Cutting flaring at ethylene works to cost £140m
ExxonMobil is to invest £140m in its Fife Ethylene Plant, in response to being ordered to make upgrades by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency
The devolved nations and Europe
The latest news and analysis from the devolved nations and Europe, covering air management, energy, land, ecology and development, environmental law, environment and sustainability management, environmental politics, products and chemicals, waste and resources and water management;
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Scotland
‘Bonkers’: Separate industrial emissions controls slammed by DEFRA official
The prospect of Scotland continuing to adhere to new EU industrial emissions guidance while the rest of the UK develops its own is “bonkers” according to a senior DEFRA official
CO2 mine leaks: Measures to protect homes must be better implemented, study suggests
Existing risk assessments and guidelines addressing CO2 ingress into buildings near former mines in Scotland are not always implemented, according to a new study commissioned after a leaking mine caused people to fall ill in their homes
Why SEPA acted against a chemical plant’s flaring
Closely-linked chemical plants operated by Shell and ExxonMobil in Fife have been ordered to make upgrades to cut the frequency of flaring. Gareth Simkins looks into why the Scottish Environment Protection Agency took action
Wales
Data check: Pollution incidents in Wales
Pollution incidents in Wales are increasing, according to Natural Resources Wales
Why a council plans to bulldoze homes to hit air quality targets
A Welsh council’s decision to buy and demolish a row of 20 homes in a bid to meet its clean-air obligations sounds like satire, but the move has the backing of the Welsh government and at least some of the local community. Jim Dunton asks whether other areas could follow Caerphilly’s lead
Homes to be torn down to comply with air quality targets
Houses on one of the UK’s most polluted streets will be demolished to meet air quality targets, a council has confirmed
Welsh power station closure to bring UK’s coal fleet down to four
German energy giant RWE has announced it plans to close the Aberthaw B coal fired power station in March 2020, citing “challenging” market conditions for coal power in the UK
Northern Ireland
Environment agency chief seeks ‘big ideas’ from public on tackling pollution
The chief executive of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has called on the public to come up with "big ideas" on how to protect the environment
Absolute discharge for farmer’s water pollution
On 24 July, a County Tyrone farmer was handed an absolute discharge by Magherafelt magistrates' court for allowing slurry to enter a waterway in 2017.
Northern Ireland faces infringement action over ammonia pollution
Conflicting policy in Northern Ireland is responsible for breaches of critical thresholds for ammonia emissions and nitrogen pollution, according to a politician
Post-Brexit wildlife protection powers ‘unlawful’, claim green groups
New regulations governing the status of conservation areas are an “unlawful misuse” of the government’s Brexit powers, according to a new legal challenge
From ENDS Europe
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Dieselgate 4 years on: Number of ‘dirty diesels’ continues to grow
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Report reveals carbon footprint of throwaway gadget culture
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Clean energy and circular economy projects secure EU innovation funding
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Legal threat over coal closures sparks further calls for treaty reform
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Finland launches initiative to tackle Baltic Sea eutrophication
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