By Terry A’Hearn
From climate change to the circular economy, Scotland is driving globally ambitious, internationally recognised policy with a purpose. It’s a policy that recognises the economic, as well as environmental, opportunity of a more sustainable Scotland.
Without natural resources we can neither meet our daily needs for life nor create prosperity. However, the rate of resource use today considerably exceeds the planet’s regeneration capacity.
The most successful countries in the 21st century will be resource efficient, circular economies, which do not produce significant quantities of waste. A circular economy keeps materials in use for as long as possible and extracts maximum value from them.
This great challenge is now reflected in SEPA’s Statutory Purpose directing us to protect and improve the environment, including the sustainable use of resources, in ways that as far as possible create social and economic success.
For us the circular economy as a game-changing opportunity to:
- Manage resources within planetary limits;
- Reduce the harms associated with waste management;
- Create economic opportunities.
- Supporting Scotland’s sustainable businesses
At SEPA, we’re helping Scottish businesses recognise the opportunities of sustainability and resource efficiency. Not only can resource efficiency improve productivity, and the bottom line for business, it can bring ‘end of pipe’ environmental improvements and reduce our reliance on virgin raw materials. 21st century regulation must put resource efficiency at the heart of its work.
We work with industry to identify innovative opportunities to displace virgin raw materials with secondary materials (like recycled glass in Scotch whisky bottles) and pilot new technologies and techniques within a framework of strong environmental protection. This will include using all our regulatory influences and promoting support services from partners.
We also help showcase and celebrate success. Each year, the SEPA and Scottish Government led VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards – showcase the best of Scotland’s sustainable businesses. Delivered with partners, they’re supported by CBI Scotland, the Institute of Directors (IoD), the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Bright Green Business, Quality Scotland and Scottish Council for Development and Industry.
At SEPA, we’ll back legitimate businesses by getting tough on waste crime, which impacts not only communities, but companies seeking to do the right thing.
While recent years have seen a significant focus by consumers, households, communities and businesses on reuse and recycling, Scotland’s recycling and waste sector has long held an unenviable record of falling foul of Scotland’s environment watchdog.
The waste regime had the highest number of cases referred to COPFS (42%), final warning letters (46%) and statutory notices served (48%), as well as the most convictions (38%) of regulated sectors secured in 2016 – 2017.
Compliance is non-negotiable, with the agency’s dedicated waste crime and intelligence teams securing a series of high-profile outcomes for local communities. These included the clearing of 1,500 tonnes of illegally deposited waste and chemicals from a site in Newton Mearns, and revoking the license of a significant West of Scotland operation, GBS Recycling Limited in Coatbridge which was found to be stockpiling waste on site beyond the time limits allowed, causing significant fly and odour issues from the neighbouring community.
In addition to targeted intelligence and enforcement campaigns to crack down on waste crime, the agency is working with businesses investing in high-tech recycling solutions that drive positive environmental outcomes. As a result of SEPA’s firm focus, overall compliance within the sector has risen to 90.35% in 2016 from 72.48% in 2009.
So whether it’s supporting Scotland’s sustainable businesses by focusing on waste, raw materials, water, energy and heat, or getting tough on waste crime, SEPA is working hard to help realise the environmental and economic opportunities of a circular economy.
Terry A’Hearn is Chief Executive of SEPA
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article