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...
Public debate on water pollution “oversimplified”, believes expert panel
The rise of citizen science is placing increasing pressure on water companies to improve their environmental performance and protect river and bathing water quality....
Sponsored Content: Your post-lockdown pollution-prevention plan: Why it pays to be proactive
As spring turns to summer, sites across the UK are continuing their steady return to some kind of business as usual. By the end of this year, half of manufacturers expect to be back at full operating levels and employees are coming back in ever greater numbers after months of remote working. For facilities managers, now is a critical time from the perspective of pollution control.
Sponsored Content: Environmentally-friendly spill control
For any industry that works with liquids, a spill control plan should be in place, says spills control specialist Fentex.
Designed to assist with the spill control required by pollution prevention guidelines, ISO standards and other regulations, the EVO Recycled® product range began with the development of an absorbent pad made from 85% recycled cotton fibres, in the vicinity of Cambridge University.
Progress made but too many still falling short, says EA on environmental performance of...
The Environment Agency released its annual report on the environmental performance of England’s nine water and sewerage companies on 13 July.
Whilst there were improvements...
Taming the black gold
Researchers at Imperial College London and the University of Toronto believe they have developed a sustainable and economical way to recover oil from ultra-cold industrial wastewater and oil spills
Sponsored content: MCERTS expertise provides watertight handling of storm overflows
The new Asset Management Period (AMP) in the UK water industry introduces a requirement to monitor any spills going into a storm tank – regularly referred to by those working in the sector as UMON3.
An enduring threat to water?
Dr Ian Ross of professional services firm Tetra Tech, and the author of the Emerging Contaminants Handbook, discusses the emergence of PFAS as contaminants of concern in the UK
Harnessing data to meet alarm system standard
Water company telemetry systems generate thousands of alarms each day, with the risk of control rooms becoming overwhelmed and missing critical alerts ever present....
