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EASR General Binding Rules (GBRs) in Scotland

This page lists the current General Binding Rules (GBRs) for water and waste activities in Scotland.

Water activities

Impoundments 

GBR 1: Operation of a weir

Abstraction 

GBR 2: Abstraction from the water environment less than 10m³ per day

GBR 3: Construction and operation of a borehole or well up to 200m deep and less than 10m³ water per day

GBR 4: Borehole abstraction for testing or sampling less than 150m³ water per year

GBR 15: Temporary abstraction of groundwater from a construction site for dewatering

GBR 17: Abstraction from groundwater for geothermal energy

Discharges 

GBR 10A: Run-off from developments built before 1 April 2007

GBR 10B: Run-off from developments built after 1 April 2007

GBR 10C: Run-off from a quarry or borrow pit constructed after 1 January 2022

GBR 10D: Run-off from a small construction site less than or equal to 4 hectares

GBR 11: Discharge into surface water drainage system

GBR 16: Direct discharge of pollutants into groundwater from construction or maintenance works

GBR 21: Run-off from rural land activities

GBR 22: Run-off from waterbound roads and tracks including during construction

GBR 35: Discharge to groundwater from a site with one hot tub

Engineering 

GBR 5: Dredging in a straightened watercourse with a bed width of less than 1 metre

GBR 6: The installation of an outfall or a crossing with no part of the crossing on the bed or banks

GBR 7: Temporary crossings, structures or works

GBR 8: Bank works up to one channel width or 10 metres

GBR 9: Operation of any vehicle, plant, or other equipment in or near any surface water or wetland

GBR 12: Within 10 metres upstream of a weir

GBR 13: Within 10 metres of a closed culvert or 5m of an outfall or intake

GBR 14: Instream structures or boulder placement in a watercourse less than or equal to 10% bed width

GBR 25: Bank works using trees or parts of trees

Pollution control 

GBR 18: The storage and application of fertiliser

GBR 19: Keeping livestock

GBR 20: Cultivation of land

GBR 23: The storage and application of pesticides

GBR 24: Sheep dipping

GBR 26: Storage of non-waste oil in a portable container less than 200 litres

GBR 27: Storage of oil on a private dwelling

GBR 28: All other storage of oil, other than waste oil on premises

GBR 29: The making and storage of silage in bales or bulk bags

GBR 30: Treatment of silage effluent

GBR 31: The making and storage of silage not in bales or bulk bags

GBR 32: The storage of slurry

GBR 33: The treatment of slurry

GBR 34: Storage of liquid digestate

Waste activities

Storage and Treatment

GBR 1: Temporary storage at the place of production

GBR 2: Temporary storage of waste at a place owned or occupied by the producer

GBR 3: Temporary storage of waste at a collection point