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.
Objective 1: Accelerate ecosystem restoration and regeneration
Priority Action 6. Enhance water and air quality. Undertake water management measures to enhance biodiversity
Scotland continues to engage in UK-wide chemicals regulation and reform processes, including work on specific measures such as restrictions on lead in ammunition and wider chemicals policy development. Delivery in this area is primarily shaped through UK regulatory frameworks, with Scottish Government input focused on ensuring environmental and biodiversity considerations are reflected in UK decisions. Progress therefore depends on UK-level legislative and regulatory outcomes rather than standalone Scottish policy.
Scotland contributes to UK chemicals regulation (e.g. UK REACH and specific measures such as lead ammunition restrictions), which are key mechanisms for reducing chemical risks to wildlife, including poisoning, bioaccumulation and ecosystem contamination. However, delivery is dependent on UK-level decision-making processes, with Scottish Government influence limited to input rather than control. This means progress on priority issues (such as restricting lead ammunition or harmful pesticides) is contingent on UK regulatory timelines and political decisions. As a result, Scotland’s ability to reduce chemical pressures on biodiversity is indirect and constrained, with limited evidence of Scotland-specific measures beyond advisory input. Stronger outcomes could be achieved if UK regulatory reform delivers tighter controls on priority pollutants, particularly lead ammunition and persistent chemicals, reducing toxic impacts on species and food chains across terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems.
UK Government – Consultation on restrictions on lead ammunition (2023–2024)
Academic Advisory Panel – chemicals in the environment: minimising negative impacts of pesticides and veterinary medicines
Agriculture and the environment
UK REACH – Chemicals regulatory framework
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.
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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