Information

Scottish Parliament election: 7 May. This site won't be routinely updated during the pre-election period.

Chemical and industrial emissions

Industrial Emissions 

Substances released through industrial activities can enter the environment through air, water or land. We are committed to ensuring the highest level of environmental protection from large-scale industrial activities. This protects our environment and health from harmful effects. 

The Environmental Authorisation (Scotland) Regulations 2018 (EA(S)R) set out how we control industrial emissions:  

  • through Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) regulations 

  • for carbon capture utilisation and storage 

  • for non-waste anaerobic digestion  

  • for generators totalling 1 MW thermal input or more at a single site 

SEPA regulates EA(S)R and enforces these regulations. 

Enforcing authorities  

SEPA regulates EA(S)R and enforces these regulations. You can find more information on registrations, permitting and authorisations on the SEPA website

For other industrial emissions questions, email: industrialemissions@gov.scot 

Chemicals 

Chemical regulation removes the most harmful chemicals from the market. We work with UK Government and other devolved governments to control the risks these chemicals pose to people and the environment. 

The aims of chemicals regulation in the UK and Scotland are to:  

  • restrict or ban use or sale of the most harmful chemicals  

  • support use of alternatives to harmful chemicals where possible  

  • ensure chemicals are labelled correctly to show possible hazards   

  • ensure products on the market are safe  

  • put in place agreements made by global treaties on banning specific harmful chemicals 

Enforcing authorities  

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and SEPA have regulatory responsibility for chemicals depending on the particular chemical regime. HSE primarily looks after public health through worker safety. SEPA is responsible for the environmental impact of chemicals. 

For other chemicals questions, email: chemicals@gov.scot 

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