste.
- Radioactive Substances Act 1993 - SEPA regulates the keeping and use of radioactive substances and the disposal of radioactive waste.
- Environment Act 1995 - introduced a range of new and revised responsibilities, as well as establishing SEPA.
In addition to this fundamental legislation, there is a wide range of regulations which empowers SEPA to undertake other environmental work.
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Air
SEPA is responsible for the regulation of certain types of industrial processes,including power generation, which result in emissions to the atmosphere. In the Environmental Protection Act 1990 these are split into Part A processes (with greater potential to harm the environment, and subject to IPC) and potentially less harmful Part B processes such as smaller incinerators, vehicle re-spraying and road stone coating plants.
Considerable monitoring is undertaken by industrial operators in order to demonstrate compliance with the conditions of their authorisations.
Local authorities also have a big part to play in improving air quality and they are responsible for establishing local air quality plans. Air quality is often influenced by factors outside a local authority’s boundary. To promote greater co-operation across Scotland, SEPA liaises with local authorities and provides advice and assistance in the development of local air quality management plans.
In August 1996, the Government published its draft UK National Air Quality Strategy which sets standards and targets for eight important pollutants and considered ways to meet these targets by 2005. SEPA made a substantial contribution during the consultation process, including the development of statutory guidance, which was published in its final form in March 1997. SEPA has an important role to play in ensuring that the targets set under the Strategy are met where contributions are made from regulated processes. The Agency must have regard to the Strategy in its licensing activities.
Radioactivity
Regulating the nuclear industry is a major task for the Agency. There are 10 nuclear sites across Scotland. Frequent and regular inspections of these sites were undertaken to ensure effective regulation. SEPA undertakes monitoring of the environment and foodstuffs for radioactivity to confirm that public exposure from this route is at acceptable levels.
During the year, SEPA also regulated the keeping and use of radioactive substances to ensure that public exposure to radiation from these sources was properly controlled. In addition, SEPA scrutinised operators’ requirements to use the Best Practicable Means in order to reduce discharges of radioactive waste.
| Dounreay
Dounreay is a nuclear facility located at Caithness on the north coast of Scotland. During the year SEPA has been active in regulating the site and in deciding on a new authorisation to continue activities at Dounreay.
The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) applied in October 1993 to dispose of gaseous, liquid and solid radioactive wastes from its premises at Dounreay. SEPA has taken a very open approach to determining the authorisation. The application was subject to public consultation between December 1995 and February 1996 and subsequently a public meeting was held at which the views of all those concerned could be voiced.
As a result of this process the authorisations which had been consulted upon were significantly amended.
The Agency Board was minded to grant a more stringent authorisation in order to protect the environment, strengthen the regulatory control at Dounreay and to ensure that modern regulatory practice is undertaken. The changes to the authorisation included:
- a reduction in the limits for gaseous and liquid emissions, including limits on particulate matter;
- a requirement for a stringent review of the performance of the radioactive waste treatment systems, plants and facilities with regard to the application of Best Practicable Means for minimising discharges; and
- a requirement to return waste from overseas reprocessing of nuclear fuel as soon as practicable and no later than 10 years.
The revised authorisations were forwarded to the Secretary of State for Scotland on 18 March 1997 for consultation as required by law.
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Land/waste
SEPA is involved in many aspects of waste management, including licensing the movement, keeping and disposal of waste. The volume of waste going to disposal can be construed as a measure of society’s failure to achieve sustainable development through the use and waste of natural resources. To alleviate this problem, SEPA is encouraging reuse, recycling and waste minimisation. The Agency is tasked with producing a National Waste Strategy which will further this aim, and has already produced the first consultation document (click here for more information on the draft National Waste Strategy).
New Special Waste Regulations, which extended the range of wastes covered by the notification procedure, came into effect on 1 September 1996. The Agency developed a new information management system to record the data to operate the new procedures and provide cost recovery information.
SEPA is also playing a major part in other initiatives which will reduce the volume of waste going to disposal. For example, the Packaging Regulations, which implement the European Community Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste (94/62/EC), came into force on 31 December 1994. It required Member States, including the UK, to bring legislation into force to:
- recover 50-65% of packaging waste by weight; and
- recycle 25-45% of packaging materials in packaging by weight by 30 June 2001.
The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations which implement these targets, came into force on 6 March 1997. SEPA has a key role in implementing the Regulations, and has established a system for registering all the companies who will be affected. SEPA will be involved in inspecting registered companies and monitoring their performance.
| ‘Da Voar Redd-Up’(Spring Clean-Up) in Shetland
Every spring (Voar) in Shetland the Shetland Amenity Trust organises a huge clean-up. In 1997, 2,450 volunteers collected over 45 tonnes of litter, in addition to more bulky items. SEPA’s local staff in Shetland play a part in the Trust’s committee which, as well as overseeing the Voar Redd-Up, deals with the Trust’s anti-litter policies, the derelict car collection service, recycling initiatives, environmental awareness campaigns and allocates annual environmental awards.
SEPA, in partnership with other involved organisations, helps the Trust bring about practical improvements for the benefit of the people throughout Shetland.
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| National waste strategy - publication of consultation document
SEPA published a consultation draft of the National Waste Strategy for Scotland in March 1997.
The Strategy, which has been prepared in accordance with Section 92 of the Environment Act 1995, provides Scotland's first opportunity to prepare an integrated national strategy.
The Strategy will develop five main areas of activity:
- waste regulation;
- planning and development;
- data collection and use, including research;
- building on the waste hierarchy (this sets an order of preference for dealing with waste minimisation, reuse and recycling, with final disposal to landfill as the least favoured option); and
- promotion, integration and development as the Strategy is revised in the future.
The Strategy will encourage waste minimisation and greater awareness of the many problems caused by waste. It will make a serious contribution to developing a more economical and sustainable society.
The Strategy will encourage systems to be put in place to promote recycling and energy recovery from waste, which will have the potential to create economic development and jobs.
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Water
Water Quality
SEPA’s role is to maintain and improve water quality. Water quality in Scotland is generally good, although there are some notable exceptions.
Rivers
A river water quality classification scheme, integrating chemical, biological, aesthetic and toxic substance assessments into a unified scheme, is essential for monitoring conditions and targeting improvements. As indicated in SEPA’s first Corporate Plan, devising such a scheme has been a high priority and has been developed in time for use in the 1996 river water quality assessment scheme (see Table 3). Further information and a description of the J20 classification system is available from SEPA.
The results of applying the new scheme continue to show that the majority of Scotland’s rivers are of good quality, as should be expected given the distribution of population and industry. However, there are over 1,000 km of poor quality rivers and 134 km are seriously polluted. These waters are predominantly in the more populated central lowlands where much still needs to be done to improve environmental quality. Also there is a considerable length of moderate quality which is affected by diffuse pollution from agricultural and urban sources.
SEPA’s task in the next year is to identify the causes of poor quality for each affected stretch of watercourse and develop time-tables and strategies for improvement.
| Risk of water pollution from M74 motorway
Since the completion of sections of the M74 motorway in Dumfries and Galloway, SEPA West, as regulator, has become increasingly concerned about the potential risks of pollution of watercourses by surface water drainage from the road. Major fears relate to spillages of fuel oils or other materials as the result of road traffic accidents and a few events have already resulted in discharges into watercourses. In order to try to ensure that pollution does not result from accidental spillages, a Contingency Plan has been produced by SEPA West which contains details of the locations of the outfalls and specifies the preventative action which can be taken at each site.
Copies of the Plan have been distributed to the emergency services as they are normally in attendance at an early stage following an incident and may be uncertain of the destination of any substances spilt at the scene. The Plan will also enable Agency personnel who are on stand-by to respond speedily on notification of an event and hence reduce the chances of a serious impact of pollution in watercourses. For more information and copies of the Plan or the report on ‘The Effects of Motorway Runoff on Watercourses in South West Scotland’ contact Public Relationsat SEPA West Region Headquarters.
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Other water classification schemes
Similar classification schemes also exist for estuaries, coastal waters and lochs. Data for all waters for 1996 are shown in Table 3 below:
Table 3: Summary of 1996 Water Classification Schemes - Scotland
| Class |
A |
B |
C |
D |
Total |
| Description |
Excellent------------------------------------------------------------------Seriously
Polluted
|
|
| Rivers
Length in km
% of total
|
A1
38,031
75.7%
|
A2
8,222
16.3%
|
B
2,781
5.5%
|
C
1,086
2.2%
|
D
135
0.3%
|
50,255
100%
|
| Estuaries
Area in km2
% of total
|
664
82.0%
|
110
13.6%
|
34
4.2%
|
1
0.2%
|
809
100%
|
| Coastal waters
Length in km
% of total
|
6,098
88.6%
|
464
6.7%
|
263
3.8%
|
62
0.9%
|
6,887
100%
|
| Lochs
Number of lochs > 1 km2
% of total
|
147
84.5%
|
24
13.8%
|
2
1.1%
|
1
0.6%
|
174
100%
|
| Fish Farming
There are currently over 400 fish farms in Scotland and fish farming provides an important source of employment in rural areas. Fish farming can pose threats to the aquatic environment and needs to be carefully managed.
During its first year, SEPA received numerous applications for the use of new chemical therapeutants for the control of sea lice infestation. The possibility that these products may damage invertebrates and other shellfish in close proximity to fish farms has generated considerable public interest.
SEPA has a duty to ensure a sustainable, long-term future for the environment and local economies in Scotland. SEPA does not believe that the use of ever more powerful chemicals to control sea lice infestation is the way forward for the salmon industry. However, SEPA has a statutory duty to consider applications for consent for the use of such chemicals, and cannot withhold consent unreasonably. When the Veterinary Medicines Directorate licences products, SEPA must consider applications for their use, but each case is judged on its merits. SEPA recognises that the salmon industry has a problem in dealing with sea lice, and will be even-handed in dealing with applications.
Consents to use new therapeutants will be granted only under the strictest conditions to minimise environmental risk and only at sites where there are adequate water currents to disperse them quickly and safely.
SEPA will also undertake post authorisation monitoring at fish farms to clarify the fate of the chemicals in the marine environment.
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Bathing Waters
The Directive concerning the quality of bathing water (76/160/EEC) is designed to protect and enhance the quality of bathing waters throughout Europe. Scotland has 23 identified bathing waters, which are monitored by SEPA between June and September each year. Samples of bathing water are tested for a number of parameters, the two most important of which are total coliforms and faecal coliforms (bacteria present in the guts of humans and animals). Mandatory standards and guideline values are set and a bathing water will only pass if at least 19 of the 20 samples comply with the Directive’s mandatory standards for total and faecal coliforms.
In the 1996 bathing season, 21 of Scotland’s 23 identified bathing waters achieved the Directive’s mandatory standards, a slight improvement on the previous year. Details of the performance of Scottish bathing waters are published by SEPA in a special report (click here for a copy of the 1996 Scottish Bathing Waters Report). Overall, the results indicated that bathing water quality is good but some bathing waters remain unsatisfactory.
There is, however, still scope for improvement and SEPA’s target remains that all currently identified bathing waters should make continual progress towards compliance with the Directive’s mandatory standards for total and faecal coliforms by the 1998 bathing season. SEPA recognises the need for improvements in sewerage systems if this is to be achieved and is working closely with the Water Authorities to ensure that the required standards are complied with.
Lochs
Scotland is famous for its lochs which are a major environmental asset. Generally their quality is of a high standard, but is under threat from a range of human activities.
Scottish lochs of greater than 1 km2 were classified for the first time in 1995 employing an innovative classification scheme devised by SEPA’s predecessor bodies, the river purification boards. The scheme provides a measure of human impact on Scottish lochs from nutrient enrichment, acidification from the atmospheric deposition of pollutants, and the release of toxic substances (including those in sewage). The scheme has permitted PPC efforts to be focused where most needed. Results from the loch water classification scheme are given in Table 3 above.
Good quality loch water is being protected by encouraging good practice, especially for forestry and fish farming. The aim of the good practice is to limit diffuse and point source input of nutrients from catchments. The Government‘s strategy on atmospheric emissions will also help protect loch quality in the longer term for those catchments which are sensitive to acidification.
Water Resources
SEPA has a duty to conserve, as far as practicable, the water resources of Scotland and maintains a large network of rainfall and flow monitoring stations. As well as providing water resource information, the river flow data is used to establish and control pollutant loads and is provided to other organisations. Information from these sites is available from SEPA’s regional offices.
Flood Warning
SEPA operates flood warning schemes, which alert the police, local authorities and landowners to the likelihood of flooding within specific catchment areas across Scotland. The Agency inherited this function from the river purification boards, whose expertise in the hydrology of Scottish catchments was unparalleled. Rainfall and river flows are monitored at 300 sites across Scotland, while at several sites groundwater and tidal heights are also monitored. Apart from operating flood warning schemes, these data are used for conserving water resources, assessing available dilution for discharges and providing flood risk assessment. There are 26 flood warning schemes operated by SEPA including the scheme operated on the River Tay - the river system with the highest recorded flow in the UK.
| Flood Warning
Newcastleton, on the Liddle Water in the Scottish Borders, suffered from severe flooding in 1991. SEPA installed a flood warning scheme which, in February 1997, enabled the local emergency services to give advance warning of flooding to over 400 people. As a result of the warning, emergency measures were put into effect and no damage occurred from the flooded river.
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