Salmon processor fined £70,000 over fluorinated greenhouse gas rule breaches
Date published: 27 May 2026
Scottish salmon processor Scottish Sea Farms Limited has been fined £70,000 by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) after breaches of fluorinated greenhouse gas regulations were identified at its salmon processing facility at Gremista Industrial Estate in Lerwick, Shetland.
Two civil penalties of £35,000 each were issued after SEPA discovered that refrigeration equipment at the site was operating without required leakage detection systems.
Fluorinated gases are potent greenhouse gases, with some having a global warming potential thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide. Leakage detection systems are designed to identify losses quickly and prevent avoidable emissions reaching the atmosphere. Preventing avoidable emissions of greenhouse gases is an important part of efforts to tackle climate change. Refrigeration equipment containing 500 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent or more of fluorinated greenhouse gases must be fitted with leakage detection systems that alert operators or a service company to any leakage.
During a routine compliance inspection, SEPA officers identified that Ice Plant 4 and Ice Plant 5 on the site each contained F-gas above the regulatory threshold but did not have a working leakage detection system installed. Following investigation, SEPA determined that Scottish Sea Farms Limited had failed to meet its obligations and were therefore liable to pay two civil penalties totalling £70,000, in accordance with the Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2015 (“F-gas Regulations).
Rodney Allan, F-Gas Specialist in SEPA’s Carbon Reduction Team, said:
“Fluorinated gases are potent greenhouse gases, in some cases thousands of times more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide. The requirement for leakage detection systems is there to help prevent unnecessary emissions that contribute to climate change.
“Businesses that use large refrigeration systems must make sure these safety measures are in place and working properly. If operators do not meet their legal duties, SEPA will take enforcement action to protect Scotland’s environment.”
Scottish Sea Farms Limited has since taken steps to address the issues identified and bring the equipment into compliance.
Notes to editor
Under the Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council on fluorinated greenhouse gases (“the 2014 Regulation”), refrigeration equipment containing 500 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent or more of fluorinated greenhouse gases must be fitted with leakage detection systems that alert operators or a service company to any leakage.
Further information on F-gas regulations and operator responsibilities is available on SEPA’s website