Public register
What is the public register?
SEPA is legally required to maintain certain information about activities that we regulate and make that information available to the public. These different registers of information are commonly referred to together as “the Public Register”.
While access to much Public Register documentation was lost in December 2020, we have now made a significant amount of information available online and we continue to provide information on request.
We are continuing to build our digital Public Register service as part of our digital transformation, and we’ll keep making it easier for everyone to access our regulatory documents and data, with improvements being made step by step.
Find public register information online
Find key authorisation information and documentation
Our Find authorisation information webpage provides key public register data which can be used to search for information about authorisations under:
- Industrial activities - Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC)
- Waste activities (WML)
- Water activities - Controlled Activities Regulations (CAR)
- Controlled reservoirs (RES)
- Radioactive Substances (EAS)
Where applicable, this includes data on authorised sites, authorisation holder and authorisation number, but does not include authorisation documents themselves.
We are now publishing public register authorisation documentation for waste, water, and industrial activities on our Find an authorisation document webpage.
If you need help finding your way around these webpages or want to know what's included, please read the About section. This includes a handy user guide and some background information on both services.
Other data available online
Public register data for the following activities is currently available online:
The National Batteries & Accumulators Register is maintained by the Environment Agency on behalf of all four UK regulators, including SEPA. The register provides information on all battery producers, compliance schemes, and battery treatment operators or exporters.
Special sites in Scotland contains non-published public register information, such as notices and notifications, available on request from our access to information service.
Registers of land identified as statutorily contaminated are maintained by local authorities. Contact the relevant local authority in relation to information on sites other than special sites.
SEPA and the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) are a joint competent authority under the COMAH Regulations 2015. Whilst the competent authority is not required to maintain a public register of COMAH information, it is required to make certain information in relation to every COMAH establishment available to the public. The HSE maintains this information on behalf of all the GB competent authorities with this information available through its website. Information is uploaded directly by operators.
The register of controlled reservoirs contains key information about each registered reservoir including reservoir manager details, panel engineers associated with the reservoir and an inundation map highlighting the area of land that is likely to be flooded in the event of an uncontrolled release of water.
Additionally, the following information is available on request by emailing the reservoirs team
- Safety reports and other associated documentation.
- Inspection reports and other associated documentation.
- Written recommendations/statements by a supervising engineer.
The packing waste register is maintained by the Environment Agency on behalf of all four UK regulators, including SEPA. The register provides information on all packaging producers, compliance schemes, packaging re-processors and exporters.
Northumbria River Basin District is maintained by SEPA in a agreement with the Environment Agency.
Register of protected areas provides a searchable list of all protected areas in Scotland and Solway Tweed
Water Environment Hub provides protected area information in maps and charts.
Protected areas provides additional information on water bodies and special protection designation.
Register of Waste Carriers and Brokers
Waste carriers’ documentation received or issued from 1 January 2021 onwards is available on request by emailing the registry team
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) public register of producers and compliance schemes is maintained by the Environment Agency on behalf of all four UK regulators, including SEPA. It provides a register of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) producers and producer compliance schemes.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) public register of Approved Exporters and Approved Authorised Treatment Facilities is maintained by SEPA and provides a register of Approved Exporters and Approved Authorised Treatment Facilities.
Requesting unpublished public register information
The following public register information is not yet available on our website, but you can request it directly from SEPA:
- Waste Activities (WML) information not covered above, for example: Waste management licences and modification notices issued before 1 January 2021 or documentation submitted by operators after 1 January 2021
- Waste Carriers and Brokers (WCR) information not covered above, for example: Waste Carrier Registration documents, including those issued after 1 January 2021. Confirmation of who is a registered Waste Carrier can be found on our registered waste carriers list.
- Registrations and related documentation for professional collectors and transporters of waste.
- Industrial Activities (PPC) information not covered above, for example: Part B PPC authorisations issued before 1 January 2021 and some operator-submitted documentation received after 1 January 2021.
- Water Activities (CAR) information not covered above, for example: Water use licences and variation notices issued before 2021, operator-submitted documentation received after 1 January 2021, registrations for activities such as private sewage treatment systems, including those issued after 1 January 2021 up to January 2024 or any that have been applied for on SEPA’s digital online application system
To request any of this documentation, please email the registry team
Please note: As a result of losing access to much of our Public Register documentation in December 2020, documentation from before 1 January 2021 is not always complete or verified. Requests for this documentation will be fulfilled with the best available information. Any use of this information is made at the requesters own risk. You can request this documentation by emailing the Freedom of Information team.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs):
Contact Freedom of Information team for PCBs information, including: Inventories of contaminated equipment and producers, register specifying the quantity, origin, nature and PCB content of used PCBs
Radioactive substances:
Contact SEPA for radioactive substances information on authorisations for the disposal of radioactive waste.
If documentation issued received or issued before January 2021 is requested, we will provide the best information we currently have available but can't confirm it is complete or verified. Any use made of this information will be at the requester's own risk.
Can't find what you're looking for?
SEPA publish a large amount of data online, and much of this can be found on our access to information page.
If the information you are looking for is not listed above or detailed on our access to information page you can submit a request for information, regardless of who you are, where you live or what you want the information for.
To submit a request for information, please email our freedom of information team. You should be as specific as possible about the information you want so we can help you, although you don't need to tell us why you want it.