Waste Minimisation

1
Overview of the next SEPA report on the State of
Scotlands Environment and underpinning data
sources
Paula Woolgar, State of the Environment Reporting
Manager
2
Objectives of Presentation

• Inform and raise awareness
• Highlight use of non-SEPA data sources
• Establish whether there are any other suitable
  data sources
• Receive ideas and comments (take after each
  section)

3
Why a SEPA SoE report?

• Part of the process of reviewing whether meeting
  SEPAs main aim to provide an efficient and
  integrated environmental protection system for
  Scotland that will improve the environment..
• Need to know what trying to protect and the
  condition of the environment
• Duty to form an opinion on the general state of
  pollution of the environment
• 10 years since the last one
• Commitment in SEPA Corporate Plan

4
Background to SoE Report

• To be published Sept 2006, approx 50 pages
• Targeted at those who have an interest in the
  environment but not detailed knowledge
• Aimed at improving awareness, informing
  priorities highlighting gaps
• Will detail state of air, land and water in 2005
  or most recent year for which data available
• Highlight implications of state for human
  ecosystem health i.e. attempt to address the so
  what factor
• Highlight potential reasons for change in state
  i.e. provide emissions trends in emissions
• About the environment rather than what SEPA does

5
Structure of report

• Introduction
• Background
• Climate
• Air (quality)
• Land (quality, resource habitats)
• Water (quality, resource habitats)
• Acidification (all media)
• Nutrient enrichment (all media)
• Hazardous substances (all media)
• Radiation (all media)
• Waste management (all media may become
  incorporated into synthesis)
• Synthesis

6
Key features

• Standard format for each section
• Summary at beginning
• Something about environmental processes
• Bit about how measure state, limitations and how
  arrive at views
• Summary table detailing state, implications and
  factors contributing to supported by commentary
• Amalgamated data not singling out companies or
  local authorities
• Case studies to illustrate key points
• References and further information sources

7
Process of Production

• P Woolgar responsible for management, editing,
  pulling together internal external data,
  initial drafting
• Using SEPA data and published external data
• Some additional analysis commissioned from CEH
  (ammonia, ozone critical level exceedence)
• Will seek external review of specific items in
  report from organisations whose data has been
  used
• Hard copy report plus interactive web version
• Formal launch at SEPA conference (details to be
  firmed up)
• To be produced at 5 year intervals
• ANY COMMENTS?

8
Climate data sources (1)

• State
• Scottish mainland temperature SE stats
• Global annual mean concentration of CO2 in air
  Mauna Loa observatory
• Occurrence of gales MET Office/SNIFFER
• Ice core data - web
• Impact
• Annual/summer/winter rainfall SEPA, 3 sites
• Annual/summer/winter/high river flow SEPA data
  7 rivers
• Northern shift of species SNH
• Occurrence of springtime events SNH
• Scottish sea temperature level SNIFFER?
• Dissolved organic carbon in water - UCL

9
Climate data sources (2)

• Pressures
• Annual emission of greenhouse gases from
  reporting regulated processes SEPA SPRI
• Annual emission of greenhouse gases from all
  Scottish sources NAEI report
• Annual emission of carbon dioxide from those
  participating in emissions trading scheme SEPA
  ETS returns
• ANY COMMENTS?

10
Air quality data sources (1)

• State
• Annual mean concentration gl ozone, NOx, SO2,
  PM10, benzene, butadiene AURN
• Impact
• No. occurrences moderate/high/very high ozone,
  PM10, NOx and SO2 pollution - AURN
• Exceedence of ozone critical level CEH
• Acidification of land water CEH
• Impact of large combustion plants on Natura 2000
  sites SNIFFER project

11
Air quality data sources (2)

• Pressures
• Annual emission of air pollutants from reporting
  regulated processes SEPA SPRI
• Annual emission of air pollutants from all UK
  sources NAEI web site
• Annual emission of NOx and SO2 from large
  combustion plants SEPA LCPD returns
• Annual solvent use SEPA SED returns
• ANY COMMENTS?

12
Land resource habitats data

• State, pressures, impact
• Loss of soil to water SEPA estimate
• Land cover CS2000
• Area of agricultural land subject to env.
  sustainable practices SE LMC and organic aid
  scheme
• Status of BAP habitats species SE stats/JNCC
• Condition of protected sites SNH
• Number of derelict vacant sites (plus brought
  back into use) SVDLS
• Number of mineral workings - BGS
• Farmland woodland bird populations BTO
• Occurrence of landslides SE report BGS

13
Land quality data sources

• State, pressures, impact
• Soil Organic Matter, pH CS2000
• Heavy metals CS200, MLURI transects
• Exceedence of critical loads for acidity
  nutrient nitrogen CEH
• Number derelict sites with known contamination
  (plus brought back into use) SVDLS
• Number of sites formally identified as
  contaminated land (plus remediated) SEPA based
  on LA notices
• Litter on beaches Marine Conservation Society
• Litter on streets KSB
• Fly-tipping KSB
• Amount of waste to landfills and land SEPA
  WIC
• ANY COMMENTS?

14
Water resources habitats data

• State, pressures, impact
• Annual/summer/winter/high river flow SEPA data
  7 rivers
• Groundwater level Newbridge borehole
• Condition of river habitats RHS
• Status of BAP habitats species SE stats/JNCC
• Condition of protected sites SNH
  Annual/summer/winter rainfall SEPA, 3 sites
• Water bodies impacted by abstraction and flow
  regulation morphology WFD characterisation
• Amount of water licensed for abstraction SEPA,
  April 06 baseline

15
Water quality data sources

• State, pressures, impact
• Classified waters (rivers, lochs, estuaries,
  coasts identified bathing shellfish waters,
  freshwater fisheries) - SEPA
• Groundwater bodies impacted by point source
  diffuse pollution WFD characterisation
• Reasons for downgrading of waters
• Loss of E Coli from land to water SEPA estimate
• Extent of sewage treatment WIC
• Surface water abstracted for drinking water
  SEPA
• ANY COMMENTS?

16
Acidification data sources

• State, pressures, impact
• Exceedence of critical load for acidity in
  terrestrial freshwater habitats CEH
• Lochs and rivers downgraded due to acidification
  - SEPA
• Area coniferous woodland Forestry Facts
  Figures
• Annual emission of NOx and SO2 from large
  combustion plants SEPA LCPD returns
• Annual emission of air pollutants from reporting
  regulated processes SEPA SPRI
• Annual emission of air pollutants from all UK
  sources NAEI web site
• Emission of ammonia from all Scottish sources
  CEH
• Loch Grannoch Loch Chon AWMN
• ANY COMMENTS?

17
Nutrient enrichment data sources

• State, pressures, impact
• Exceedence of critical load for nutrient nitrogen
  CEH
• Lochs downgraded due to phosphorus SEPA
• Waters sensitive to eutrophication - SEPA
• Inputs of N and P to water SEPA SPRI OSPAR
• Loss of NP from land to water SEPA estimate
• Annual emission of NOx and SO2 from large
  combustion plants SEPA LCPD returns
• Annual emission of air pollutants from reporting
  regulated processes SEPA SPRI
• Annual emission of air pollutants from all UK
  sources NAEI web site
• Emission of ammonia from all Scottish sources
  CEH
• Fertiliser use SE statistics
• Estimate of production of manures slurries -
  SEPA
• ANY COMMENTS?

18
Hazardous chemicals data

• State, pressures, impact
• Metals, PAHs, PCBs, dioxins in soil MLURI
  transects, soil herbage survey, CS 2000
• Pesticides in groundwater SEPA data
• Tributyl tin including imposex SEPA
• Fish farm chemicals - SEPA
• Annual emissions of metals, PAHs, PCBs, dioxins
  to air water from regulated reporting processes
  SEPA SPRI
• Inputs of metals to water SEPA OSPAR
• Concentrations in food FSA
• ANY COMMENTS?

19
Radiation data sources

• State, pressures, impact UV radiation
• Thickness of stratospheric ozone above Lerwick
  SE statistics
• Emission of ozone depleting substances from
  regulated reporting processes SEPA SPRI
• Occurrence of skin cancer ISD
• State, pressures, impact ionising radiation
• Radioceasium MLUIR transects, soil herbage
  survey
• Radionuclides in the environment RIFE
• Gamma radiation dose - Defra
• Water bodies impacted by ionising radiation WFD
  characterisation
• Emission of radionuclides from regulated
  reporting processes SEPA SPRI
• ANY COMMENTS?

20
Interpretation of trends

• No significant increase if less than 95 level of
  confidence of change (Rank Spearman correlation,
  seasonal Kendall test etc.)
• Significant increase if 95 or greater level of
  confidence of change
• Little or no change - less than 10 compared to
  selected base year
• Substantial change - equal to or greater than 10
  compared to selected base year
• ANY COMMENTS?