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There are a number of organisations that are responsible for protecting and improving Scotland’s environment and SEPA works in partnership with many of them to ensure that we take a joined-up approach to this work.

The different organisations all have different areas of responsibility so, to assist you, we have put together a basic guide to what each organisation does. This is not intended as a detailed breakdown of legal duties.

For more information, please contact the relevant organisation. If you want to know more about SEPA's role, contact your local office.

Responsibilities by organisation

Organisation	Responsibilities
Your local authority	Abandoned vehicles Air pollution from vehicles, households, and some small industries/businesses. Aquaculture works licences (Orkney and Shetland only) Checking private drinking water supplies Cleaning up fly-tipping (in some cases) Coastal protection Contaminated land - identifying sites - arranging for sites to be cleaned up Dog fouling and noise Environmental health and food hygiene Flooding Build and maintain flood defences Clear and repair watercourses Responsible for the drainage of public highways and local roads May provide property flood protection but have no responsibility to do so Local Flood Risk Management Plans Litter Litter, public health and facilities at beaches Nature conservation (through local biodiversity action plans) Pest control Planning permission Road obstructions Smell from sewage treatment Smoke and smell Waste collection Your area waste plan
Your local police	Abandoned vehicles Road obstructions
Scottish Canals	Canals
Crown Estate	Development consent for fish farms (special arrangements exist in Orkney and Shetland)
Drinking Water Quality Regulator	Drinking water quality
Environment and Heritage Service	Environmental issues in Northern Ireland
Environment Agency	Environmental issues in England and Wales
Fish Health Inspectorate (part of Fisheries Research Service)	Fish health
Food Standards Agency	Food Safety
Health and Safety Executive	Safety at nuclear installations Safety at major accident hazard sites (jointly with SEPA)
Historic Scotland	Built environment
Marine Coastguard Agency	Pollution from shipping and offshore installations
Natural Resources Wales	Environmental issues in Wales
Scottish Government	Legislation and policy for the environment in Scotland Navigational consent for fish farms Genetically modified organisms Environmental legislation and initiatives in areas including sustainable development and rural policy Guiding delegated agencies in delivering objectives Liaising with UK government and EC on wider environmental policies
Scottish Natural Heritage	Conservation (including Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Areas of Conservation etc.) Outdoor access - promoting code of practice Species translocations and reintroductions
Scottish Water	Quality and supply of public drinking water Disposing of and treating sewage Flooding from sewers Emptying septic tanks (some private businesses also offer this service)
National Grid	Gas leaks
UK Government	Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – Legislation and policy in England and Wales Department of Business Skills and Innovation – Offshore oil and gas industry (except for radioactivity) – Coastal pollution from offshore installations Department for Transport – Shipping – Transport of radioactive waste Veterinary Medicines Directorate – Assuring the safety, quality and effectiveness of veterinary medicines

Responsibilities by topic

Responsibilities	Organisations
Abandoned vehicles	Your local authority Your local police
Air pollution from vehicles, household areas (eg bonfires), small businesses and small industries	Your local authority
Aquaculture	Development consent: Crown Estate Navigational consent: Scottish Government Fish health: Fish Health Inspectorate (part of Fisheries Research Service) Assuring the safety, quality and effectiveness of veterinary medicines: Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD licenses chemicals for marine use generally. SEPA issues site-specific permits.)
Beaches and bathing water	Litter, public health and facilities: Your local authority
Built environment	Historic Scotland
Canals	Scottish Canals
Coastal pollution	Shipping and offshore installations: Marine Coastguard Agency Offshore installations: Department of Business Skills and Innovation
Coastal protection	Your local authority
Conservation (including Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Areas of Conservation, etc)	Scottish Natural Heritage
Contaminated land	Identifying and assessing sites: Your local authority (SEPA may provide information and advice on the water environment if requested) Arranging for sites to be cleaned up: Your local authority
Dog fouling and noise	Your local authority
Drinking water	Public supplies: Scottish Water Checking private supplies: Your local authority Quality: Drinking Water Quality Regulator
Environmental issues in Northern Ireland	Environment and Heritage Service
Environmental issues in England and Wales	Environment Agency
Environmental health and food hygeine	Your local authority
Flooding	Plans, implements and maintains flood protection measures: Your local authority Clears and repairs watercourses: Your local authority Overflowing or blocked sewers: Scottish Water
Fly-tipping	Cleaning up: Your local authority or the occupier of the land
Food safety	Your local authority Food Standards Agency
Gas leaks	National Grid
Genetically modified organisms	Scottish Government
Government policy and legislation affecting the environment (England and Wales)	Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Government policy and legislation affecting the environment (Scotland)	Scottish Government
Harbour pollution	Your local harbour authority (SEPA works with harbour authorities to investigate pollution from onshore sources. SEPA also regulates many of the activities carried out within harbour areas.)
Light pollution	Your local authority
Litter (except when relating to fly-tipping)	Your local authority
National Parks	National Parks
Noise	Your local authority(except for noise from sites, or parts of sites, that have a Part A Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) permit from SEPA)
Offshore oil and gas industry (except radioactivity)	Department of Business Skills and Innovation
Ozone depleting substances	Scottish Government
Pest control	Your local authority
Planning permission	Your local authority
Radioactivity	Storage and accumulation of waste at nuclear licensed sites (eg power stations): Health and Safety Executive Transport of waste: Department for Transport
Road obstructions	Your local authority Your local police
Safety at major industrial sites (COMAH - Control of Major Accident Hazards)	SEPA, together with the Health and Safety Executive
Septic tanks	Emptying: Scottish Water (some private businesses also offer this service)
Sewage - disposing of	Scottish Water
Sewage treatment - regulating	Smell: Your local authority
Shipping	Department for Transport
Smoke and smell problems	Your local authority (except for problems from sites, or parts of sites, regulated by SEPA)
Sustainable development	Scottish Government
Waste	Collection - Your local authority Your area waste plan - Your local authority
Water	See separate listings above for: Aquaculture Beaches and bathing water Canals Coastal pollution Drinking water Flooding Sewage Shipping