Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) Guidance for NHS boards in Scotland

The PPC application procedure will result in NHS Boards being given a range of new and unfamiliar information relating to industrial and commercial activities within their areas. This information provides NHS Boards with an opportunity to improve their awareness of local industrial activities and any potential environmental exposures that may impact on health. The consultation process provides an opportunity to comment on matters of concern associated with the activities described in the applicant’s PPC documentation.
SEPA will have due regard for any comments made. The comments additionally provide for informed discussion during informal dialogue and permit-review enforcement etc.

The following guide has been compiled to assist NHS Boards in acting as statutory consultees for applications submitted to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), under the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2012, SI2012.

The overall aim of this guide is to assist NHS Boards in responding to a request for comments on a PPC application, by identifying the type of information of particular interest to SEPA.

In addition, the guide should assist in extracting information of interest for Public Health purposes and in formulating a more detailed response to SEPA if desired.

Use of the guide and the accompanying checklist should help a NHS Board to:

• form a judgement on the adequacy of the public health related information supplied in a PPC application document
• determine whether there are any potential public health hazards associated with emissions from the activities described in the application