Government and Pollution - CleanTech Focus

Government sets out new targets on air quality, water pollution, waste and woodland cover

Envirotec Magazine

MARCH 17, 2022

The UK government announced new environmental targets in four key areas of air quality, water, waste reduction and woodland cover on 16 March. On air quality, the government has proposed a legally-binding target to halve the levels of PM2.5 particulate pollution in the air from 20 ?g/m Air quality. g/m 3 to 10 ?g/m

Waste

Waste Waste Pollution Government

We need stricter MOT tests to eliminate air pollution, says campaign group

Envirotec Magazine

FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Barry Sheerman, MP for Huddersfield, and Chairman of the WCRAQ has submitted a Ten-Minute Rule Bill to the House of Commons, asking the Government to update the MOT test to include an efficiency test for DPFs (diesel particulate filters). The UK Government needs to act, says the group. Government.

Pollution

Pollution Law Policy Government

World Air Quality Report 2022 highlights pollution hotspots

Envirotec Magazine

MARCH 24, 2023

Santiago, Chile: The country hosted eight of the most polluted cities in the Americas in 2022. Key findings The top five most polluted countries in 2022 were: Chad (89.7 The region of Central and South Asia was home to eight of the world’s ten cities with the worst air pollution. annual guideline Iraq (80.1 annual guideline.

Pollution

Pollution Africa Asia Government

DEFRA Air Quality Strategy: Health, environment and transport groups urge Government to re-think

Envirotec Magazine

MAY 9, 2023

Dozens of health, environment and transport businesses and charities are calling for the government to change course on its Air Quality Strategy. The Air Quality Strategy sets out the actions the government expects local authorities to take in support of achieving its air quality goals. Image credit: Alena Veasey / Shutterstock.com.

Health

Health Transportation Government Pollution

Rewild the night sky by tackling light pollution says charity

Envirotec Magazine

FEBRUARY 16, 2023

Chris Packham is urging the public to spend 20 minutes counting stars to help build a crucial national database mapping light pollution. Artificial light pollution is one of the biggest threats to nocturnal creatures, many of which have suffered sharp population declines. Light pollution disrupts wildlife.

Pollution

Pollution Policy Health Government

In Bolivia, mercury pollution spreads amid a surge in gold mining

GreenBiz

FEBRUARY 10, 2023

A boom in small-scale gold mining in Bolivia has raised concerns about pollution from mercury used in the mining process. Researchers are citing the health impacts on downstream villages, but the government has yet to act to stem the widespread use of the highly toxic chemical.

Pollution

Pollution Health Government

Survey identifies significant micro plastic pollution on summit of Snowdon

Envirotec Magazine

AUGUST 24, 2021

Geoscience technology firm CGG has conducted a microplastics pollution survey as part of a scoping study into whether it would be possible to create a “Plastic Free zone” on Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon). This highlights pollution ‘hotpots’ with high microplastic concentrations. Image credit: Phil Ross , CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Plastics

Plastics Pollution Microplastics Soil

Final report on flagship air pollution reporting pilot scheme released

Envirotec Magazine

JUNE 16, 2022

Thursday, 16 June marks the release of findings from a UK pilot scoping study looking at development of an air pollution reporting system for businesses. Air pollution emissions and its impacts are not required in standard corporate reporting of GHG emissions.

Pollution

Pollution Logistics Health Government

Public debate on water pollution “oversimplified”, believes expert panel

Envirotec Magazine

JULY 19, 2021

The water sector must get better at communicating the challenges of tackling pollution and why there is an urgent need for better collaboration between utilities, government bodies, regulators and customers. Collaboration and cooperation will be key. There needs a united voice to communicate with the public.”.

Pollution

Pollution Technology Government

Government has failed to tackle fast fashion, despite the problem worsening, says report

Envirotec Magazine

JULY 9, 2021

New research published on 6 July raises the issue that the UK Government has published only 19 policies in five strategies that tackle the issue of fast fashion to date, despite the fast fashion industry being the second largest user and polluter of water globally and one of the largest contributors to modern slavery.

Fashion

Fashion Government Waste Waste

EA launches consultation on unlimited fines for the worst polluters

Envirotec Magazine

AUGUST 16, 2023

This follows the government announcing that it will lift the current limit of £250,000 that the Environment Agency can impose directly on operators, as well as expanding variable monetary penalties to cover more offences under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

Pollution

Pollution Government Investment Law

Ofwat and the EA must go further: Lords’ report on sewage pollution welcomed by river observers

Envirotec Magazine

MARCH 22, 2023

How might the water industry be better regulated to reduce the sewage pollution that floods waterways in England and Wales? This latest report itemises failures with regulators, government and water companies. This would support targets previously set by Government to reduce water demand, an area where there has been “little progress”.

Pollution

Pollution Building Energy Monitoring Home Energy Monitoring Business Energy Monitoring

Government U-turn on promise to reform farming post-Brexit

Envirotec Magazine

JUNE 13, 2022

The Government has broken its promise to reform farming post-Brexit. In its National Food Strategy published today (13 June), the Government’s commitment to provide a third of its farming budget for Landscape Recovery has been abandoned. The agricultural sector is also the biggest source of pollution to rivers in England.

Government

Government Soil Agriculture Biodiversity

Gas shortage that never was is over as government agrees to find out how polluting it really is

Renew Economy

AUGUST 25, 2024

The gas shortage that never was is over almost as soon as it began, while the government promises to find better ways to measure its real climate impact. The post Gas shortage that never was is over as government agrees to find out how polluting it really is appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Pollution

Pollution Government

Call for government to make swift decision on ban on plastic in wet wipes

Envirotec Magazine

OCTOBER 10, 2022

The government needs to make an immediate decision on banning plastic in wet wipes in order to help tackle this sewage-based pollution ending up in the River Thames, environmental charity Thames21 has urged. Counting wetwipes on the foreshore (image credit: Thames21).

Plastics

Plastics Government Microplastics Pollution

New Environment Secretary visits wetlands tackling river pollution

Envirotec Magazine

JULY 22, 2024

The Chamber Mead Wetlands were installed by South East Rivers Trust in the Chamber Mead local nature reserve in order to tackle sewage and road run-off pollution affecting the Hogsmill River, a chalk stream. The Rivers Trust movement stands ready to work in partnership with the government on this aspect of our national renewal.”

Pollution

Pollution Biodiversity Government Cooling

‘No evidence’ that the Government is on track to meet crucial 2030 nature target

Envirotec Magazine

OCTOBER 10, 2023

The Government has claimed that it is “on track to reach its target to protect 30% of UK land and sea for nature 2030”, but the department responsible cannot provide any evidence to back-up these assertions, as new findings reveal, which were published on 10 October by environmental groups. Image credit: Marc Barrot , CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Government

Government Politics Biodiversity Policy

How will the world rule on plastic? Read this draft treaty's fine print

GreenBiz

NOVEMBER 3, 2023

Governments around the world are securing their travel visas, rallying their best nerds and sharpening their pencils for the next big United Nations meeting on plastic pollution.

Plastics

Plastics Pollution Government

Why accelerating hydrogen use in heavy industry is crucial for net zero

Hydrogen Fuel News

JANUARY 16, 2025

And with the UK government planning to ban the sale of new diesel and petrol HGVs by 2040, theres a real urgency around moving to this technology. There are zero emissions at the point of use plus theyre quieter when running, cutting noise pollution in urban areas. But as an industry, we cannot do this alone.

Hydrogen

Hydrogen Logistics Fossil fuels Transportation

UK biotech start-up deploys ‘synthetic oysters’ to tackle water pollution

Envirotec Magazine

MAY 21, 2024

Smart Ops technology has fulfilled the requirements of a significant environment technology verification programme administered by the Indian government, in an apparent first for a water-treatment method. “Smart Ops has been able to bring 18 million litres of polluted water to safe levels within 48 hours in Ganesh Lake in Mumbai.

Biotech

Biotech Pollution Biotechnology Technology

England’s non-woodland trees mapped freely for first time

Envirotec Magazine

APRIL 7, 2025

Englands non-woodland trees have been mapped for first time, says the UK government, revealing these trees make up nearly third of the nations tree cover. Many people – from citizens to governments will use the map to make evidence-based decisions to improve management and protection of our trees.”

Government

Government Climate change Carbon Health

Government funding for innovations that “could revolutionise British rail travel”

Envirotec Magazine

NOVEMBER 15, 2022

Government funding of over £5 million has been provided to help launch innovative ideas that could transform rail travel and help decarbonize the rail network. Cutting edge electric drivetrains that replace polluting diesel engines. Other winning projects include: Automatic systems that detect and stop track flooding.

Energy Monitor

Energy Monitor Innovation Business Energy Monitoring Government

Fossil Fuel Lobbyists and Major Polluters to Sponsor Labour Conference Events

DeSmogBlog

SEPTEMBER 4, 2024

Robert Noyes, Fossil Free Parliament campaigner, told DeSmog that the New Statesman was “selling its readers short” by accepting sponsorship from polluting companies and their lobbyists. It pollutes our politics and dilutes their agenda… Climate wrecking sponsors have got to go.” Drax disputes this claim.

Fossil fuels

Fossil fuels Pollution Carbon-negative Carbon-neutral

HSBC invests in world’s first ‘reef credit’ system

GreenBiz

DECEMBER 7, 2020

Unlike carbon credits, which are focused on helping companies or individuals make removal claims, reef credits are about the abatement of pollution at the edge of the system. Pollution Prevention. A new reef credit marketplace hopes to save the Great Barrier Reef with corporate and government investment.// Water Conservation.

Investment

Investment Agriculture Pollution Climate change

Clean electricity regulations will keep energy affordable and our economy competitive

Clean Energy Canada

DECEMBER 17, 2024

After a multi-year consultation, the final regulatory design provides flexibility aimed at meeting each provinces unique needs while minimizing pollution and protecting reliability and affordability. We congratulate the federal government for getting them over the line. Canadas cleanest grids produce the cheapest power.

Electricity

Electricity Energy Energy Natural gas

Managing the future of plastic: key recommendations for Government

Envirotec Magazine

MARCH 19, 2024

Experts have collaborated on a series of recommendations which calls on Government to take the initiative on finding solutions to the plastics problem. Speaking at the launch, Baroness Meacher said: “Plastics are an important resource that we cannot simply dispense with, but we must address the effects of plastic pollution.

Plastics

Plastics Government Recycling Recycling

Alberta’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ Enforcement Strategy Doesn’t Apply to Polluters

DeSmogBlog

JANUARY 23, 2025

Alberta is taking a zero-tolerance approach to crime, bragged Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in 2023 on social media after her government announced more enforcement, greater emphasis on public safety, and limited discretion of prosecutors to let offenders off the hook. million based on the scale of the pollution.

Pollution

Pollution Law Government Health

Don’t blame the newts? Challenging the false dichotomy of nature vs the economy

Envirotec Magazine

FEBRUARY 3, 2025

Healthy ecosystems provide stability for businesses by mitigating risks such as flooding and droughts and filtering pollutants from the air and water; nature provides the stability necessary for business. The Government should focus on tackling the challenges of house building, nature loss and climate change in tandem.

Government

Government Policy Sustainability Climate change

China’s new frontier for VOC regulations

GreenBiz

MARCH 23, 2021

In 2010, the Central Government of China integrated the "Guideline on Strengthening Joint Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution to Improve Air Quality" into its 12th Five Year Plan. Third, regional and local governments adjust reduction measures according to a factory’s environmental performance level.

Building Energy Monitoring

Building Energy Monitoring Energy Monitor Business Energy Monitoring Pollution

World needs ambitious target of 0% new plastic waste by 2040

Envirotec Magazine

NOVEMBER 10, 2022

The United Nations is being urged to make a bold pledge and set a target of zero for new plastic pollution by 2040 in its upcoming Global Treaty to End Plastic Pollution. Plastic production and subsequent pollution are key drivers of climate change, the focus of discussion at COP27 in Egypt this week.

Plastics

Plastics Waste Waste Pollution

Making sense of the system: Highlights from the Corry Review

Envirotec Magazine

APRIL 3, 2025

Its a juggling act that successive governments have attempted to pull off. Successive Governments as they take office have tried, and largely failed, to address this issue and this Government is no exception. ” The barriers include things like planning, benefit-to-cost ratios, and biodiversity net gain.

Law

Law Government Innovation Pollution

Next UK prime minister must ban microplastics, says drainage group

Envirotec Magazine

AUGUST 17, 2022

The new advocacy campaign, named Microplastics Out of Our Drains (MOOD) , is calling for industry and government to come together to take decisive action to tackle the serious threat that microplastics pose to our drains, oceans, environment and overall health.

Microplastics

Microplastics Plastics Pollution Policy

Report is most comprehensive to date on challenges and solutions to the phosphorus crisis

Envirotec Magazine

JUNE 13, 2022

Nutrient pollution can lead to the growth of harmful algal blooms such as cyanobacteria also known as blue-green algae, pictured (image credit: UKCEH). Meanwhile, overuse of fertilisers and sewage pollution pump millions of tonnes of phosphorus into lakes and rivers each year, damaging biodiversity and affecting water quality.

Pollution

Pollution Biodiversity Recycling Recycling

New study finds that sewage release is worse for rivers than agriculture

Envirotec Magazine

OCTOBER 6, 2023

Researchers from the University of Oxford’s Department of Biology investigated the effects of three different pollution sources (treated sewage discharge, agriculture, and urban run-off) on different aspects of river systems. The group tested four rivers in England, both up- and downstream of sewage discharge, over three different months.

Agriculture

Agriculture Pollution Organic Biodiversity

Just 36 Companies Drove Half the World’s Climate-Altering Emissions in 2023: New Report

DeSmogBlog

MARCH 5, 2025

percent of the worlds carbon dioxide pollution alone in 2023, the report found. The years top carbon polluters were a mix of investor-owned and state-owned or national companies but they have one thing in common. And their lobbying efforts took aim at regulating climate-altering pollution or sought to impede the energy transition.

Fossil fuels

Fossil fuels Natural gas Pollution Carbon

Nigel Farage’s Reform Party Has Accepted £2.3 Million from Fossil Fuel Interests, Climate Deniers, and Polluters Since 2019 Election

DeSmogBlog

JUNE 4, 2024

million from oil and gas interests, highly polluting industries, and climate science deniers since December 2019, amounting to 92 percent of the party’s donations. Yet Reform’s official register of donations reveals the party is bankrolled by rich businessmen who reject climate science or make money from polluting industries.

Fossil fuels

Fossil fuels Pollution Global warming Climate change

Reservoirs ‘desperately needed’ as past ‘neglect’ hits water bills

Envirotec Magazine

FEBRUARY 3, 2025

The government has announced 7.9 The big increases reflect the chronic neglect of our water infrastructure for decades, which has allowed problems of sewage overspills, pollution, and over-extraction from rivers to build up and up. Ladybower reservoir, in the Peak District, in summertime.

Climate change

Climate change Resilience Investment Pollution

Urban wood burning is soaring, with 18,000 complaints but only 3 fines

Envirotec Magazine

OCTOBER 19, 2021

New research from campaign group Mums for Lungs appears to reveal a failure to tackle wood smoke pollution in the UK. air pollution. [2]. Even so called ‘eco- stoves’ emit much more pollution than diesel HGVs – and you would not want those in your living room! Image credit: Demetri Dourambeis , CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Pollution

Pollution Home Energy Monitoring Health Logging

Drax is UK’s largest single source of CO2 emissions

Envirotec Magazine

AUGUST 12, 2024

Tomos Harrison, Electricity Transition Analyst, Ember, said: “It’s a startling fact that the UK’s largest single source of greenhouse gases is a government-backed project that receives hundreds of millions in energy bill payer funding every year.” Currently, Drax is the only company in the UK developing BECCS in the power sector.

Carbon-neutral

Carbon-neutral Carbon-negative Climate change Fossil fuels

Strong Support Among Europeans for Banning Fossil Fuel Ads, Study Finds

DeSmogBlog

MARCH 21, 2025

Climate campaigners are urging governments to impose tobacco-style restrictions on advertising for oil and gas companies and high-carbon goods and services such as flights, cruises and SUVs. Legal and regulatory complaints brought against polluting companies for deceptive advertising practices have spiked in recent years, however.

Fossil fuels

Fossil fuels Law Pollution Government

Larry Fink says accelerate. He needs to say it much louder

GreenBiz

FEBRUARY 4, 2021

The Science Based Targets initiative makes clear that greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution must halve by 2030. For investors, the acceleration question is: What are the companies in your portfolio doing in 2021 to cut pollution by 10 to 15 percent this year? lawmakers that industrial-scale pollution for profit was warming the planet.

Pollution

Pollution Investment Carbon-negative Law

Preventative pump maintenance reduces downtime and risk

Envirotec Magazine

NOVEMBER 6, 2024

This means, in the event of a pollution, the Environment Agency can impose unlimited fines on firms that hold environmental permits, including those in manufacturing and process, agriculture and water and wastewater.

Pollution

Pollution Agriculture Health Government

Prioritise tackling toxic emissions from tyres, urge experts

Envirotec Magazine

FEBRUARY 24, 2023

A new briefing paper from Imperial College London attempts a deep dive on the pollution produced by the particles sloughed off from vehicle tyres. Even if all our vehicles eventually become powered by electricity instead of fossil fuels, we will still have harmful pollution from vehicles because of tyre wear. “We

Pollution

Pollution Health Microplastics Transportation

Government sets out new targets on air quality, water pollution, waste and woodland cover

We need stricter MOT tests to eliminate air pollution, says campaign group

Trending Sources

World Air Quality Report 2022 highlights pollution hotspots

DEFRA Air Quality Strategy: Health, environment and transport groups urge Government to re-think

Rewild the night sky by tackling light pollution says charity

In Bolivia, mercury pollution spreads amid a surge in gold mining

Survey identifies significant micro plastic pollution on summit of Snowdon

Final report on flagship air pollution reporting pilot scheme released

Public debate on water pollution “oversimplified”, believes expert panel

Government has failed to tackle fast fashion, despite the problem worsening, says report

EA launches consultation on unlimited fines for the worst polluters

Ofwat and the EA must go further: Lords’ report on sewage pollution welcomed by river observers

Government U-turn on promise to reform farming post-Brexit

Gas shortage that never was is over as government agrees to find out how polluting it really is

Call for government to make swift decision on ban on plastic in wet wipes

New Environment Secretary visits wetlands tackling river pollution

‘No evidence’ that the Government is on track to meet crucial 2030 nature target

How will the world rule on plastic? Read this draft treaty's fine print

Why accelerating hydrogen use in heavy industry is crucial for net zero

UK biotech start-up deploys ‘synthetic oysters’ to tackle water pollution

England’s non-woodland trees mapped freely for first time

Government funding for innovations that “could revolutionise British rail travel”

Fossil Fuel Lobbyists and Major Polluters to Sponsor Labour Conference Events

HSBC invests in world’s first ‘reef credit’ system

Clean electricity regulations will keep energy affordable and our economy competitive

Managing the future of plastic: key recommendations for Government

Alberta’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ Enforcement Strategy Doesn’t Apply to Polluters

Don’t blame the newts? Challenging the false dichotomy of nature vs the economy

China’s new frontier for VOC regulations

World needs ambitious target of 0% new plastic waste by 2040

Making sense of the system: Highlights from the Corry Review

Next UK prime minister must ban microplastics, says drainage group

Report is most comprehensive to date on challenges and solutions to the phosphorus crisis

Sponsored content: Cleaner air thanks to carbon filtration

New study finds that sewage release is worse for rivers than agriculture

Just 36 Companies Drove Half the World’s Climate-Altering Emissions in 2023: New Report

Nigel Farage’s Reform Party Has Accepted £2.3 Million from Fossil Fuel Interests, Climate Deniers, and Polluters Since 2019 Election

Reservoirs ‘desperately needed’ as past ‘neglect’ hits water bills

Urban wood burning is soaring, with 18,000 complaints but only 3 fines

Drax is UK’s largest single source of CO2 emissions

Strong Support Among Europeans for Banning Fossil Fuel Ads, Study Finds

Larry Fink says accelerate. He needs to say it much louder

Preventative pump maintenance reduces downtime and risk

Prioritise tackling toxic emissions from tyres, urge experts

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