Air quality, noise and odours
Air quality
SEPA has a statutory responsibility to ensure that regulated processes do not result in, or contribute to, an exceedence of European air quality objectives.
Local authorities have a statutory duty to review and assess local air quality in their area against the air quality objectives for various pollutants that are in-place to protect human health. These air quality objectives are contained within the National Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which was last updated in 2007.
Information on the air quality assessments and monitoring undertaken by Falkirk Council can be found on its website. Information about air quality in the Grangemouth area and real time data from monitoring sites can be found on the Scottish Air Quality website.
Noise
SEPA is responsible for regulating noise from sites, or parts of sites, that have a Part A Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) permit.
Local authorities can deal with noise from loud music, DIY activities, barking dogs or other excessive animal noise, car and burglar alarms, deliberate banging or raised voices (where unreasonable). Local councils can act to stop unreasonable industrial or commercial noise (except those that have a PPC permit from SEPA).
Health and Safety Executive deals with noise at work, and has a wide range of information and resources for employers, workers and their advisers to reduce and control the risks from noise at work.
Odours
SEPA regulates a variety of activities and practices in a bid to reduce and prevent offensive odours from sites regulated under the PPC and waste management regulations. Any sites or activities that produce offensive odour and are not covered by these regulations are classed as a statutory nuisance, and are dealt with by local authorities - along with odour problems arising from vehicles and households.
Regulating odour is one of the most difficult areas of our work – odour is a highly complex and subjective issue and what is offensive to one person may not be offensive to another. When assessing the possible source of an odour SEPA will consider wind direction, any other companies or activities downwind and the activities happening at a site at the time of the odour being experienced.
Potential odours from SEPA-regulated activities can range from sulphurous type compounds (burnt match or rotten egg smells), solvents (sweet solvent, nail varnish), effluent (rotten cabbage) and bone/fish meal amongst others.
We have published guidance on dealing with activities that could cause offensive odour. Although the guidance is aimed at SEPA officers, it can also be referred to by members of the public and industrial operators.
Find out more about how SEPA regulates odours.