Study flags night-time air pollution in China as potential health threat
China is a night-time ‘hot-spot’ for the production of nitrate radicals (PNO3) that could have a major impact on health-threatening ozone and fine particulates...
Longer-term landmarks needed, concludes the Net Zero review
An independent review of the UK’s current progress and plans in relation to achieving net zero – titled “Mission Zero” - was published on...
Decarbonising local roads: Seven new programmes to start in 2023
A government-funded initiative aiming to accelerate innovation in the roads sector announced funding awards for several new projects on 25 January.
The winning bidders who...
Eating one freshwater fish equals a month of drinking ‘forever chemicals’ water, says US...
A new study appears to find that consumption of just a single serving of freshwater fish per year could be equal to a month...
Against the grain: What can be done about microplastics in soils and digestate?
Microplastics are everywhere: We know that much. But should we be worried? What can we do about it? Some of the speakers at Aqua Enviro's European Biosolids and Bioresources Conference, in late November, presented findings from a project aiming to understand the levels of this contaminant in compost and AD digestate. A change in the policy landscape seems imminent, as Envirotec found out.
The lens of history: Reflections on the 70th anniversary of the Great Smog
The London smog of 1952 was certainly tragic in its effect, claiming over 12,000 lives. But it also marked the moment when air pollution's harms were finally acknowledged, and efforts began to legislate against it. Early December saw the 70th anniversary, and a time for reflection and stock-taking by environmental health experts, including a fascinating lecture by Dr Ian Mudway of Gresham College.
Swedish study attempts analysis of harm posed by antibiotic residues in water
Antibiotic residues in wastewater and wastewater treatment plants in the regions around China and India risk contributing to antibiotic resistance, and the drinking water...
Travelling farther away from home linked to better health
People who travel more outside of their local area feel that they are healthier than those who stay closer to home, according to a...
Record breaking number of brownfield sites identified for redevelopment as housing crisis deepens –...
The number of new homes that could be built on brownfield land has reached record levels, new research by CPRE, the countryside charity, appears...
Anaerobic digestion sector to see taxes rise by up to 30%
Operators of both gas to grid and electrical AD plants are facing higher business rates after the UK government changed the way it calculates...
Time to turn grey concrete into green space to stop London flooding?
Green Party London Assembly Member Zack Polanski has issued a statement lamenting inaction on the implementation of forward-looking drainage strategies in London.
At a time...
Global database of healthcare’s environmental impacts launched
Healthcare provision is a major contributor to the climate crisis, accounting for more than five percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to researchers at...
Green Jobs growing at four times the pace of the overall employment market –...
Green jobs* are growing around four times the rate of the overall UK employment market, with 2.2% of all new jobs classed as green....
Megacities out-shine the moon in coastal environments says first quantification of artificial light at...
Coastal megacities could be illuminating the marine environment up to six times more than the moon but are often not considered when reviewing stressors...
Over 650 scientists urge world leaders to stop burning forests for energy on eve...
Over 650 scientists have signed a letter urging world leaders to stop using forests for bioenergy, ahead of the 15th Meeting of the Convention...
The ecological cost of a tweet
Each of our digital activities comes with an ecological cost - and we perhaps shouldn't discount those carried out under the blue glare of...
Scotland’s climate targets are in danger of becoming meaningless, warns advisory group
The Scottish Government lacks a clear delivery plan and has not offered a coherent explanation for how its policies will achieve Scotland’s bold emissions...
Electric dreams: Innovators step up at the Scottish Green Energy Awards in Edinburgh
The UK’s first all-electric intercity bus service drove off with a top prize at the Scottish Green Energy Awards on 1 December.
Ember, whose low-emission...
WRAP updates voluntary agreements, outlining circularity vision for food, plastic and textiles
We will not tackle the climate crisis without changing our consumption systems, says group, whose voluntary agreements aim to lead industry response
Climate action NGO...
Microfibres in the Mediterranean are floating homes for bacteria
Almost 200 species of bacteria colonize microfibres in the Mediterranean Sea, including one that causes food poisoning in humans, according to a new study...
