SEPA – Page 10 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Significant waste crime sites targeted by SEPA as BBC Disclosure focuses on serious and organised crime

Scottish Environment Protection Agency staff and their work tackling waste crime will be featured as part of investigative journalism programme BBC Disclosure tonight (Monday 31 January) at 7pm.

The programme titled ‘Dirty Business’ will delve into criminal waste activities – ranging from ‘man with a van’ flytipping and waste being burnt in a drum to large scale illegal activities with links to serious organised crime such as abandoned lorry trailers bursting with up to 41 tonnes of waste and illegal landfills.

The documentary sees BBC presenter Sam Poling shadowing staff on complex investigations including a site visit to an unidentified location, where a criminal gang has buried large amounts of waste underground resulting in environmental impact from the release of harmful gases and liquids as the illegal deposit degrades.

Sam also accompanies SEPA staff to a non-compliant site and on a site visit to a legitimate waste operator to see how businesses should be operating to stay within the law and discovers how criminals undercutting these types of businesses can impact on the industry.

Waste crime has a serious and detrimental impact on the environment, communities and compliant businesses, costing Scottish taxpayers tens of millions a year in clean-up costs, avoided tax and lost revenue.

Dedicated enforcement

As part of its ongoing commitment to tackle environmental crime and as an environment protection agency ready to tackle the challenges of the 21st Century, SEPA launched a dedicated intelligence and enforcement function in October 2019 to deal with those types of growing activities.

SEPA’S investigative waste enforcement work includes the monitoring of over 234 active cases including 31 high priority sites, some linked to serious and organised crime activities.

We work closely with partners such as Police Scotland, the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, Serious Organised Crime Task Force and cross border agencies to share information and work together to use powers that partners have to tackle this behaviour, using the latest technologies to help ensure we detect criminal activity and have the most accurate picture possible.

Working together in this way means that we can make it harder for criminals to get a foot in legitimate waste businesses, and where these sites have appeared it will become easier to require those responsible to clean them up.

Waste crime stifles legitimate businesses’ opportunities to innovate and improve our environment and there is a need to continue attracting the right businesses to Scotland that will contribute to our economic growth while protecting and enhancing our environment.

Members of the public and businesses must start thinking of ways to do things differently to limit opportunities for criminals to operate and gain a greater awareness of what happens to their waste.

SEPA works with businesses to help them achieve compliance and understand their obligations and Digital Waste Tracking is one of the innovations which could help make compliance easier and help individuals and businesses to track what happens to their waste.

Jennifer Shearer, Head of Enforcement at SEPA, said: “We are warning criminals – your activities are firmly in the spotlight and compliance with Scotland’s environmental laws is non-negotiable. Our dedicated enforcement unit is focussing our efforts on tackling the most serious non-compliance and illegal activity.

“Waste crime is best tackled on a preventative level and this involves a ‘Team Scotland’ partner led approach. By taking part in this programme we aim to highlight the extensive work that SEPA does and make everyone aware of duties they have in assisting in the disruption of these types of activity.

“For us deterring waste crime will take more than issuing fines and taking prosecutions where possible. It requires Scotland to realise the potential in developing vacant and derelict land for better use, engage in multi-agency partnerships and nurture urban and rural communities.

“In Scotland, businesses committed to doing the right thing by our environment will find a regulator that supports innovation and excellence. For those who do the wrong thing they’ll find a regulator that won’t hesitate to act. It is vital that businesses and individuals realise their duty of care, as the best way to stop waste criminals is to cut off their routes to make money.

“Criminals are resourceful, inventive and will find new ways to break the law – especially when money is involved, but Scotland’s enforcement agencies are working together to make sure we find them and stop them.”

Cabinet Secretary for Justice Keith Brown said: “The Scottish Government and partners on the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce are fully committed to disrupting those who see waste disposal as a money-making enterprise that sits alongside other crime types such as violence, drugs, weapons and money laundering.

“These criminals will do anything to increase their wealth through undermining legitimate waste businesses and tricking unsuspecting customers. Partners on the taskforce will use every means at their disposal to ensure these illegal practices stop and that those who dump waste illegally are held accountable.”

Phil Davies, Joint Unit for Waste Crime Manager, said: “The Joint Unit for Waste Crime works to disrupt serious and organised waste crime to reduce the impact on the economy, the environment and local communities.

“Our strength lies in bringing together agencies from across the UK, including the Environment Agency; Natural Resources Wales; the Scottish Environment Protection Agency; the Northern Ireland EA; the police; HMRC; the National Fire Chiefs Council; the British Transport Police and the National Crime Agency.

“Working together as the Joint Unit, we share intelligence and enforcement to more quickly identify, disrupt and deter criminals and make them pay for the damage they inflict on communities and the environment.”

Executive Director of the Environmental Services Association, Jacob Hayler, said: “Waste crime threatens the natural environment, costs the public purse millions of pounds a year and severely undermines investment in responsible, legitimate, recycling and waste treatment operations.

“The Environmental Services Association is highly supportive of robust enforcement action, greater deterrents and tougher penalties on these criminals, who unfortunately all too often view our sector as a soft target.”

Allan MacGregor a member of the Resource Management Association Scotland (RMAS) Management Committee and Chief Executive of the Binn Group, said: “Unscrupulous operators undermine legitimate businesses, stifle investment, and create an uneven playing field.

“We therefore fully support any efforts to crack down on illegal waste dumping activities and stop waste criminals from operating within our industry.”

How you can help

Everyone can help tackle waste crime by refusing to engage waste service providers who are not licenced by, or registered with SEPA, and by checking that the person offering to pick up their waste is a registered waste carrier. You should ask for evidence of this and then ask where they will dispose of the waste and ensure this is a legitimate licensed site. Failing to make these checks is illegal.

Services that sound too good to be true often are – and could lead to waste being illegally fly-tipped or disposed of by other illegitimate means. For criminals carrying out these activities, illegal waste disposal and fly tipping is a serious offence with significant consequences and those caught risk a criminal conviction and a fine and/or imprisonment. SEPA can also issue Variable Monetary Penalties of up to £40,000 as an enforcement tool.

Everyone can assist by being vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity such as:

Trailers left by the roadside or in isolated areas
Increased activity at previously unused sites
Movements of vehicles late at night or very early in the morning
Unusual odours or increased fly activity
SEPA also advises that landowners must be alert to the risk of their land or premises being used for illegal waste deposits and trailer or vehicle owners should also be aware of the risk of theft for use in illegal waste disposal activities.

Members of the public can report suspicious sites and behaviours to SEPA 24 hours a day, seven days a week through our pollution hotline online, sepa.org.uk/report, or call 0800 80 70 60.

SEPA chief executive resigns

Scottish Environment Protection Agency: Leadership Arrangements

TODAY (Friday, 21st January 2022) Bob Downes, Chairman of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, has confirmed that following conduct allegations, Terry A’Hearn has stepped down and left his position.

Mr. Downes said: “Following conduct allegations, Terry A’Hearn (above) has stepped down and left his position. SEPA has a clear Code of Conduct and takes conduct allegations very seriously indeed. In order to protect anonymity, SEPA is unable to comment further.”

Mr. Downes confirmed that recruitment for a new Chief Executive would shortly commence and in the interim, Chief Officer Jo Green would be Acting Chief Executive, supported by SEPA’s Agency Management Team.

My Beach, Your Beach: Communities step up to protect their favourite beaches

Almost half of beach visitors now check bathing water quality information at key beaches following a successful summer of ‘My Beach Your Beach‘ campaigning.

The findings were released by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful in a report on this summer’s campaign.

The report also highlights an overall increase in people’s awareness of bathing water quality issues and their willingness to change key habits to help protect the sand and sea.

Specifically, the report reveals:

46% of people reported checking bathing water quality information when visiting the beach, up 16% from last summer, following focused awareness raising this summer;
43% reported that they would change habits that cause pipe blockages and sewage overflows affecting the beach following education around these issues; and,
82% say they would pick up litter when visiting the beach, in order to leave it cleaner than they found it – up 13% from last year thanks to campaign efforts to encourage beach stewardship.

My Beach Your Beach launched in 2018, and since then has supported bathing water quality improvements at a selection of Scottish beaches.

The publication of the report follows an announcement from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) earlier this week that bathing water classifications this year had shown marked improvements at a number of campaign beaches, thanks to a wider suite of measures.

Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said: “Scotland’s bathing water quality is now at its best since 2015, and the My Beach Your Beach campaign has done great work to encourage people to do what was needed to deliver that.

“People’s choices and habits really do make a difference, so it’s important that we all continue doing what we can to help keep the sand and sea clean for everyone to enjoy.”

Funded by the Scottish Government and run by Keep Scotland Beautiful, with support from SEPA, My Beach Your Beach focuses on beaches that face challenges with bathing water quality.

These include Ayr, Troon, Irvine and Saltcoats/Ardrossan on the west coast and Kinghorn, Portobello and Fisherrow Sands on the east. The campaign has also been supported by local authorities and communities, as part of their ongoing efforts to protect their beaches.

Barry Fisher, CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful said: ‘My Beach Your Beach is a wonderful collaborative campaign which has raised awareness of what people can do in their own communities to care for the sand and sea.

“We are thrilled to see such wonderful results this year, highlighting the impact that the campaign has had both in terms of awareness raising, engagement and concrete outcomes such as improved bathing water quality.

“We were pleased to establish an exciting new partnership with Scotrail to target beach visitors this year, and I’d also like to thank all the partners, communities and individuals who have worked with us this summer and in past years to make the campaign a success and whose actions have contributed to delivering real improvements in bathing water quality.”

Throughout the summer the campaign raised awareness of bathing water quality and the key habits that can impact on it, encouraging everyone to play their part in helping to protect the sand and sea.

This includes bagging and binning dog poo, taking all litter away and not feeding gulls near the beach, as well as never pouring fats, oils and greases down the sink, or flushing things like wet wipes and other sanitary items down the toilet, as these can cause pipe blockages and sewage overflows.

You can read the full report here and find out more about the campaign at:

www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/mybeachyourbeach

A cleaner Scotland: Views sought on litter and fly-tipping strategy

Fines for flytipping could be more than doubled as part of proposals being consulted on.

The consultation on a new National Litter and Flytipping Strategy proposes a range of measures to prevent litter and flytipping, improve data and strengthen enforcement.

This includes raising fines for flytipping from £200 to £500 – the maximum permitted by current legislation. The consultation also asks if they should be raised beyond this cap.

The introduction of a sustained national behaviour change campaign is also being proposed, aimed at breaking the cycle of littering and flytipping. This would be supported by new research, looking at why people continue to litter.

Launching the consultation, Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “We want a Scotland that is free of the blight of litter and flytipping. That’s why we’re asking for views on a bold set of measures that could help make our streets, parks and public spaces free of rubbish.

“Litter and flytipping are not just a blight on local communities – they also cost millions of pounds every year in clean-up costs. We need to send a clear message that this behaviour will not be tolerated.

“We also need to understand why anti-litter measures are still not reaching some people. To address that, we are proposing not just a one off campaign, but a sustained push, backed by new research into why people litter.

“We also want to make better use of data to clamp down on illegal dumping. By understanding more about where and when flytipping takes place, we can be more effective in targeting interventions to stop it.”

Proposals include the increased and improved use of data to locate and target litter and flytipping hotspots. The creation of a national flytipping forum, chaired by the Circular Economy Minister, will also bring together key stakeholders in Scotland to discuss how to implement the new strategy and share best practice and insights relating to tackling flytipping.

Chief Executive Officer of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Terry A’Hearn, said: “Fly-tipping is not only immoral, it is illegal and waste crime poses a risk not only to human health and the environment, but also to urban and rural businesses, and communities.

“Waste dumped illegally in laybys, rural locations or holes in the ground, instead of being disposed of in the correct manner, means criminals are avoiding having to pay the costs a legal operator has to pay.

“Tackling waste crime is a priority for SEPA, and the information collected from this consultation could mean better sharing and co-ordination of flytipping data between us and partners, helping us manage our responses better.”

Chief Executive Officer of Zero Waste Scotland, Iain Gulland, said: “Litter and flytipping are illegal, dangerous, and entirely avoidable. In fact, half of all litter could have been recycled.

“The impact is more than the staggering clean-up costs – recklessly dumping items is damaging to our wildlife and communities. But despite tremendous efforts, it’s still a national issue.

“To tackle it, we need new ideas, new approaches and new collaborations, which is why Zero Waste Scotland implores everyone to take part in this public consultation.”

The consultation runs until 31 March 2022.

99% of Scotland’s bathing waters have passed environmental water quality standards

99% of Scotland’s designated bathing waters met the required environmental water quality standards for the 2021 bathing water season.

38% of bathing waters achieved ‘excellent’ status – the highest since tighter standards first came into force in 2015.
Significant improvement achieved at Ayr (South Beach) which achieved Good status.
Improvement measures and plans for Rockcliffe aim to sustain this year’s improved water quality.
Farmers and land managers have continued to show good compliance with environmental protection measures.
Management plans in place at Dhoon Bay designed to improve water quality in 2022 and beyond.

Scotland’s bathing water quality is the best it has been since 2015 when tighter standards first came into force, with almost all sites now classified as sufficient or better for next season. On top of that 32 out of 85 – (38%) are rated as ‘excellent’, the highest number since the annual classifications were reported from 2015.

Of particular note this year is the step change improvement at Ayr (South Beach) following collaborative work involving SEPA and Scottish Water, supported by Scottish Government, South Ayrshire Council, farmers and rural land managers, the National Farmers Union and Keep Scotland Beautiful.

Having been classified as ‘Poor’ for four years in a row, 2021 was a key season for Ayr (South Beach), as another poor classification would have resulted in the loss of its designated bathing water status.

Results from this season show that the planned pollution control measures and improvement projects, combined with a largely dry summer which also helped reduce pollution run-off, resulted in a significant improvement in water quality.

With further improvements continuing into future years and continued collaboration and partnership working moving forward on improvement actions, the bathing water will continue to be a valued bathing water location.

Rockcliffe on the Solway coast, which had been classified as Poor since 2017, has also seen a ‘step change’ after SEPA authorised temporary treatment operated by Scottish Water at nearby Kippford for the 2021 season.

The success this year is ahead of a permanent solution for sewage treatment which will sustain this improved status for the longer term.

Scotland’s results

	2021/22	2020/21	2019/20	2018/19	2017/18	2016/17	2015/16
Excellent	32 (38%)	Results carried over from 2019/20	29 (34%)	28 (32%)	25 (29%)	26 (31%)	17 (20%)
Good	35 (41%)	31 (36%)	35 (41%)	34 (40%)	36 (43%)	38 (45%)
Sufficient	17 (20%)	20 (24%)	13 (15%)	16 (19%)	11 (13%)	12 (14%)
Poor	1 (1%)	5 (6%)	10 (12%)	11 (13%)	11 (13%)	17 (20%)
Total Bathing Waters	85	85	86	86	84	84

Terry A’Hearn, Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said: “Improving Scotland’s water environment is a key priority for SEPA, and that includes the bathing waters so many of us enjoy.

“Across Scotland, we work to protect watercourses through licensing, inspection and regulation of discharges, and pollution incident response. In addition, we provide advice and guidance to the public, industry, developers, and local authorities.

“The successes at Ayr (South Beach) and Rockcliffe demonstrate the bold and timely action that can come from partnership working. We’ll continue to work with our partners to raise or maintain the state of bathing waters throughout Scotland, with particular attention on Dhoon Bay in 2022.”

Minister for Environment and Land Reform Mairi McAllan said: “Scotland’s bathing waters are so important to our environment and to people’s health and well-being and it is great to see hard work and investment delivering results.

“This is great news for the people of Ayr and the thousands of people who visit its shores every year. Ayr beach is one of Scotland’s most popular visitor areas, with a long tradition of welcoming people from far and wide to enjoy its coastline.

“By investing in improving Ayr’s bathing waters along with others across Scotland, we have made sure many more people can continue to enjoy them and will potentially bring a boost to the local tourism economy.”

At Dhoon Bay, SEPA is working closely with the local community and the local authority to put in place improved private sewage treatment systems serving domestic homes in time for the 2022 Bathing Season, with funds made available by the Scottish Government.

South of Scotland Enterprise is also involved in plans to upgrade treatment at a caravan park in an area that is important for tourism. These actions are aimed at improving water quality in what will be a critical year for this location.

While season results are normally based on a four-year rolling average, when there is a significant improvement that is sustainable in the future, it is appropriate to use a “step-change” to classify using one season’s samples.

The improvements at Ayr (South Beach) and Rockcliffe are significant enough that, alongside continued beach management, on-going use of SEPA’s daily prediction signage and discounting systems and upgraded electronic signs for 2022, there is good confidence that similar classifications should be maintained in future years.

The Scottish Government funded “My Beach Your Beach” campaign which is delivered by Keep Scotland Beautiful has also successfully helped people care for our beaches and bathing waters by raising public awareness to reduce beach pollution from dogs, gulls, and litter.

The campaign has focused its activities at Ayr, Troon, Irvine, Saltcoats/Ardrossan, Kinghorn, Portobello and Fisherrow beaches.

Significant Scottish Water investment

Ayr (South Beach)

Scottish Water’s investment of around £10 million, including increased storm storage capacity at two wastewater treatment works, has driven clear improvement in water quality at Ayr (South Beach), which now achieves a “Good” classification. Temporary chemical disinfection at Minishant septic tank also proved to be successful and this improvement will be made permanent with Scottish Water installing a new wastewater treatment works for this location.

Additional work in the coming years will include first-time provision for properties which currently discharge to the River Doon, with around £3 million of targeted Scottish Government funding as part of a programme of improvements.

Rockcliffe

A significant improvement in water quality was seen at Rockcliffe and the Bathing Water would achieve an “Excellent” classification if the classification was calculated on single year data.

During 2020/21, Scottish Water installed chemical dosing as a temporary measure at the septic tank at Kippford at a cost of around £220,000. Dosing is proposed to continue until a new wastewater treatment works is constructed, along with a new discharge point, by 2024.

Simon Parsons, Strategic Customer Services Planning Director at Scottish Water, said: “We’re delighted that our £10 million investment in wastewater infrastructure at Belleisle, Mauchline and Drongan has positively contributed towards protecting the bathing water status of Ayr (South).

“A collaborative approach with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, South Ayrshire Council and other key parties was instrumental to expediting this major investment and has ensured its successful delivery.

“In addition to the improved treatment capability that this investment brings, the continued operational diligence of our assets in the area is helping to ensure the best possible water quality is achieved. This is great news for local people, the local tourist industry and the environment.”

Farmers and land managers working together to improve Scotland’s rivers

SEPA has been working alongside NFUS over a number of years to help farmers and rural land managers reduce diffuse pollution affecting both Ayr (South Beach) and Rockcliffe catchments.

Inspections have shown that of 410 across the two areas only a small number in Ayrshire are still completing remedial measures.

All others are fully compliant, with many adopting new practices and spending significant sums of money to improve slurry storage, fence off water courses and install alternative water supplies for livestock.

Around £50 million has been spent on improvements, through self-funding and grants from Scottish Government, and in many cases farmers have gone even further than is legally required to help protect Scotland’s water environment from farming activities.

SEPA publishes latest Household Waste statistics

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) statisticians have published Official Statistics which provide detail of Household Waste collected across all Local Authorities during 2020, as well as waste landfilled and incinerated in Scotland in 2020.

COVID impacts likely to be responsible for a 2.9 percentage point reduction in household recycling rates from 2019 to 42%
Household waste generated increased 0.3% to 2.4 million tonnes
Scottish household waste landfilled reduced by 13.0% to 660,000 tonnes
Carbon impact of household waste down 1.3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent from 2011
Reduction of all waste landfilled in Scottish by 13.0% to 2.6 million tonnes
Increase of all waste incinerated in Scotland by 3.1% to 1.26 million tonnes

Household waste recycled and landfilled decreases

Scotland’s overall household waste recycling rate reduced from 44.9% to 42% from 2019, and 2.5 percentage points up from the 39.5% achieved in 2011. It is likely that COVID-19 impacts are the main driver behind this reduction. The total amount of Scottish household waste recycled was 1.02 million tonnes, a decrease of 66,000 tonnes (6.1%) from 2019.

There was a reduction in the amount of some waste materials recycled, such as construction and soils (reduction of 26,000 tonnes, 14.8%) and composting of vegetal wastes (reduction of 17,000 tonnes, 5.7%), while there was an increase in the amount of other waste materials recycled, such as such as glass wastes (15,000 tonnes, 14.4%) and plastic wastes (8.3%, 5,000 tonnes).

The amount of Scottish household waste landfilled in 2020 was 660,000 tonnes, a reduction of 98,000 tonnes (13.0%) from 2019, and a reduction 794,000 tonnes (54.6%) from 2011. This is the ninth consecutive decrease in household waste landfilled. This decrease is primarily due to more waste being diverted from landfill to incineration and in part less waste being generated.

For 2020, the total amount of Scottish household waste managed by other diversion from landfill was 748,000 tonnes, an increase of 171,000 tonnes (29.7%) from 2019 and an increase of 625,000 tonnes (508%) from 2011. This includes waste incinerated, incinerator outputs recycled, and organic material recycled that does not meet quality standards.

2020 data reflects a continued downward trajectory since 2011 in Scotland’s household waste carbon impact. The carbon impact of Scottish household waste generated and managed in 2020 was 5.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (TCO2e), which is the equivalent to 1.00 TCO2e per person.

This was a decrease of 225,000 TCO2e from 2019, and a reduction of 1.33 million TCO2e since 2011. This is largely due to increased recycling for high impact waste materials as well as reductions in waste generated and reduced landfilling of biodegradable waste.

Data for every one of Scotland’s 32 local authorities are available on SEPA’s website.

Waste landfilled in Scotland sees continued reduction

The total quantity of waste landfilled in Scotland in 2020 was 2.6 million tonnes, a reduction of 390,000 tonnes (13.0%) from 2019 and a reduction of 4.4 million tonnes (62.9%) from 2005. This is the ninth consecutive reduction in waste landfilled across Scotland. This decrease is primarily due to more waste being diverted from landfill to incineration and in part less waste being generated.

Part of the reduction was largely due to less soils landfilled, which decreased by 340,000 tonnes (29.0%) from 2019. This is likely a result of reduced construction activity in Scotland due to COVID-19 restrictions during the reporting period.

The waste landfilled in Scotland statistics are available on SEPA’s website

Waste incinerated in Scotland increases

The total quantity of waste incinerated in Scotland in 2020 was 1.26 million tonnes, an increase of 38,000 tonnes (3.1%) from 2019, and an increase of 855,000 tonnes (208%) from 2011. There was, however, a 15.3% reduction (75,000 tonnes) of wood waste incinerated, a likely impact of COVID-19 restrictions such as closure of household waste recycling centres and reduced construction activities during the reporting period.

The waste incinerated in Scotland statistics are available on SEPA’s website

Terry A’Hearn, Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said: “Last month, the world came to Glasgow to agree global action on the climate emergency. The message was clear that together, as counties, companies, or communities – we all have a role to play.

“How we use resources in our homes, workplaces, public services and private sector can have a real impact on Scotland’s environment. Whilst It’s positive that for a ninth consecutive year we see a move from landfill, the latest data does reflect the realism of the public health emergency.

“What’s important is not the past, but what we do next. We’ve shown that by working together, we can rise to the challenge of a healthcare emergency. We need now to show that we can do this again in tackling the climate crisis.”

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive, Zero Waste Scotland, added: “There’s little doubt the disruption caused by the COVID_19 pandemic hit recycling efforts in 2020. In particular, the closure of recycling centres in many areas seems to have had the greatest impact.

“The good news is that the volume of materials collected for recycling at the kerbside increased, showing that there is a keen appetite to recycle more amongst householders.

“There was a huge collective effort from local authority staff in all departments, as well as private sector resource management companies, to keep the show on the road during the strictest lockdowns, and periods of heavy staff absence. This hard work was very much appreciated by the public. Without all of these efforts, the recycling rate may have been more severely affected.

Iain Gulland concluded, “As we move out of the initial shock to services caused by the pandemic, we need to redouble our collective efforts to increase the national recycling rate, with improved infrastructure and continued engagement with householders.”

Businesses setting good environmental example secure prestigious awards

The dedication and drive of companies in Scotland at the forefront of tackling environmental change has been recognised by the VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards.

At a time when Glasgow is preparing to host the COP26 climate change conference, this year’s awards also celebrate the actions and achievements of businesses working towards reaching net-zero carbon emissions.

A multi-agency judging panel recently selected 35 businesses from across the country to receive prestigious Good Practice Awards and praised their commitment to good environmental practice. From that prestigious list, 12 winners will be shortlisted on Friday 17 September for a further ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’.

The announcement has come as part of Scotland’s Climate Week 2021, which runs from 13 to 19 September.

Climate Week aims to raise awareness, showcase climate leadership, and encourage action, building momentum ahead of the UN climate negotiations, known as COP26, coming to Glasgow in November.

Terry A’Hearn, CEO of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and head of the VIBES judging panel said: “In a few weeks time the eyes of the world will be on Scotland as global leaders gather to accelerate the actions required to address the enormous climate challenges we face.

“VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards, linked to SEPA’s ambitious ‘One Planet Prosperity’ strategy, recognise Scotland’s leading businesses who show a real commitment to sustainable goods, products and services through leadership, innovation and ambition.

“I would like to congratulate all the finalists who have shown Scotland can be at the forefront of finding sustainable solutions to tackle the climate emergency.”

The organisations receiving awards represent a wide range of business sizes, sectors and are from locations across Scotland.

Gillian Bruce VIBES Chair said: “Despite the very significant challenges of the past two years, the high quality of entries has been hugely encouraging.

“It is important that we recognise those who are addressing the urgent environmental issues we face and praise the example they are setting for others.”

A virtual awards ceremony to congratulate the award winners will take place on Tuesday 19 October 2021 at 10.30am.

The event is backed by key economic and business development agencies and leading environmental bodies including The Scottish Government, SEPA, Scottish Enterprise, NatureScot, Scottish Water, Zero Waste Scotland, South of Scotland Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Energy Saving Trust.

The Scottish Government Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work Richard Lochhead, said: “Scotland has always been famous for its innovation and pioneering spirit, and businesses and private sector organisations across the country now have a real opportunity to seize the economic opportunities that our journey to a net-zero economy presents – and indeed are already doing so.

“As we celebrate Climate Week and highlight the action being taken to tackle climate change, it is fitting that that these organisations are being recognised for the work they are doing to create more sustainable and climate-friendly business practices. My congratulations go to each of the companies highlighted today and I look forward to joining them at this year’s award ceremony”

The 12 businesses shortlisted for the ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’ are:

European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), Orkney – the world’s first facility for demonstrating and testing wave and tidal energy converters in the sea and carry out pioneering work in the area of green hydrogen technology.
Glaze and Save, Perth – magnetic secondary glazing and draughtproofing specialists. Their bespoke magnetic glazing turns single glazed into double glazed windows without window replacement or redecoration, saving energy while reducing waste.
MacArthur Green, Glasgow is supporting projects that are beneficial to the environment, mostly in the areas of renewable energy, transmission networks, and nature conservation guidance.
Renewable Parts Ltd, sites in Lochgilphead and Renfrewshire – taking a circular approach to their operations and are responsible for retrofitting and repairing wind turbines throughout the UK.
The Ethical Dairy, Gatehouse of Fleet, is harnessing natural systems for ecological, sustainability and animal welfare gains.
Adelphi Distillery Ltd, Glenbeg, Argyle has a low carbon approach for production of whisky including using renewable energy powered stills and a circular economy methodology for waste.
The Polycrub Company, Shetland, works with the aquaculture industry to reuse and recycle waste pipe. These are incorporated into a material that can withstand winds of 120 miles an hour so is therefore suitable for growing fresh produce in otherwise hostile environments.
Scottish Sea Farms, Mull, has implemented a number of measures to reduce the use of fossil fuels which have reduced both carbon emissions and operating costs.
WEEE Scotland Ltd, Glasgow, recycling waste electronic and electrical equipment and machinery.
Brewster Brothers Ltd, Livingston, has a recycling plant that turns construction, demolition and excavation (CDE) waste into industry standard recycled aggregates and other recycled products to sell back into the construction industry.
Tennent Caledonian, Glasgow, has invested in a sustainability programme and have significantly reduced energy and water use and their emissions.
ACS Clothing Ltd, Motherwell, provided the fashion industry with a circular approach that eliminates waste and pollution whilst providing retailers with additional revenue

The Edinburgh Remakery and Lothian Buses are among the 35 ‘Good Practice Award’ finalists.

SEPA engages innovative modelling techniques to help Scotland better prepare for future increased flooding

SEPA is introducing new flood hazard mapping which will provide a clearer indication of surface water (also known as pluvial) flood risk now and in future. This will enable people, communities and businesses to better understand the risks and act to reduce the impact of surface water flooding.

The introduction of the new mapping will support delivery of SEPA’s Flooding Services Strategy being published in autumn 2021. It is key to the organisation’s vision of a society that is resilient to flooding and adapted to future climate change.

Surface water flood maps have been publicly available on the SEPA website since 2013, however, our 2018 National Flood Risk Assessment identified surface water as the largest source of flood risk affecting Scotland.

The mapping, which will be provided by JBA Consulting, will provide a complete refresh of our national surface water flood maps using the most up-to-date data on current and future rainfall, improving our flood map products to provide more confident results of where surface water flooding is likely.

The project will involve an initial pilot stage which will trial high resolution modelling and mapping methodologies, and a range of model assumptions and parameters across four pilot areas: Aberdeen, Glasgow, Peebles and Torridon. When the pilot stage ends early next year, an agreed approach will be rolled out across Scotland and the mapping will be produced in a sequence of 11 geographical phases.

Vincent Fitzsimons, Head of Hydrology & Flooding at SEPA, said: “The latest landmark climate change report from the IPCC is a clarion call for what the world already knows, that the climate emergency is accelerating. SEPA is urgently responding to ensure Scotland’s communities and businesses are resilient to flooding and adapted to future climate change impacts.

“A major part of this is to ensure information on flood risk is available to those who need it most. This means we need to continually improve the quality and availability of our flood map products, with a particular focus on surface water flood risk.

“Our significant investment in this project to improve surface water flood hazard mapping for Scotland is one step on the journey to ensure people and businesses are resilient to flooding and adapted to our changing environment.”

David Bassett, Director, JBA Consulting said: “We’re delighted to be appointed by SEPA to complete the national surface water flood hazard mapping for Scotland. We have been working on flood risk in Scotland for over 20 years and in that time our technical experts have accrued excellent knowledge of the risk and the issues, and the structures in place to help.

“Scottish Government surface water management planning guidance issued in 2018, highlighted that 23% of annual average damages associated with flooding across Scotland were forecast to come from surface water flooding. Of the 27,500 homes predicted to be at risk, 39% are in areas of higher social vulnerability.

“Climate change was also predicted to increase the numbers of homes and businesses at risk by 45%.

“With flood events never far from the news headlines, recent surface water flooding in Edinburgh showed the vulnerability of many urban areas. The role of consistent 2m grid surface water flood risk mapping across Scotland is more important than ever, and we’re pleased to lead on this national mapping project.”

Support to protect Scotland’s coastlines

New maps forecast impacts of climate change

An estimated £1.2 billion of Scotland’s buildings, transport infrastructure, cultural and natural heritage may be at risk of coastal erosion by 2050, according to new research.

As part of the Scottish Government’s Dynamic Coast project, funded by the Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW), the University of Glasgow has developed new maps to serve as a coastal change adaptation planning tool for government, agencies, local authorities as well as communities and businesses.

With evidence from the maps, the government is encouraging local authorities to prepare coastal adaptation plans, supported by an additional £12 million of investment. In recognition of the heightened landscape of climate-related risk in Scotland, Dynamic Coast will form part of a wider national programme to build resilience.

The Scottish Government has also already announced plans to host a National Climate Resilience Summit in the Autumn, to raise awareness and build momentum across the public and private sectors in advance of COP26.

Net Zero Secretary Michael Matheson visited the sand dunes in Montrose, which help protect the town from coastal flooding and erosion.

Mr Matheson said: “I welcome the publication of Dynamic Coast 2 which shows us that at least £20 billion of assets, road, rail and residential property, lie within 50 metres of our coast. With nature protecting some £14.5 billion of these assets, maintaining our natural coastal defences must be a key part of our resilience and adaptation strategies.

“We are already locked into future sea level rise and therefore we must plan for the worst case scenario on the coast. Modelling suggests however that we will see erosion influencing the majority of shores this decade. The Dynamic Coast maps will be a valuable tool in our fight against climate change, and we are now preparing guidance to help local authorities produce new adaptation plans.

“Here in Montrose, up to 80 metres of beach has eroded since the 1980s and a further 120 metres could erode over the next 40 years, breaching the main dune ridge. Angus Council is working with local stakeholders, including Montrose Port Authority and Montrose Golf links to identify the most sustainable solution for the town.

“COP26 in Glasgow represents the world’s best chance – perhaps one of our last chances – to avert the worst impacts of climate change. However, even in the best case scenario for global emissions reductions it is clear that we must also be preparing for the impacts that are already locked in.

“By doing this we can deliver on the principles of the Paris Agreement with lasting action to secure a net zero and climate resilient future in a way that is fair and just for everyone.”

NatureScot Climate Change Director Nick Halfhide said: “This latest research from Dynamic Coast highlights that natural defences, such as sand dunes, protect three times the value of roads, railways and buildings than sea walls do.

“That’s why we must invest in Scotland’s nature. Nature based solutions are essential in our response to the twin crises of nature loss and climate change, and with COP26 coming to Glasgow in the coming months, there’s no better time for Scotland to take ambitious action.”

Director of the Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) Professor Bob Ferrier said: “CREW is delighted to have supported the development and launch of the Dynamic Coast project.

“This nationally significant research will assist decision-makers and others to understand how Scotland’s coastal assets need to adapt to the pressures of climate change and improve our collective resilience in the face of this challenge.”

SEPA: Significant levels of water scarcity continue across worst affected areas in Scotland

SEPA is working closely with businesses and individuals abstracting water to find alternative water sources in areas affected by significant water scarcity, including in Galloway where local farmers say the drought is the “most severe witnessed in a generation”.

Significant and Moderate Scarcity remains in place in many areas of northern and south-western Scotland.

The Helmsdale and Naver catchments have improved from Significant to Moderate Scarcity.

The Firth of Forth, Almond and Tyne (Lothian) catchments have been raised to Alert.

Many areas in the south and east of Scotland remain at Alert.

The latest water situation report shows that action is needed now to protect water resources. Areas affected by water scarcity due to recent warm, dry weather are often not the same areas as those hit by flooding last week.

Over the coming week, some surface water recovery is likely in areas where there is rainfall. However, a significant and sustained period of rainfall is needed to alleviate the very dry ground conditions and low river flows that persist across much of the country.

Alert Levels

Significant and Moderate Scarcities remain in place in many areas of northern and south-western Scotland with areas around the Firth of Forth, Almond and Tyne (Lothian) catchments raised to Alert.

• Significant Scarcity – Wigtownshire area of Galloway, and the Wick area of Caithness

• Moderate Scarcity – Helmsdale and Naver, Western Isles, Orkney, Doon, Ayr, Clyde and Irvine

• Alert – most catchments in the south of Scotland, many catchments down the east coast as well as a few west coast catchments

• Early Warning – the rest of the country with the exception of Spey, Loch Linnhe and Lochy which remain in normal conditions.

The latest weekly Water Scarcity Situation Report from SEPA shows that, despite heavy rainfall and thundery showers across much of mainland Scotland last week and rainfall forecast this weekend, the majority of the country is still seeing the impacts of water scarcity.

A short period of heavy rainfall is not sufficient to make up the shortfall of rainfall and much of it may quickly run off dry soils without soaking in. This is why it is possible to have heavy rain and even the possibility of some surface water flooding at the same time as water scarcity.

SEPA is engaging directly with operators that hold abstraction licenses to advise of the ongoing situation, ensure best practice is being followed and help find solutions. SEPA is implementing a fast track of CAR licences to support businesses in areas of Significant Water Scarcity and will implement a temporary suspension of abstraction to protect the environment in areas of Significant Water Scarcity where required.

SEPA has been working closely this week with Girvan Early Growers, a co-operative of local farmers in Ayrshire, on alternative sources of water to irrigate their crops. Continuous dry weather meant that it was looking likely that a temporary suspension of their SEPA abstraction licence would be required due to the severity of the water scarcity issue. Rainfall on Friday in the area meant SEPA did not have to suspend the licence.

The collective, which has a range of measures to save water, is facing an extremely challenging growing season.

Andrew Young, Chairman of Girvan Early Growers said: “Over the last 30 years we have invested as heavily in irrigation equipment as we could to try and make best use of the water available for our high value crops.

“Through good dialogue with our local SEPA representative, we have managed to sort out water availability and kept our customers supplied with the quality required. However, this year, despite the investment and support to avoid this situation, we are struggling as the drought is the most severe we have witnessed in a generation.”

Terry A’Hearn, Chief Executive at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said: “Everyone agrees that water is a vital resource and everyone has a part to play in reducing their water usage where possible. Even in Scotland – a country everyone associates with rain, water is a finite resource.

“Water scarcity is resulting in pressures on the environment and water users and businesses abstracting water must take action now to conserve water. We will continue to work closely with businesses who abstract water to advise on the best possible use of their resources and share best practice.

“Agricultural abstraction on average reduces at this time of year, however we are working to assist with solutions for significant areas of impact such as Galloway where potato crops are being adversely impacted.

“SEPA is monitoring the situation closely and rivers in the north are particularly low so plants and animals in those waters will be more at risk as a result. We are also receiving increased reports of Cyanobacteria blue green algae blooms which can occur naturally in warm dry weather.

“We are very much living through more extreme weather patterns – and one does not balance out the other. This is just one of the many consequences of climate change Scotland is facing, and it is becoming more common.”

Abstractors must act now

Water abstractors licenced by SEPA should have a plan to deal with the range of conditions they may experience. They should monitor their water usage and equipment to ensure they are operating at maximum efficiency and avoiding any unnecessary leakage. 

By taking the right steps now, abstractors can help make the water supplies on which they and others depend last as long as possible through this period.

Work together to secure the water available – speak with other water users in your catchment to discuss allocating different times for abstracting to minimise any potential impacts.

Check irrigation equipment is not leaking.
Consider trickle irrigation.
Irrigate at night to avoid evaporation if you can.
Do not over-spray.

Start planning now to find an available source of water in case you need to – if you need a new borehole to do this, if your business is having difficulty obtaining water supply or is concerned about meeting licence conditions you should contact SEPA as soon as possible at WaterScarcity@sepa.org.uk.

SEPA can provide advice on a series of straightforward steps that can be taken to reduce pressure on Scotland’s water environment and staff are available to provide advice and guidance. However, if businesses deliberately fail to follow the abstraction guidelines set out by SEPA this may result in enforcement action. 

Abstractors in catchments at Alert level or above, have been contacted to advise them of the conditions and relevant actions they should take as outlined in our National Water Scarcity Plan and requested to carry out checks to their equipment, consider upcoming water needs and follow best practice (such as irrigating at night).

We are also checking all abstractions in Significant Scarcity areas to determine what actions can be taken and work is ongoing with Scottish Water to protect supplies.

Rainfall and records

The River Strathy is currently at its lowest since records began in 1985.

On Lewis and Harris, over the last four months rainfall has been only 60% of the long-term average. Rainfall in Wigtownshire has been below average for June and July so far.
Across the Wigtown catchment, June rainfall has been less than 50%, and July less than 30%, of the long-term monthly rainfall averages.
Scotland as a whole had less than half the normal rainfall for June (45%)
Scotland was 1.4 degrees C warmer than usual.
South-west Scotland had the driest July in over 100yrs Source: UK and regional series – Met Office

SEPA warned in the Spring that water scarcity conditions could deteriorate quickly if a period of prolonged dry weather returned later in the year.

Scotland experienced an extremely dry April, with less than a third of the usual rainfall across a large part of the southern country. This caused water levels to fall rapidly and ground conditions became increasingly dry.

Ground conditions continued to dry rapidly over the last two weeks of July despite heavy thunderstorms in some parts of the country.

Recent rainfall has not been sufficient to markedly improve conditions, and so Significant and Moderate Scarcity levels remain in place for many areas in the north and southwest of Scotland, as well as Orkney and the Western Isles. Much of the east and northeast of the country is now at Alert.

Over the coming week, some surface water recovery is likely in areas where rainfall is forecast. However, a significant and sustained period of rainfall is needed to alleviate the very dry ground conditions and low river flows that persist across much of the country. The short-term forecast will see changeable conditions continuing to dominate, with a mixture of sunny and dry periods, showery periods and the chance of longer spells of rain. The second half of August will see more settled conditions where drier conditions may become more prevalent, although there is still the risk of showers or thunderstorms at times.

Public and private water supplies

Scottish Water is reminding people across Scotland to use water efficiently after confirming that demand is so high during the warm weather that it’s had to produce more than 200 million litres of extra water per day nationwide in the latter half of July to maintain normal supplies. More information on saving water is available at www.scottishwater.co.uk/savewater.

Those concerned about private water supply levels should contact their local authority.  

Concerns about watercourses

SEPA continually assesses the impacts of prolonged periods of drier than average weather on our environment. The public can report dry private water supplies and rivers and burns in your area. This will help us have the best possible understanding of the impacts of dry weather.

Send your information to lowflowimpacts@sepa.org.uk

Water scarcity and fish

The prolonged period of dry weather that has led to water scarcity across the country can put a lot of pressure on rivers, which are running exceptionally low and experiencing high water temperatures. We may see impacts on wildlife across the country as a result, including dead fish. Heavy rain showers, such as those we have seen this week, following the prolonged period of dry weather, will wash pollutants that have been accumulating on roads and pavements and in drains into watercourses. This first flush of pollutants, particularly into rivers that are still low, can lead to fish kills.

SEPA warns business and public to be on alert as new waste trailer crime emerges in Scotland

SEPA is leading Scotland’s efforts to tackle new waste crime trend as seven lorries of waste found in North Lanarkshire in recent months
Research estimates £53 million is taken from the public purse every year in Scotland removing illegal waste
Scotland’s enforcement agencies are working together, alongside UK counterparts, to find and stop illegal activity
SEPA is warning waste criminals that compliance with Scotland’s environmental laws is non-negotiable and those caught risk a criminal conviction and a fine of up to £40,000 and/or imprisonment
Everyone is asked to remain vigilant and report suspicious vehicles and activity so action can be taken swiftly
Now more than ever, everyone needs to play their part in correctly managing Scotland’s waste and help stop waste crime
Public are warned – do not give your waste to potential criminals. Take steps to protect yourself, your community and the environment

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is warning that a new trend appears to be establishing in Scotland as a total of seven abandoned trailers full of waste have been discovered in the central belt in recent months. Investigations to establish the source of the trailers are ongoing – which could lead to the prosecution of those responsible.

Similar instances of waste being placed into trailers and being abandoned at roadsides and industrial locations had been seen in England over recent months. Working alongside partners through the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce and the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, SEPA had been tracking this growing trend across the UK since last year, but seven trailers in eight months indicates this may now be a new disposal route for waste criminals in Scotland.

Jennifer Shearer, SEPA Head of Enforcement, said: “This type of crime has a real impact on local communities, legitimate business and the public agencies who are working to tackle it.

“A high proportion of individuals or companies that are involved in waste crime are also associated with other criminality and sadly this activity has continued during the pandemic.

“Waste crime can cause serious pollution. It puts communities at risk and places further stress on legitimate operators. It also impacts investment and economic growth – serious and organised waste crime is estimated to cost the UK economy at least £600 million a year.*

“We know that criminals are inventive and will find new ways to break the law and make money – but Scotland’s enforcement agencies are inventive too and we are working together, alongside others across the UK, to make sure we find them and we stop them.

“We will continue to work closely with partners, often through joint initiatives such as the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, to ensure we can maximise our collaborative efforts to have the greatest impact, and ultimately stop this type of highly adaptive and lucrative waste crime.”

Clearing up after criminals

The distinctive form of illegal waste disposal saves criminals thousands of pounds in waste disposal costs, but the costs to others may be high. Money often ends up coming out of the public purse – according to 2013 Zero Waste Scotland research at least £53 million of public money is spent cleaning up litter and fly-tipping every year. That is money that could be spent on other public services.

Robert Steenson, DETER Strand Lead with Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce and Executive Director of North Lanarkshire Council said: “This type of illegal dumping not only costs the taxpayers’ huge sums of money to clear up, but poses a serious hazard to the environment and our communities.

“These poorly maintained trailers are also being driven on public roads before being dumped and therefore create a dangerous risk to other road users.

“Those responsible have absolutely no respect for people living in the areas these trailers are being dumped and I would urge anyone with any information to contact SEPA or Police Scotland immediately. This type of waste crime has unfortunately became more widespread across the country and is often linked to organised crime groups who use it as a means to make money to fund their other criminal activities. It undermines legitimate disposal businesses and poses a very serious risk to public safety.

“We are working with our partners to safely clear this dumped waste and we will use all the powers at our disposal to identify those responsible.”

Vehicle or landowners may also end up incurring the cost of having waste removed and disposed of legally, which can be considerable.

Tackling waste criminals

SEPA has developed a more targeted approach to tackling environmental crime that directly impacts local communities and the environment. In recent weeks we have been able to confirm that 25 illegal sites or activities have ceased since the turn of the year, with partnership working across agencies being a key success factor.

Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans and Chair of the SOC Taskforce said: “Those involved in fly tipping and other waste crimes will exploit any opportunity to maximise their wealth at the expense of everyone else.

“This is not a victimless crime and causes significant problems to the public, legitimate businesses and the landowners where the waste is abandoned.

“Partners on the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce will use every means at their disposal to disrupt this crime, but we need the help of the public.

“Everyone needs to ensure their waste is properly and legally disposed of and we are also urging members of the public who see evidence of these crimes to report it. If you see something say something.”

Help stop waste criminals operating

Investigations into the source of the trailers and waste are ongoing and SEPA is urging anyone who recognises the vehicles, or the waste within them, to get in touch.

Communities are asked to be vigilant and report any suspicious trailers left by the roadside or in isolated areas as soon as possible. If alerted to it early SEPA has a better opportunity to step in and take action, along with partners like Police Scotland and local authorities. The longer it takes to identify trailers the more chance there is agencies will lose access to essential evidence to help track the perpetrators.

Anyone who may have any information about these lorry trailers, no matter how significant it may seem, is encouraged to get in touch with SEPA as soon as possible. Similarly, if they see any suspicious trailers left by the roadside or in isolated areas they should report it to SEPA’s 24 hour pollution line using the online form at sepa.org.uk/report or by calling 0800 80 70 60.

Landowners are also reminded to be alert to the risk of their land or premises being used for illegal waste deposits. Trailer or vehicle owners should be aware of the risk of theft.

SEPA is also warning the criminals involved that their activities are firmly in the spotlight and compliance with Scotland’s environmental laws is non-negotiable. Illegal waste disposal and fly tipping is a serious offence with significant consequences and those caught risk a criminal conviction and a fine of up to £40,000 and/or imprisonment.

The distinctive form of illegal waste disposal saves criminals thousands of pounds in waste disposal costs, but the costs to others may be high. Vehicle or landowners are likely to incur the costs of having waste removed and disposed of legally, which can be considerable.

Do not give your waste to potential criminals

As well as reporting suspicious activity, members of the public can help tackle waste crime by refusing to engage the services of people who are not authorised.

Jennifer Shearer explained: “Now more than ever, we all need to play our part in correctly managing our waste. You have the responsibility to take care of your waste and if we trace it back to you, we can take enforcement action against you too.

“We don’t want people to be put in that situation so make sure that anyone who takes your waste for disposal is properly accredited. Take steps to protect yourself, your community and the environment.

“Remember, disposing of waste legally costs money. Services that sound too good to be true often are and could lead to your waste being illegally fly-tipped or disposed of by other illegitimate means.

“Anyone offering to take your waste away should be able to provide a SEPA waste carrier registration number and give you the name of the facility they will take the waste to – if they can’t provide this information, do not allow them to take your waste.”