DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENT AND RURAL AFFAIRS (DEFRA)
Upcoming 2020 ban on certain types of refrigerants containing fluorinated greenhouse gases
Guidance is provided on the ban of certain types of fluorinated greenhouse gases from use in the service or refill of refrigeration systems from 1 January 2020. This policy will ban refrigerants with a global warming potential (GWP) greater than 2500 used to service or refill refrigeration or freezer systems with a charge representing a GWP of 40 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Stop ragwort and other harmful weeds from spreading
Guidance is provided on the control of ragwort and other harmful weeds.
25 Year Environment Plan progress report: January 2018 to March 2019
Progress to date against the 25 year environment plan is presented within this document.
ENVIRONMENT AGENCY
Environmental permitting: air dispersion modelling reports
Guidance on air dispersion modelling under the environmental permitting regime has been extended.
RM-QG11: manual stack emissions monitoring (MCERTS Guidance)
This document now reflects the Medium Combustion Plant regime.
Regulatory Position Statements (RPSs)
The following RPSs were published during May 2019. These permit the following activities to be undertaken without an environmental permit:
DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS, ENERGY & INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY (BEIS)
Participating in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)
This guidance document has been updated to extend the final deadline for operators to provide verified data to their regulator to the 30 June 2019.
Industrial Heat Recovery Support programme: how to apply
This guidance note has been updated.
DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT
Motor fuel greenhouse gas emissions reporting
This document is targeted towards fuel suppliers. The document has been replaced, reflecting the ‘well to tank’ reporting methodology for greenhouse gas emissions reporting.
NATURAL ENGLAND
Following the removal of general licences GL04, GL05 and GL06, the following species-specific licences have been published.
Environment Agency uses new powers to tackle illegal waste site
A company has been found guilty of operating without an environmental permit despite efforts to bring by Environment Agency officers to bring the site into compliance.
TP & G Specialists Limited were found to be generating emissions including dust and smoke, which were affecting neighbouring properties.
The Environment Agency applied to Birmingham Magistrates Court for a restriction order, which was granted. This order was the first to be granted to date.
Restriction Order
The Waste Enforcement (England and Wales) Regulations 2018 introduced restriction orders. Courts may grant restriction orders on application. These orders prohibit access to and the import of waste to premises or specific sections of premises.
£28,000 penalty for Nottinghamshire farming companies who caused serious pollution
Two Nottinghamshire farming companies have been fined for polluting a pond in Sutton-cum-Lound near Retford.
The pollution incidents were caused by a run-off of maize silage effluent at a maize storage/clamping operation at an anaerobic digestion plant at Sutton Grange Farm. This arose due to the storage of an excessive amount of maize stored inappropriately. The incident resulted in the death of 35 fish and caused a significant impact on local groundwater.
The Environment Agency also identified that Sutton Grange Services Ltd had failed to comply with the Water Resources (Control of Pollution) (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) (England) Regulations 2010 as a second pile of maize was not stored correctly.
Penalties
Sutton Grange AD Ltd was fined £6,000 and Sutton Grange Services Ltd was fined a total of £2,800. Each company was ordered to pay costs of £10,000, as well as a victim surcharge of £170.
South West Water fined after repeat sewage spill at Devon beach
South West Water has been fined after repeatedly polluting a Devon beach with sewage.
On 13 April 2017 a manhole on South Sands beach overflowed for around 32 hours. This spilled raw sewage onto the beach. A sand dam had been built around the manhole by children playing nearby. The sewage contained ‘extremely high’ levels of e-coli bacteria.
The blockage was attributed to sand entering the sewage network. A firm was called in to remove the blockage, but the work was delayed until the next morning due to high tide. In the interim, South West Water installed cones and tape.
South West Water subsequently replaced seals and covers on a number of manholes in the area. However, the manhole on South Sands beach was not sealed until April 2018, a year after the incident.
The court also heard that a similar incident had occurred in 2012.
Breaches
South West Water pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 12(1), 38(1)(a) and 39(1) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
Penalty
South West Water was fined £44,000 and ordered to pay £18,883.06 costs and £170 victim surcharge.
