Air
We work to understand the impacts of air pollution and improve air quality in Scotland. Good air quality is essential for a good quality of life, helping to maintain human health and wellbeing, the climate, habitats and achieve sustainable economic development. Find out more about how we protect and improve air quality in Scotland and Scottish emissions data in this section.
Air quality
A wide range of our activities such as transport, energy generation, industry, waste and agriculture can all affect air quality, along with emissions from natural sources such as volcanic activity and wildfires. Emissions to air can contribute to health problems, climate change, and changes to habitats and the environment.
Overall, air quality in Scotland has improved significantly in recent decades and is generally good; however, there are still hotspot areas of poor air quality which need to be tackled. In addition, scientific consensus indicates that the is no safe level for exposure to air pollution. therefore, the long-term goal is to continue to improve air quality.
Regulation
We have a direct remit to regulate, control, monitor and act as a consultee on many activities that may influence air quality in Scotland.
We regulate, control and monitor the operators of certain industrial activities in Scotland that can generate airborne pollution via the Environmental Authorisation (Scotland) Regulations 2018 (as amended). Through authorisations granted under this regulatory regime, operators must prevent or, where that is not practicable, reduce emissions to air, water and land, with the aim of providing a high level of protection to the environment. We carry out inspections of these sites and conduct audits of monitoring data and reports. We can take action where an operator is not meeting the conditions of their authorisation. Some authorisations require an air emission risk assessment to be undertaken as part of their application or variation if air emissions are affected by the change. Our Air emissions risk assessments guidance helps operators to comply with this requirement.
Under the Environment Act 1995, our work also involves working with, and directing, local authorities and other partners to manage and improve air quality and provide policy, scientific and operational advice to government, industry and the public on air pollution control and other environmental issues.
In addition, we work towards Scottish and UK objectives and targets set to address air quality, global climate change and the cross-border and international transport of air pollutants.
Monitoring
We record and report on the release of specified pollutants to air, land and water, and waste transfers from certain, larger scale regulated sites. This is reported in the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI). This data is used to fulfil the reporting requirements of the United Kingdom Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (UK PRTR) and the 2003 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (Kyiv Protocol). The UK PRTR is the publicly available register that implements the Kyiv Protocol and the SPRI provides Scotland’s contribution.
Data on the results of local air quality monitoring (supplied by local authorities) is contained in the Scottish Government’s Air Quality in Scotland website.
On behalf of the Scottish Government, we lead Scotland’s emergency air pollution incident response, the Airborne Hazards Emergency Response Service (AHERS). This provides air quality monitoring and information to support the emergency services and partner agencies in the event of a serious incident that has the potential to impact air quality and health (such as a chemical fire, an explosion at an industrial site or a release of gases and natural events such as volcanic eruptions).
SEPA also operates the Volcanic Emissions Network (VEN), a permanent air quality monitoring network across the north of Scotland. The VEN detects levels of pollutants released in large quantities during volcanic eruptions from Iceland and which can arrive in Scotland. The VEN also extends the geographical coverage of the existing air quality monitoring network in Scotland and forms part of an early warning system to better detect and report on potential effects on air quality to the Scottish Government and the public.
Planning
The Scottish Government’s overarching aim is to ensure that Scotland’s air quality is the best in Europe and SEPA helps to work towards that aspiration.
The land use planning system is integral to reducing local air pollution and improving air quality. The Scottish Government’s National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) cites possible beneficial outcomes, including:
-
Protection of people and places from environmental harm.
-
Mitigation of risks and encouragement and the promotion.
-
Facilitation of development that improves health and wellbeing.
A place-based approach can help to tackle air pollution, avoid creating new air quality problems and reduce human exposure to air pollution.
Other benefits include increased wellbeing and environmental improvement to the wider community, helping to contribute to a reduction in inequalities. This role is currently recognised in Scottish Government’s current Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 (CAFS2) strategy - Towards a Better Place for Everyone (2021).
Planning Advice Notes (PANs) provide advice on good practice and other relevant information. PAN 51 on Planning, Environmental Protection and Regulation (revised in 2006) relates to air quality and planning and sets out linkages with the Scottish Government’s LAQM Policy Guidance and SEPA’s role in air quality.
PAN51 identifies that air quality is likely to be a material consideration in assessing developments within Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) or areas close to declaring them. It states there may also be a need to consider the cumulative effects of development on air quality leading to a gradual deterioration in air quality.
SEPA has an established and critical role in the promotion of better air quality in Scotland, and we provide comments on relevant planning applications in line with PAN 51 to fulfil our duties as a statutory consultee and as a key delivery agency for LAQM and the Scottish Government’s policies on air quality.
Through this role, we influence the location, design and layout of new infrastructure and building developments, and we advise local authorities in reviewing and assessing local air quality in their geographical area.
The planning process is also placed at the centre of local air quality management (LAQM). Statutory guidance is provided by the Scottish Government to local authorities and regulators on how this should be considered (the Scottish Government’s LAQM Policy Guidance (PG) (S) 24 and UK LAQM Technical Guidance LAQM.TG22).
Local authorities and other partners
Local authorities are primarily responsible for managing and improving local air quality, under Section 85 of the Environment Act 1995. With the approval of Scottish Ministers, we have reserve powers to take action where local authorities have made insufficient progress towards meeting the air quality objectives or are not fulfilling their statutory duties.
If exceedances of the air quality objectives set for Scotland are found, or predicted, an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) is declared and we assist local authorities in developing an Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP).
In addition, we work closely with a range of partners to address air quality issues in Scotland, in groups such as:
-
The Scottish Pollution Control Co-ordinating Committee (SPCCC).
-
Local authority Pollution Control Liaison Groups (PCLGs).
-
The Scottish Health Protection Network – Environmental Public Health Group (SHPN-EPHG).
-
Local authority air quality action plan (AQAP) steering groups.
-
The UK Air Quality Champions Network
Policy development and implementation
We seek to engage, advise and influence government, industry, businesses and the public on a range of air pollution and air quality issues.
This includes current and potential issues relating to industry, energy production, transport and climate change.
We also work closely on public engagement with local authorities, the Glasgow Science Centre and individual academic institutions and schools.
SEPA works closely with Scottish Government in the development of future air quality policy, guidance and legislation, provision of scientific evidence and technical advice, provision of communications and public engagement. We have provided support to the Scottish Government in the development and implementation of their Cleaner Air for Scotland (CAFS) strategies and will continue in this role with the Scottish Government’s future Air Quality Policy Framework which will replace CAFS2 in 2026.
SEPA has been a key delivery partner for Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 (CAFS 2), and had responsibility for leading or supporting the delivery of actions in nine of the ten priority sectors and a member of the CAFS2 Ministerial and Delivery Groups.
In particular SEPA has contributed to delivery of the following tasks:
-
Updating the Prevention of Environmental Pollution from Agricultural Activity (PEPFAA) code to provide further guidance on reducing emissions to air from agricultural activities.
-
Continuing work to deliver Scotland’s Low Emission Zones (LEZs).
-
Continuing to improve air pollution data and evidence through development of new data collection and storage methods, modelling and tools and reporting capabilities.
-
With the Scottish Government conducted a review of the local air quality management system (LAQM) system to update guidance and improve the methods for local authority assessment and reporting.
-
Playing a key role in the governance of the CAFS2 process.
For further information please see:
Education
The launch of Scottish Government’s Cleaner Air for Scotland (CAFS) strategy programme established a strong schools-based citizen science programme, with SEPA a key agency for its delivery. Since this initial work was carried out SEPA has been (and is) involved in many projects and initiatives designed to raise awareness of air pollution.
SEPA, in partnership with local authorities have helped schools to build the case for restricting vehicle use around the school gates, and for promoting active and sustainable travel choices. SEPA, with funding support from Scottish Government, developed a banner-based competition, where schools were encouraged to create air quality improvement messages and designs for display at the school gate.
Information on public engagement and on some the projects SEPA has been involved with can be found at Scotland's environment web. Work is continuing on various citizen science projects and if you are interested in participating, please contact SEPA.
For further information please see: