• Growth in ISO14001

  2003 saw a huge rate of growth in UK certificates to international environmental management standard ISO14001

• Auto sector on sustainability

  The fifth annual sustainability report from the motor industry shows falling environmental impacts from UK vehicle manufacturing

• Mogden sewage odour saga

  Fresh legal clashes over Britain's worst sewage odour problem have cast renewed doubt on existing policy on the issue

• Greenpeace praises firms

  Greenpeace has applauded five global product manufacturers - Puma, Nokia, Adidas, Unilever and Chicco -for agreeing to phase out hazardous substances

Parliament

• Environment Bill unveiled

  A Bill to tighten up controls on fly-tipping, litter and abandoned cars has been introduced into Parliament

UK policy

• Shake-up on waste planning

  Proposals to revise guidance on waste planning and municipal strategies include removing the concept of BPEO from waste policy

• Climate strategy review

  The Government is seeking views on a range of measures to get it back on target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions

• Update on combustion plant

  Ministers have belatedly submitted revised proposals to implement the large combustion plant Directive - but face a struggle in convincing the European Commission

• Treasury rejects incineration tax
• DEFRA's five-year strategy
• Paper firms focus on water use
• Lead works get IPPC permit
• Row over water price settlement
• Public 'to pay twice' for nitrate clean-up
• Pesticides voluntary initiative update
• HSBC to go 'carbon neutral'
• Move to salvage UK emissions trading
• Royal Commission report on fisheries
• Greening government report
• Effluent toxicity testing challenge
• New business lobby for climate services industry
• Greens slam plan for FGD in Northern Ireland
• Correction - water pollution in England and Wales
• COT discounts link between tap water and birth problems
• Commission to probe Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
• Pesticide impact studies passed over
• Crunch time for the CDM
• Improvements required at Corus steelworks

Waste management

• Clarity sought on PRNs
• Reprieve for ELV shredders
• London Mayor on incineration policy
• Agency struggles on waste permitting
• Judge approves hazardous waste site
• Hazwaste probe extended to Hills landfill
• Investment firm buys hazardous waste landfills
• Agency seeks deal to remove fridge stockpiles

• HP printer cartridge dispute
• Row over 'sustainable' coffee
• Oil industry claims for new fuels
• International Timber investigates Greenpeace claims
• Detergents industry widens reporting initiative

Parliament

• U-turn on home energy efficiency
• Lords slam radwaste 'procrastination'
• Scottish green jobs strategy
• Government 'must encourage' councils to recycle lighter materials
• Scottish Water's sewage sludge outlets
• MPs press for transparency in water price reviews
• Microgeneration Bill introduced

UK policy

• OFR guidance pulls its punches
• Rules on MBT and landfill targets
• Agricultural wastes consultation
• Carbon Trust slams UK allocation plan
• Revised COMAH guidance
• DWI guidance on water incidents
• Scottish plans for water regulation
• Planning, pollution and contaminated land
• Row of Scottish Water's green spend
• Consultation on changes to landfill regulations
• Guide for hazwaste producers
• Public participation on air quality, nitrate plans
• Over half of NVZ appeals succeed
• ODPM sets target to cut abandoned vehicles
• Tests mandated for banned azo dyes
• Guidance on plants burning waste oil
• Fuel poverty programme expanded
• DEFRA to extend risk-based regulation under IPPC
• Green light to keep radwaste in UK

EU policy

• Energy-using products Directive
• Commission on resource management
• Diluted energy efficiency proposal

International

• New WHO drinking water guidelines
• Action on PFOS, penta and particles

• Deregulation and the environmental cycle

• Sevalco's £240,000 fine

  Avonmouth chemical company Sevalco took heavy fines in a case involving deception and misreporting of discharge data

• Labour plans legal reforms

  An "environmental justice" Bill is looking like a strong contender for inclusion in Labour's general election manifesto, with Ministers keen to pursue flexible sentencing options

• Push for regulatory reform

  Gordon Brown's pre-Budget report includes few environmental measures but sets out a heavyweight attack on the business impacts of regulatory instruments

• Sevalco's offences
• Flexible penalties, the US way
• Pre-Budget report round-up

• Court of Appeal on BPEO

  An important judgement addresses the extent to which local authorities must have regard to "best practicable environmental option" in planning applications

• Agency wins first ASBO
• Habitat protection and planning
• Costly failures over EIA
• Fine for illegal waste shipment
• Jail for serial waste tipper
• Two offences cost Yorkshire Water £10,000
• Scottish Water fined after sludge spill
• Fat build-up costs South West Water £5,400
• Vandals cost Wessex Water £7,000
• Packaging offences cost publisher £20,000
• Chemical products firm fined over pesticide pollution
• Blood in ditch costs abattoir £25,000
• Clancy Docwra fined for disturbing wildlife
• Thames Water fined over preventable sewage spill
• Effluent spill costs brewery over £33,000
• Wembley construction firm fined £10,000
• Dumped asbestos costs property firm over £40,000
• Holiday firm fined for sewage failures