The Environment Agency has issued guidance on identifying, classifying and managing waste upholstered domestic seating that may contain persistent organic pollutants (POPs). It sets out handling, segregation, transfer note and transport requirements, including special precautions for mixed waste, roadside collection vehicles and cleaning methods.
The Environment Agency has suspended the environmental permit for a waste recycling site in Portsmouth after inspectors identified inadequate dust controls and other breaches linked to waste crushing and screening operations. The site must stop physical treatment of waste until the pollution risk is removed, with corrective actions required and a right of appeal through the Planning Inspectorate.
The Environment Agency has launched Operation Unite, an 18-week enforcement campaign targeting permitted waste sites suspected of criminal activity. Across 42 inspections in England, the operation led to 17 permit suspensions or revocations underway and more than 30 criminal investigations, with actions taken at sites including Lancashire, Chichester and Hull.
The Environment Agency has revoked the environmental permit of a Kent waste operator after repeated failures to manage waste storage, fire risk and pollution controls at a site in Stockbury near Sittingbourne. The case involved hazardous items such as old fridges and TVs, inadequate drainage, and concerns raised by Kent Fire and Rescue Service about firefighting access and water supply.
The Environment Agency says parts of southern, central and eastern England are moving closer to drought status after a third heatwave, with very low July rainfall, rising water demand and growing pressure on supplies. The National Drought Group has stepped up monitoring, incident response and public communication, while water companies have introduced or announced temporary use bans affecting millions of customers.
The Environment Agency has published statutory guidance for standard rules permit SR2008 No 9 covering the storage of asbestos waste. The guidance sets out strict conditions for how asbestos waste must be stored, including secure containment, segregation, time limits, and prohibitions on repackaging, loose storage, and certain handling methods.
