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August 2010 issue 52
Air quality key to Ealing refusal
A combined heat and power biomass plant has been refused permission
because background air quality is not improving.
Reliance on falling NO2 in doubt
At a technical meeting organised by the Institute of Air Quality
Management held in London last month, it emerged that Defra is now openly
accepting that NO2 is not falling. Further, it is contemplating advice to
local authorities and planners that they should no longer assume NO2 will
reduce.
Westlakes down
Consultant Westlakes Scientific Consulting has gone into administration.
The firm was strong in air quality modelling.
Grugeon begins
James Grugeon has taken over from Philip Mulligan as Epuk’s chief
executive.
White Paper discussions start
The Government has launched ‘informal’ discussions to shape a White
Paper on the environment due in Spring 2011.
Cuts, cuts and more cuts: HPA, RCEP goes
More quangos have been cut by the incoming government.
Protocol agreed for shared process regulation
A draft protocol has been proposed in a bid to solve the grey area of
nuisance enforcement for odour, dust and noise from processes.
News from the air quality forecasting meeting held in London
Event-free year, says Willis
2009 was relatively free of air pollution events, AEA’s Paul Willis told
the air quality forecasting conference.
Fuller details ash impact on airports
ERG’s Gary Fuller gave the forecasting conference more detail on the air
quality impact of the Icelandic volcano ash cloud on airports.
Defra unveils scale of reviews
Speaking at last month’s air quality forecasting meeting organised by
AEA and held at Imperial College, Defra’s Samantha Lawrence outlined a
plethora of contracts and projects that are under review.
Congestion charge probe ends
Consultation has ended on the London Mayor’s plan to remove the Western
Extension of the Congestion Charging Zone (WEZ).
LEZ delay is criticised. ‘Absurd’ says Epuk
Responses to the consultation on the delay to the introduction of the
third phase of the London low emission zone have been published.
IAQM: London strategy modelling concerns
The Institute of Air Quality Management is concerned at the lack of
modelling used to support the London Air quality strategy.
Demand for emissions equality
Volvo Cars has launched an Emissions Equality publicity campaign to get
the public to consider polluting emissions as well as climate change
impacts.
European air pollution landscape improves
The annual EU-27 emission inventory reported under the United Nations
Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Long-range Transboundary Air
Pollution (LRTAP) Convention confirms that emissions of most air pollutants
continue to decline.
Airports set out guidance to cut emissions
UK airport operators have launched new guidelines to reduce aircraft
ground emissions.
All change on NO2?
A huge policy shift was signalled in a technical meeting discussing the
failure of NO2 concentrations to fall as expected
Opal takes air to the people
Jack Pease visits a lottery funded project that aims to take air quality
science to the general public
ADMS update soon
Software developer Cerc has announced that ADMS-Urban, ADMS-Roads and
EMIT 3.0 coming soon
Permitting change
The Government is consulting on a series of amendments to the
Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010.
LAQM tender opportunities
Defra and the devolved regions are seeking consultants for LAQM work.
Noise and air linked
An international conference on noise has included papers on possible
linkages and confounding of noise and air quality impacts in urban areas.
Microgeneration probe
The Government announced a consultation on a new microgeneration
strategy.
Shoestring conference
Epuk is holding a topical conference on how to management air quality on
a shoestring.
Energy again
The Government is having another stab at drafting national policy
statements for energy.
Scottish biomass
Epuk Scotland has produced a draft guidance document Biomass and Air
Quality Guidance for Scottish Local Authorities.
Rushlight awards
Rushlight Awards are open for entries for categories covering renewable
energy, clean fuels, energy efficiency, power generation, green products and
services, water, waste and environmental monitoring and management.
McCrae award
The Institute for Air Quality Management has set up the Ian McCrae
Travel Award.
Five days on air
A course to help traffic and environmental officers tackle poor urban
air quality will be presented by North East academics on 8th-12th November.
Indicator compendium
A report published by Defra brings together an extensive range of
economic, social and environmental indicators to provide a statistical
overview of the country’s progress. Ecological impacts of air quality
indicators are not improving.
Electric grant saved
The Government has confirmed that £5,000 grants towards purchase of an
ultra-low carbon car will be available from January 2011.
Dry cleaning draft
Defra has released draft process guidance notes for dry cleaning
processes regulated by local authorities.
Burning fine
A Stranraer demolition company was fined £3,200 at Stranraer Sheriff
Court following offences involving the burning of waste bricks, soil,
plastics, electrical cable, roofing materials and wood.
CIEH gets Kidney
David Kidney, former MP and climate change minister, has been appointed
head of policy at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH)
following his departure from Parliament in the May general election.
Biodiversity revealed Eighteen UK biodiversity indicators are presented in a
new document.
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