Protection of groundwater against pollution (GAEC 3)

Date published: 2 February, 2026

For recent changes to this guidance, please see the bottom of the page.

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)

Further information

From 1 November 2025, Controlled Activities (Scotland) Regulations 2011 (CAR) are no longer in effect. Water, waste management, and industrial activities are now regulated under Environmental Authorisation (Scotland) Regulations 2018 (EASR).

This includes disposing of sheep dip to land.

For further information, contact SEPA or visit their website using the following links:

SEPA customer services enquiries – 0300 99 66 99

Applying for a sheep dip disposal licence

Sheep dipping code of practice

General Binding Rule - Sheep Dipping

*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.

Annex

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