The latest legislation, guidance and consultation.
Legislation
Air quality
Pending
England
The Draft Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020 will place restrictions on the sale of wet wood for domestic burning and limits on the emission of sulphur and smoke from manufactured solid fuels, and phases out the sale of bituminous coal.
General environment, Brexit
31 December 2020
England/Wales
The Environment (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations SI 2020/603 make amendments to the Environment (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations SI 2019/458, in order to make changes to amendments to the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 and its list of relevant directives.
Guidance
General environment
19 August 2020
England
Defra has issued a policy paper that sets out possible legally binding environmental objectives. It provides a roadmap for developing the government's evidence base, signalling how stakeholders will be engaged. Once proposed targets are developed, the government will produce a consultation on them, expected in early 2022.
Air
6 August 2020
Wales
The Welsh government has published a Clean Air Plan for Wales to tackle poor air quality, which is the biggest environmental risk to public health and also has adverse effects on biodiversity and the natural environment. The plan aims to tackle air pollutants from sources including transport, industry, agriculture and home heating, during the next 10 years.
Waste, PPC
4 August 2020
England/Wales
The guidance on oil storage regulations for businesses has been updated to clarify information on fitting isolating valves and filters downstream of integrally bunded tanks. cedr.ec/76b
Consultation
Waste
30 July 2020
Wales
The Welsh government is seeking views on proposals to ban a range of single-use plastic items. cedr.ec/767
Deforestation
25 August 2020
England/Scotland/Wales/Northern Ireland
Defra is seeking views on a proposed new law designed to prevent important natural areas and forests from being illegally changed into agricultural land. It would require larger businesses to make sure that none of the commodities that can cause wide-scale deforestation have been produced illegally.
Environmental permitting
3 August 2020
England/Wales
The Environment Agency has held a consultation on views on new standard rules set for operations storing PAS 107 certified shredded tyres. The new rules will allow a named operator to store PAS 107 certified tyre shred. No more than 5,000 tonnes can be stored at a facility at any one time, and it cannot be stored for more than three months.
Waste
20 August 2020
England
Defra is seeking views on its updated waste management plan for England. It wants to know if the public believes the updated waste management plan meets the obligations of the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations SI 2011/988, which requires the plan to be reviewed every six years and sets out the required content of the plan.
