Defra’s Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan falls short, says conservation group
"We are appalled to see that Defra’s Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan has not taken into account the thousands of responses to the draft...
Rainwater is no longer drinkable thanks to PFAS, say researchers
A perspective article by researchers from Stockholm University and ETH Zurich, published in August in Environmental Science & Technology, suggests that environmental contamination by...
Study aims to better understand nitrogen pollution sources and solutions
Study traces the source of nitrogen pollution affecting the world’s second largest barrier reef
Agricultural operations are responsible for the vast majority of nitrogen...
Research seems to confirm the effectiveness of oil dispersants
One of the few tools available to mitigate the damage from marine oil spills are chemical dispersants that break down oil in the water....
New Antarctic study shows levels of ‘forever chemicals’ reaching the remote continent have been...
New evidence from Antarctica shows that toxic ‘fluorinated forever chemicals’ have increased markedly in the remote environment in recent decades and scientists believe CFC-replacements...
Microbes degrade toughest PFAS
Under anaerobic conditions, common microbial communities can break the ultra-strong carbon-fluorine bond characteristic of these compounds.
Tool to help understand the environmental effects of human medicines in Scotland
A new data visualisation tool aims to help researchers better understand the effects medicines have on Scotland’s environment. It has been launched by the...
Microbes can degrade the toughest PFAS, says new study
Under anaerobic conditions, common microbial communities can break the ultra-strong carbon-fluorine bond
Engineers at the University of California (Riverside) are the first to report...
Report pulls back the curtain on chemical pollution in the ocean
A new report attempts to provide a diagnostic of the scale of the ocean pollution challenge facing humanity.
The Invisible Wave: Getting to zero chemical...
Breaking the CSO cycle
Three steps to increased capacity, without capital expenditure: The use of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) has placed water companies in the firing line of regulators and ratepayers.
Contaminant cornucopia
Monitoring projects that collect and analyze urban runoff samples have just begun to characterize the dizzying array of contaminants, including tire- and vehicle-derived chemicals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), phosphorous, metals and many others, according to the American Chemical Society.
Spotting problems
A report on river quality, published by the UK Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), in January, revealed damning evidence of river pollution in England, and called for improvements in the monitoring of waterways for contamination from sewage outflows and other pollution sources
Not-so-clear and present danger
The unfolding furore over sewage dumping seems to have mobilised political will in a way that observers suggest might be "game changing".
Proposal to ban ‘forever chemicals’ in firefighting foams in the EU
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) says it is bringing forward a proposal for an EU-wide restriction on all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in...
Discharging a duty
Water industry intransigence and regulatory neglect seem to provide the backdrop to a sewage dumping scandal that has made headlines recently and emboldened citizen scientists and environmental campaigners. Will 2022 be the year water companies are finally forced to get their act together, asks Envirotec.
Sites must fulfil water protection obligations
With public attention on corporate environmental activities, there is particular pressure on industrial companies to limit their impact on the local water environment, says Adam Parmenter, industrial sales manager at WPL.
Comment: New year brings resolution on pollution
With sector-wide recognition that a step-change is required to deliver the environmental improvements required by all stakeholders, a new year brings fresh opportunities for...
Laser scans show devastating impact of wet wipes on the Thames
River charity Thames21 has released data showing a mound created by wet wipes, which has grown to the size of two tennis courts and...
Paint predominates in ocean plastics
Flakes of paint could be one of the most abundant types of microplastic particle in the ocean, according to new research.
Sewage pollution makes popular Oxford bathing site unsafe after rainfall, say researchers
Sewage pollution is raising bacteria levels in Oxford’s popular swimming spots to unsafe levels after rainfall, new research appears to find.
Research by the Oxford...
