News in brief

This month marks the launch of the Environmental Data Association (EDA), set up in response to increasing demand for products and services involved in the identification and assessment of contaminated sites. Calling on approved data sources and standardised practices, the EDA is to regulate data providers in an effort to reduce disparities between products and counter the risk of abuse of selective interpretation of non-standardised practice. Contact Amy Hines, EDA Secretariat, on 01273 857500.

Source: iem

Bio-Wise, a new programme of Government support for the uptake of biotechnology by industry, is to “build on, and go beyond the scope of”, its predecessor, the Biotechnology Means Business (BMB) initiative, Industry Minister John Battle has announced. With £13m of DTI funding over four years, Bio-Wise aims to improve UK competitiveness by encouraging technology transfer and the take-up of biotechnology applications across industry, and aid the UK biotechnology industry take advantage of developing markets in the UK and overseas.

Source: Iem

Members of the British Plastics Federation’s (BPF’s) Plastics Recyclers Council have expresse concern over the practical operation of the PRN system at the centre of the implementation of the Packaging Regulations. Compliance schemes competing with one another to secure lowest cost compliance for their members, the Council argues, applies strong downward pressure on PRN prices on which used packaging recycling depends.

Source: Iem

A new, £18m climate change detection and measurement satellite instument, known as the Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR), has been delivered to the DETR by the contractor Matra Marconi Space UK Ltd. Due to be launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) next year as part of

the ENVISAT satellite, the instrument is designed to measure sea temperatures globally where the signs of climate change are expected to be clearer.

Source: Iem