Diffuse Pollution Regulations Q&A
What is covered by the diffuse pollution GBRs?
The diffuse pollution General Binding Rules (DP GBRs) provide a
statutory baseline of good practice and their implementation will
help to improve water quality. They cover the following
activities:
Why are these requirements neccessary?
Diffuse pollution from land use activities has a significant
impact on water quality. To achieve the objectives of the Water
Framework Directive (WFD), we need to maintain and improve water
quality.
Rural diffuse pollution arises from land use activities such as
livestock grazing, cultivation of land to grow crops and from
forestry operations. Such activities can give rise to a release of
potential pollutants which individually may not have an impact but
together, at the scale of a river catchment, can impact on water
quality. The pressures and impacts from diffuse pollution are
described in the Significant Water
Management Issues consultation document and include
eutrophication, loss of biodiversity, silting of fish spawning
grounds, and impacts on human health through drinking water or
bathing water pollution. The pollutants of concern include the
nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus, sediment, pesticides,
biodegradable substances, ammonia and micro-organisms.
What will this mean for land managers?
Land managers already following good practices will need
to take little, if any, further action. Where issues have
been identified, land mangers will have to decide what changes are
needed to comply with the regulations. Altering practices to comply
with the DP GBRs may be as straightforward as moving a feeding ring
10m away from a burn or keeping 2m back when cultivating next to a
watercourse. As well as complying with legislation, these
changes should help to improve water quality and may also benefit
wildlife. No paperwork, costs or charges are associated with the
administration of DP GBRs.
How will compliance with the DP GBRs be assessed?
Some DP GBR inspections will be carried by Scotland’s
Environmental and Rural Services (SEARS 
). SEARS involves nine
organisations, providing rural services, working more closely
together in order to deliver an improved service to land managers.
It will be the responsibility of staff from Scottish Government
Rural Payments and Inspectorates Directorate (RPID), Forestry
Commission (FC) and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to carry out
farm visits to assess compliance with the DP GBRs. Ultimately,
SEARS seeks to reduce the number, complexity, cost and duration of
inspections and remove duplication between organisations.
Funding to help to reduce diffuse pollution risks
Rural Development Contracts - Land
Managers Options provide
funding for some measures that can reduce diffuse pollution risk.
Funding is also available under the new Rural Development Contracts
- Rural
Priorities . This is a
competitive scheme which aims to award funding to proposals which
are best able to deliver benefits on a range of key outcomes
specific to that area.
Other sources of information
4 Point Plan
- Provides
guidance on reducing diffuse pollution risk and protecting water
quality.
CAR
Practical Guide 
(590k)
- Guide to the Controlled Activities Regulations
(CAR) covering levels of authorisation.
Farm Soils Plan
- Information for farmers on
protecting soils.
Forests & Water Guidelines , Fourth Edition (2003), Forestry
Commission
NetRegs - Up- to- date environmental regulations for
businesses.
PEPFAA
(Prevention of Environmental
Pollution From Agricultural Activities) Code of good agricultural
practice
Further information on DP GBRs or SEARS is available at www.sears.scotland.gov.uk
or by emailing info@sears.scotland.gov.uk.
Alternatively, please call 08452 30 20 50.