Rural Payments and Services

The aim of these rules is to protect groundwater against pollution.

You must:

1. obtain a licence from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) before disposing of dangerous substances*, such as waste sheep dip* to land

2. comply with the conditions of any licence granted to allow or carry out a disposal of dangerous substances, such as waste sheep dip to land. Some of the conditions relate to:

• identified disposal sites
• maximum disposal volume
• only one disposal per site per year
• dilution rates
• keeping disposal records

You must not:

1. cause or permit an activity which is likely to cause pollution of groundwater by an indirect or direct discharge of dangerous substances (eg, an overflowing sheep dipper, a leaking diesel tank, inappropriate disposal of pesticide washings or waste tractor oil)

Disposing of sheep dip to land is covered by the Controlled Activity (CAR) Regulations, for further information contact SEPA or visit their website using the links below.

SEPA customer services enquiries
Tel: 03000 99 66 99

Applying for a sheep dip disposal licence (Licence F)

Sheep dipping code of practice

Diffuse Pollution General Binding Rule (DP GBR) 24: operating sheep dipping facilities

*Explanation of terms

'Substances' means the substances listed in the annex below.
'Sheep dip' includes dips to control external parasites, as well as bloom and purl dips.

List I
1. organohalogen compounds and substances which may form such compounds in the aquatic environment
2. organophosphorus compounds
3. organotin compounds
4. substances which possess carcinogenic mutagenic or teratogenic properties in or via the aquatic environment
5. mercury and its compounds
6. cadmium and its compounds
7. mineral oils and hydrocarbons
8. cyanides

List II
1. The following metalloids and metals, and their compounds:

• zinc
• copper
• nickel
• chrome
• lead
• selenium
• arsenic
• antimony
• molybdenum
• titanium
• tin
• barium
• beryllium
• boron
• uranium
• vanadium
• cobalt
• thallium
• tellurium
• silver

2. biocides and their derivatives not appearing in List I

3. substances which have a deleterious effect on the taste or odour of groundwater, and compounds liable to cause the formation of such substances in groundwater and to render it unfit for human consumption

4. toxic or persistent organic compounds of silicon, and substances which may cause the formation of such compounds in water, excluding those which are biologically harmless or are rapidly converted in water into harmless substances

5. inorganic compounds of phosphorous and elemental phosphorous

6. fluorides

7. ammonia and nitrites

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