Ensure contaminants of emerging concern that may impact on biodiversity are identified through existing mechanisms with an additional system in place that uses Scottish data to identify new problems.
Objective 1: Accelerate ecosystem restoration and regeneration
Priority Action 6. Enhance water and air quality. Undertake water management measures to enhance biodiversity
Existing water quality and environmental monitoring programmes in Scotland already screen for a range of chemical and emerging contaminants, supported by regulatory monitoring and research partnerships.
These systems contribute to identification of emerging risks, but there is currently no formally defined Scotland-specific early warning system that integrates Scottish datasets into a dedicated mechanism for detecting and escalating new contaminants of emerging concern for biodiversity.
Work in this area is therefore distributed across existing monitoring, research, and regulatory frameworks rather than delivered through a single coordinated system.
SEPA and associated water quality programmes already monitor a wide range of chemical pollutants and emerging contaminants through regulatory surveillance and River Basin Management Plan implementation. These systems can identify some emerging risks through routine monitoring and research partnerships, including work on substances of increasing concern. However, there is currently no dedicated Scotland-specific early warning system that integrates national datasets into a coordinated mechanism for detecting, assessing and escalating new contaminants of emerging concern for biodiversity. Current capability is therefore distributed across regulatory monitoring, research activity and catchment-based reporting, rather than operating as a single integrated detection and response system. A dedicated early warning framework using Scottish environmental datasets could significantly improve biodiversity protection by enabling faster identification of emerging chemical risks and more timely regulatory or management responses.
SEPA – River Basin Management Planning
SEPA – Water environment regulation
Scottish Government – River Basin Management Plans 2021–2027
Emerging Contaminants: Informing Scotland’s strategic monitoring and policy approaches on substances of increasing concern
Represent Scottish interests in UK chemicals regulation to ensure impacts on wildlife from chemical risks are reduced (eg work towards extending current restrictions on lead in ammunition), and contribute to UK chemicals regulatory reform.
Support projects and programmes that complement regulation to address emerging or novel contaminants in the water environment, e.g. The One Health Breakthrough Partnership on pharmaceuticals and the water industry’s Chemical Investigation Programme.
Take an adaptive approach to abstraction and flows management to protect freshwater biodiversity from the impacts of water scarcity in response to future climate change pressures, using the Controlled Activity Regulations and review of abstraction.
Continue to invest in improvements to the wastewater service to improve freshwater biodiversity by upgrading 40 wastewater treatment works and 24 intermittent sewage discharges, as required.
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