Asbestos in consumer products
The OPSS, UKHSA and HSE have issued a joint statement in relation to asbestos found in consumer products, as there have been recent recalls of products, particularly those containing sand, including but not limited to toys containing sand and decorative doorstops. The statement reiterates their zero-tolerance policy and that the risk posed by these products is deemed to be low during normal use.
Government licensing cyber security tech for a global market
The UK government has announced it is rolling out a cyber security product called SilentGlass which ‘works round the clock to combat cyber threats, support victims of cyber incidents, empowers organisations to protect the online services and digital technologies that underpin the UK economy and public services’. It is a small ‘’plug-and-play’ hardware device that sits between a laptop and a monitor, preventing the physical connection from being used as a route to compromise either device. It will support organisations which require high levels of assurance such as government departments or public bodies, those operating critical national infrastructure, businesses with high security requirements and employers using flexible or hybrid working.
Energy security, jobs and investment boost through climate action
The government has set out a proposal for the seventh carbon budget which it says is a science led target of ~87% for the period between period 2038 to 2042 which has been endorsed by the Environmental Audit Committee and the Climate Change Committee. It is designed to reduce the Uks dependence on expensive and volatile fossil fuels and encourage and promote the adoption of renewable energy.
New RPS: Compliance with BAT-AELs for indirect emissions to water at chemical waste treatment installations: RPS 371
To comply with the RPS as an operator of chemical waste treatment installation, or an operator of metal shredding waste treatment installations where you are unable to comply with either the emission limits to sewer for lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and hydrocarbon oil index (HOI) in your permit or the Environment Agency’s Monitoring Certification Scheme (MCERTS) when monitoring emissions of HOI and organically bound halogens (AOX) to water, you must:
- Notify the Environment Agency by email (wastetreatment@environment-agency.gov.uk) within 4 weeks of your varied permit being issued or the date of this RPS, and include details of the operator name and permit number, permit emission limits that you do not meet and permit emission limits that you do not test and sample in line with MCERTS;
- Create and improvement plan setting out your actions for how you will comply with your permit emission limits to sewer for Pb, Zn and HOI, as applicable;
- Inform the Environment Agency the date by when you will comply with your permit emission limits;
- Email this to the Environment Agency at wastetreatment@environment-agency.gov.uk; and
- Comply with your trade effluent discharge consent
If you are not able to comply with your permit emission limits to sewer, you must not:
- After receiving notification from the Environment Agency of your improvement plan being rejected, discharge to the sewer; and
- Discharge to the sewer beyond the agreed date for compliance in your improvement plan
In relation to analysis for HOI or AOX you must:
- Analyse HOI to EN ISO 9377-2 standards;
- Analyse AOX to EN ISO 9562 standards;
- Send a minimum of 10% of samples as duplicate samples for external analysis at an accredited laboratory, when your lab is not accredited to EN ISO/IEC 17025; and
- Ensure monitoring contractors are accredited to EN ISO/IEC 17025 or the MCERTS performance standard;
As required by your permit, when reporting monitoring results for HOI or AOX, you must:
- Include a statement that you have used this RPS
- State which parameters and procedures you have followed
The Environment Agency will review this RPS by 1 July 2027.
