Flood reminder
THE nation must take steps to become more “flood resilient” the Institution of Civil Engineers has warned.
Director Nick Baveystock said that recent storms which battered the south of England and caused widespread flooding were “a stark reminder” that the country will continue to face the consequences of severe rainfall unless measures are taken to prevent flooding.
“We cannot just wait for floods to destroy homes – we must take effective measures to mitigate and avoid damage.”
Irish alliance
IRISH firm SCFI has announced an alliance with Air Products to streamline its customer offering while further developing commercial opportunities for AquaCritox, its sludge and wet industrial waste destruction technology.
The alliance supports end users of AquaCritox by combining all the components needed to deliver 99.99%+ organic wet waste destruction on site in a single-step process.
It also marks the start of a joint global marketing initiative, as AquaCritox joins Air Products’ portfolio of atmospheric, process and speciality gases, performance materials and technology.
Clarity call
THE Environmental Industries Commission trade group has released an industry-led report into the Government’s carbon reduction commitment policy.
The document follows research across the environmental technology and services industry and among the recommendations are the introduction of clear, long-term carbon pricing and the development of a carbon trading system to help companies form a better understanding of energy consumption.
Defensive unit
A scheme to reduce the risk of flooding to homes on two Grimsby housing estates moved a step closer in recent weeks when Environment Agency contractors set up a works compound.
They will build a new flood defence bank and make changes to a flood storage reservoir.
The site will close on Christmas Eve and re-open on January 2 to allow construction works including drainage, earthmoving and piling. However, a start date is dependent on the weather.
Foot on the gas
THE Freight Transport Association has called on the Government to provide “the necessary assurance” to freight operators to embrace gas as a viable alternative to conventional diesel.
In its newly-published Gas Manifesto it says there is a wide range of decarbonisation measures to make moving goods by road more carbon efficient.
“However it is clear that in order to reduce reliance on conventional fossil fuels such as diesel, the UK must look to alternative fuels that offer further carbon savings including natural gas and ultimately biomethane.”
Sewage slide
A West Midlands company has been fined £15,000 after a worker slid seven metres into a sewage well.
The 34-year-old was clearing a blockage for Tardis Environmental UK at a housing development in Halesowen when the incident occurred last year.
A pump at the bottom of the sewage well had become blocked with bulky waste and to remove it, the employee used a tanker with pump and hose attachments but lost balance and fell into the chamber. He ingested raw sewage, sustained friction burns to his arms, and bruised his elbows, knees and head in the fall. He was off work for a number of days.
