• NOx trading scheme

  An emissions trading scheme for power stations is being considered by the Environment Agency to control nitrogen oxides

• First IPPC applications

  The first five applications for permits under the integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) regime have been received

• Lead in drinking water

  Illegal use of lead solder in plumbing means that up to half of all new homes have excessive levels of lead in their water supply

Waste management

• New row on incinerator ash

  The Environment Agency and a subsidiary of SITA are facing flak for allowing incinerator fly ash to be recycled into road building materials

• Motorolla’s green phone

  A prototype mobile phone with dramatically improved energy efficiency, no brominated flame retardants and 100% recycled plastic has been developed by Motorolla

Parliament

• Tories on Environment Agency

  A Conservative spokesman has threatened to cut the size of the Environment Agency, with measures including contracting out of services

UK policy

• Scotland on renewables

  Scottish electricity suppliers will have to deliver only 5% of their electricity from renewables falling under the proposed obligation

EU policy

• Scotland on renewables

  Scottish electricity suppliers will have to deliver only 5% of their electricity from renewables falling under the proposed obligation

• Dioxin flood hits homes
• Land condition log book launched
• Agency’s corporate plan
• New environmental performance guide
• Financial sector reporting guidelines
• VOCs in paint shake-up
• GM food safety crisis
• Bathing waters improve
• MTBE in groundwater report
• Endocrine report backs low-dose effects
• Chemicals forum sets priorities
• Offshore environmental report
• Renewable energy news
• Renewable energy news
• Liddell approves CHP projects
• Enforcement action

Waste management

• TV recycling research
• DTI bashes battery recycling
• Blue Circle, Michelin form tyre recovery partnership
• Glass collection scheme for pubs collapses
• Little progress on scrap cars
• UK lags on steel packaging
• Training scheme for waste regulators
• Hants approves, Kent rejects incinerator applications
• Research to capture more landfill gas
• Making recycling fun

• Industry defends chromium coatings
• Cash for vehicle clean up
• Consumer mag uses FSC paper

Parliament

• Waste management inquiry
• Fines for illegal waste disposal fall away
• Blue-green algae incidents fell away last year
• Essex objects to incinerators for London's waste
• Warmer homes Bill gains Royal Assent
• Waste firm’s safety record
• Questions over transport taxation
• NI bid to escape aggregates tax

UK policy

• Consultation on green fuels
• Drinking water Directive implemented
• Agency’s five-yearly review
• IPPC fees and charges agreed
• Revised IPC guidance for energy processes
• Waste licensing streamlined
• Nominal rise in LAPC charges
• Radioactive discharge guidance
• Wales last in line for contaminated land regime
• DTI consults on equipment noise Directive
• UK signs liability protocol on transfrontier waste shipments
• Allocation policy for offshore wind sites
• Guide to EIA procedures

EU policy

• Wallström’s pro-business stance
• Oil firms oppose liability fund
• Advice on dioxins, PCBs, fish
• Biodiversity study to inform EC liability regime
• Commission plans to forestall mining accidents
• New Directive on benzene, CO in air
• "Prior informed consent" extended to 13 chemicals
• EMAS-2 launch set for the spring
• Energy Star agreement with USA
• Energy efficiency standards for light ballasts

International

• Ozone meeting update
• Pan-European law on pollutant inventories in the pipeline
• Go-ahead for European accident liability treaty

• Reforming the tax system for fuel cell vehicles

• Fuel cells motor ahead

  Big firms are betting on hydrogen as the fuel of the 21st century – but substantial obstacles lie in the path of a transition to a hydrogen economy

• Regional picture on waste

  Waste planning is coming of age thanks to ten long-awaited reports by the Environment Agency which paint a regional picture of how much waste there is and what happens to it

• ISO14001: does it work?

  Two European studies have found that environmental management systems do not always deliver the kind of continuous environmental improvements expected

• Fuel cells vs cleaner petrol engines: weighing up the pros and cons
• ISO14001 offers no stimulus to greening of products

• Yorkshire Water’s big fine

  Yorkshire Water intends to appeal against a £240,000 penalty imposed in December for supplying water unfit for human consumption

• Sewerage provision test case
• UK breaches nitrate Directive
• Wildlife site designation challenge
• First groundwater prosecution
• Potato firm’s second fine
• Brewery’s packaging offence