AI boom raises prospect of new surge in PFAS production
Rapid growth in AI infrastructure could contribute to a substantial expansion in global production of PFAS, according to new research from chemicals campaign group...
CIWM urges new direction on waste
A new policy briefing urges the Government to look beyond recycling and collections, and introduce measures to stimulate reuse, domestic reprocessing and resource security
The...
Waste sites face October deadline for mandatory digital reporting
Permitted waste facilities in England and Wales will have to record every load of controlled waste through a new digital service from 1 October,...
Citizen science survey to assess summer impacts on UK and Irish rivers
The impacts of summer drought, extreme heat and pollution on rivers across the UK and Ireland are to be assessed in a week-long citizen...
UK heat pump installations fall 22%
UK heat pump installations fell by 22% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to new government...
Heat and wildfires are eroding air-quality gains, says WMO
Increasing pollution from wildfires and heatwaves threatens to undermine improvements achieved by controlling industrial and transport emissions, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
The...
Councils urged to join up climate adaptation and net zero
Infrastructure being developed to cut emissions should be designed from the outset to withstand future flooding, heat and water stress, according to new research...
Wastewater treatment risks shifting microplastics problem from water to land, APPG report warns
Wastewater treatment is acting as a major pathway for microplastics into agricultural soils and potentially the food system, according to a new parliamentary report...
Environment Agency to deploy AI to target waste crime and non-compliance
The Environment Agency is increasing its use of AI and machine learning to identify waste-sector compliance risks and target regulatory activity towards operators and...
Waste-to-SAF technology completes 72-hour endurance trials
A UK process for converting waste biomass into feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) has completed continuous production runs lasting up to 72 hours,...
Iran-linked cyber attack reportedly shuts UK energy generator for four days
A cyber attack reportedly linked to Iran forced a small UK electricity generator offline for four days in July, prompting the government to brief...
Could geothermal roads help prevent potholes before they form?
The UK’s pothole problem could one day be tackled from beneath the road surface, using technology that collects heat from roads in summer, stores...
Historic mine pollution leaves unresolved health risks reports Defra-commissioned review
A Defra-commissioned review has found evidence that metal contamination from historic mining persists in parts of England and Wales and is entering wildlife, livestock...
Parched UK confronts growing challenge of water resilience
With almost three-quarters of England in drought and conditions also severe across Wales and parts of Scotland, the UK's exceptionally dry summer is intensifying...
Scottish EfW review finds no significant overcapacity
A new assessment of Scotland’s energy-from-waste (EfW) infrastructure has concluded that the country is not heading for significant overcapacity, although a lack of spare...
Fridge recycling capacity crisis leaves councils struggling to accept old appliances
A shortage of specialist capacity for recycling discarded fridges and freezers is beginning to disrupt household waste services in parts of the UK, prompting...
Just 14% of England’s surface waters achieve good ecological status
Only 14.3% of England’s rivers, lakes and estuaries have achieved good ecological status in the latest Environment Agency classifications, prompting environmental groups to call...
Imperfect sorting of plastic types undermines mechanical recycling, explains Manchester study
Mechanical recycling of plastics can be significantly undermined by even small amounts of cross-contamination between common packaging polymers, according to researchers at the University...
Campaign aims to shine a light on hidden hazards in the workplace, and boost...
A new UK-wide campaign aiming to raise awareness of the invisible risks that affect millions of workers, and encourage more concerted action on prevention,...
UK company claims commercial breakthrough for MOF-based atmospheric water harvesting
A UK company has unveiled what it describes as the first commercially available atmospheric water harvesting system to use metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to extract...
