Scottish salmon processor Scottish Sea Farms has been fined £70,000 (US$94,000) by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) after breaches of fluorinated greenhouse gas regulations were identified at its salmon processing facility at Gremista Industrial Estate in Lerwick, Shetland.
Two civil penalties of £35,000 (US$47,000) each were issued after SEPA discovered that refrigeration equipment at the site was operating without required leakage detection systems.
“Fluorinated gases are potent greenhouse gases, in some cases thousands of times more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide," said Rodney Allan, F-Gas Specialist in SEPA’s Carbon Reduction Team. "The requirement for leakage detection systems is there to help prevent unnecessary emissions that contribute to climate change" [Really? -ed].
"Businesses that use large refrigeration systems must make sure these safety measures are in place and working properly. If operators do not meet their legal duties, SEPA will take enforcement action to protect Scotland’s environment."
During a routine compliance inspection, SEPA officers identified that two ice plants at the site each contained F-gas above the regulatory threshold but did not have a working leakage detection system installed.
Following investigation, SEPA determined that Scottish Sea Farms had failed to meet its obligations and were therefore liable to pay two civil penalties totalling £70,000, in accordance with the Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2015.
SEPA said Scottish Sea Farms has since taken steps to address the issues identified and bring the equipment into compliance.