News in brief

In a step towards improving public information on pollution, the Environment Agency has written to companies telling them that they will have a new condition in their operating licences requiring them to provide annual returns setting out the total amounts of substances released to the air, water or land, to be audited by the Agency. Over 200 substances, including climate change gases and toxic pollutants, are to be included in the new system.

Source: iem

The Environment Agency is investing £3.4m to upgrade and improve flood warning systems in the North West. The cash boost is part of a £4.75m project, in conjunction with the North East Region. A new upgraded system will provide information on water quality and water resources in addition to rainfall and water levels.

Source: iem

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service has changed its range of national accreditation marks. To minimise confusion the marks are a derivation of the former NAMAS and NACB marks, but each mark clearly shows the area of accreditation covered.

Source: iem

Global Energy and Environment Ltd (GEEL) is a new not-for-profit company promoting sustainable development to business. GEEL will be working with JEMU to bring together all sectors of the energy and environmental industries to examine how best to achieve business in a fast-growing national and international market. For a copy of the business plan, contact GEEL on 01488 668885.

Source: iem

A horticultural firm has been fined £15,000 by the Environment Agency after abstracting water from two sites in Hertfordshire. Joseph Rochford Gardens pleaded guilty to five counts of unlawful abstraction at the Letty and Birch Green nurseries in the River Mimram catchment.

The firm received permission for experimental borehole drilling in 1985, but failed to apply for a full licence and continued to abstract illegally from 1986-1998.

Source: wwt

The 1999 Stockholm Water Symposium, ‘Urban stability through integrated water-related management,’ takes place August 9-12, 1999, and will focus on future strategies for urban water management throughout the world. In addition, the 1999 Stockholm Water Prize will be also be presented.

Source: wwt

The roof of the Millennium Dome will be used to collect rain for an innovative water recycling system developed by Thames Water. Rain falling on the 20-acre roof will be collected and treated in an environmentally-friendly reed bed created by Thames Water at the Dome, then used for flushing toilets around the site.

Source: wwt