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SEPA works with the Scottish Government and Zero Waste Scotland to achieve the objectives and targets of the Zero Waste Plan, published in 2010. We have a wide range of responsibilities including regulating waste management activities such as landfills, incinerators and the export of waste, administering the producer responsibility schemes for packaging, WEEE and batteries, collecting and interpre

We are responsible for regulating the keeping and use of radioactive substances and the accumulation and disposal of radioactive wastes. These pages describe the development of the UK strategy for managing wastes containing naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM). Naturally occurring radioactive materials exist in the earth’s crust as a result of the decay of heavy elements produced by cosmic processes. In their natural state they are not considered waste. NORM waste is produced when activities including mining and the processing of minerals and contaminated earth concentrate NORM. It is also produced as a result of maintenance and decommissioning of equipm

Diffuse Pollution in the Rural Environment A programme of rural diffuse pollution work started in March 2010, to help deliver the objectives outlined in the River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) for the Scotland and Solway-Tweed river basin districts.  Diffuse pollution priority catchments have been identified by SEPA as catchments failing to meet environmental standards. Each catchment has a dedic

Information regarding activities that may be exempt from waste management licensing, and the statutory controls to prevent environmental pollution and harm to human health From the 1st November 2025, you will no longer be able to apply for the exemptions listed on this page. The information on this page remains to help existing exemption holders comply with their legal obligations, before transitioning to the new Environmental Authorisation (Scotland) Regulation (EASR) framework for authorisations. To find out what authorisation you will need when your exemption exp

Further technical guidance This page brings together a number of ancillary guidance documents and previous email bulletin information relating to modelling of marine fish-farms for CAR licence applications. Auxiliary biomass sampling transect In areas where the tidal residual current is weak, the auxiliary transect (site-specific sampling 2) may be aligned along a bearing reciprocal to the primary