New study finds that sewage release is worse for rivers than agriculture
New research by the University of Oxford seems to reveal that sewage discharge into rivers has a greater impact on water quality, and the...
Growing demand for storm overflow cameras
Water companies are now legally obliged to publish data on their storm overflows, but many of these discharge points are also increasingly being monitored...
UK government’s attempt to loosen nutrient neutrality rules blocked by the House of Lords
The government has lost its bid to scrap nutrient neutrality rules for housing developments, with Labour Lords voting to reject the proposed amendments (to...
Licence to spill? Legislative status of government’s new plans unclear
River conservation groups reacted with alarm to the news (on 29 August) that the government plans to ease restrictions on developers' need to ensure...
Tannins: A possible answer to microplastic pollution?
Scientists at UBC’s BioProducts Institute find that if you add tannins to a layer of wood dust, you can create a filter that traps virtually all...
EA launches consultation on unlimited fines for the worst polluters
New laws will scrap the cap on civil penalties and significantly broaden their scope to target a much wider range of environmental offences
On 15...
Somerset tank project will store 800k litres of sewer water
A £9.5 million project to boost the storage and treatment of wastewater gets underway near Bridgwater, Somerset this autumn, says Wessex Water.
Construction teams will...
Even treated wastewater affects our rivers, and new study attempts to characterise species shift
New study seems to show that effluents from wastewater treatment plants change the balance of invertebrate communities in Hesse’s waters
Effluents from wastewater treatment plants...
“Modern chemistry is rubbish”: Time to wake up to environmental effects, suggests commentary
Modern day chemists need to broaden their horizons and consider the effects of chemistry “beyond the reaction vessel and the fume hood”, according to...
Biosurfactants might offer an environmentally friendly solution for tackling oil spills
Can biosurfactants increase microbiological oil degradation in North Sea seawater? An international research team have been exploring the question and say the results reveal...
Microplastics collect heavy metals, reports study from Ulaanbaatar
Surface cracks and biofilms on plastic particles might help spread pollution
Concerns about microplastic pollution arise not only because of the particles themselves, but...
Sewage spills still a problem as EA report notes utilities’ winding path of improvement
Water and sewerage firms in England are still under-performing, according to the EA’s latest appraisal of their performance – in relation to spills from...
Striving for environmental balance: nutrient neutrality to futureproof the development pipeline
By Wendy Furgusson, Associate, Environment and Health, Ramboll
With Natural England's recent changes to planning policy causing a reduction in the number of new homes...
Cleared for take-off: Valve system smoothes de-icing fluid removal at airport
A new automated shutdown system that helps protect local watercourses has been installed by AUMA Actuators in a wash-down area for de-icing commercial airliners...
Sewage scandal goes to the High Court
On Wednesday 5 to Thursday 6 July, the High Court will hear a legal challenge that aims to force the Government to toughen up...
Toxic chemical combinations found at over 1,600 river and groundwater sites across England
New analysis of Environment Agency data appears to reveal a worrying level of chemical pollution in rivers and other freshwater sites across England.1 The...
Wild boar liver can be used to map PFAS contamination
A new German study uses the liver of wild boar to map PFAS contamination in the habitat of these animals.
The study focused on 66...
How old is that microplastic? A new way to estimate the age of microplastics...
Researchers have developed a new way to estimate the age of microplastics found in the upper oceans. The method involves a combination of analyzing...
Near real-time data added to popular Sewage Map
Near-real time alerts of raw sewage discharges have been added to the interactive Sewage Map provided by charity The Rivers Trust, and the group...
Utilities commit to smart water installations to help avoid sewer spills
Water technology firm SDS has completed the installation of its latest smart rainwater management systems at homes in Forton, Lancashire, and Deal, Kent, as...
