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December 2008
Technical guidance nears
New technical guidance should be finalised before Christmas – but it
will not include fully automated income tax-style online reporting.
Scottish biomass report lowers air impacts
Estimates of air quality impacts from wood burning boilers have been
slashed in the latest study carried out by AEA for the Scottish Government.
BAA promises to stick to limits
A Government announcement on whether it will support expansion at
Heathrow is now due in January. Compliance with NO2 limits near the airport
is a major constraint on the expansion.
Emission factors: more delays
DfT has still not finalised emission factors that underpin future air
quality estimates.
DMRB screening method revisions held up
Long awaited revisions to the Highways Agency DMRB screening method are
held up because of delays to DfT’s emission factors (see news above).
Autumn statement and Queen’s Speech: few new environmental initiatives
There have been few environmental surprises in the Chancellor’s pre
Budget report which flags up what taxation changes are due next year.
Dust complaints suppressed
Epuk has expressed disappointment that the Planning Bill has been passed
with clauses that will limit the ability to complain about dust and noise
nuisance.
London sees green policy U-turns
Mayor Boris Johnson has announced a series of policy changes affecting
air quality and the environment.
Early winter episode hits London
There has been a pollution episode in south eastern England following a
relatively ‘clean’ year.
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www.londonair.org.uk
Thin air at GLA
GLA’s air quality team are recruiting.
Hybrid cuts emissions
A novel hybrid system has been developed that is claimed to cut
emissions.
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www.connaughtengineering.com
Comeap endorses WHO findings
Comeap has scrutinised World Health Organisation conclusions on child
health and agree that they apply to the UK
Dust in west Wales
The Welsh Air Quality Forum report that there have been dust deposits in
Pembrokeshire on the evening of Sunday 28 September.
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The Welsh Air Quality Forum website
www.welshairquality.co.uk
Please use ‘wellbeing’ powers
Councils have failed to use an obscure legal power that could be used to
aid the environment in their area.
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www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/evaluationwellbeingpower
Better regulation relaxes three
sectors
Attempts to cut red tape from the regulation of 61 Part B local
authority regulated LAPPC light industrial sectors has led to just three
sectors being simplified to date.
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Regulation review of Part B activities can be viewed on
www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/brr-partb-activities/index.htm
Notes updated
There is a second simultaneous consultation on plans to update Part B
process guidance notes.
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Six-year review of process guidance notes for part B installations –
can be viewed on
www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/sixyear-review/index.htm
South Yorks’ Diva advertises London
scheme
The London Airtext service is to use creative agency Diva to raise its
profile. Diva is the agency behind the well respected South Yorks Care4Air
campaign.
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www.airtext.info
Surrey councils agree
Surrey County Council has signed up to an agreement to cooperate on
possible future development of Gatwick Airport.
Gravesham site
ERG has created a new industrial emissions website for Gravesham Borough
Council. The site follows the same pattern of the Hillingdon’s emission site
also run by ERG.
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Gravesham’s website
www.erg.kcl.ac.uk/News.aspx?NewsId=Graveshamwebsite
Climate committee reports
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has urged the Government to commit
unilaterally to reducing emissions of all greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the UK
by at least 34% in 2020 relative to 1990 levels (21% relative to 2005).
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Building a low-carbon economy – the UK’s contribution to tackling climate
change www.theccc.org.uk
Climate cuts give air quality benefits
A new study estimates that increasing EU emission reduction targets from
20% to 30% by 2020 could increase co-benefits between air quality and
climate change worth between 6.5 and 25 billion Euros per year.
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The co-benefits to health of a strong EU climate change policy can be
downloaded from:
http://assets.panda.org/downloads/co_benefits_to_health_report__september_2008.pdf
NECD targets hit by transport
emissions
The EU is set to exceed air pollutant limits due to growth in road
transport.
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The finalised report can be viewed on
http://tinyurl.com/57vxdf
Car makers cry help
Car makers are asking for Government help arguing it would help reduce
emissions.
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www.acea.be
Biomass questions
MPs quizzed ministers in Parliament on what information Defra holds on
trends in the level of sales of wood-burning stoves over the last 12 months;
and what estimate ministers have made of the effect of such trends on
emissions.
Unitary preparation
New regulations covering transition arrangements have been put in place
for unitary councils due to be created in March 2009.
Airalert for Herts and Beds
The Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Air Quality Network has
launched an air texting alert service.
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More details of the service on
www.airalert.info
Unscheduled bias
The national bias adjustment spreadsheet has just received an
unscheduled update.
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www.uwe.ac.uk/aqm/review/diffusiontube131108.xls
More hybrid buses
Transport for London (TfL) has unveiled a range of new, single and
double deck, eco-friendly hybrid buses. Some 300 hybrid buses will be in
operation by 2011.
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