By Dr Rob Bradburne, Environment Agency Chief Scientist When incidents happen, good decisions depend on good science. That is certainly true of the ongoing recovery along North East England's coast, where a maritime collision released small pellets of plastic, known …
Regulating the environmental performance of the water industry is a core Environment Agency function. Since 2023 we have been transforming the way we regulate the water industry. Backed by significant investment we are delivering increased scrutiny and oversight through a specialised workforce dedicated to each water and sewerage company. We recognise that further change is needed and that improvements …
Each time we publish the latest assessment of England's waters through the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) Regulation classification, a familiar headline emerges: only a minority of rivers, lakes and estuaries achieve "good" overall status. It's a figure that invites a simple reading: that progress is “too slow”, that investment “hasn't delivered”, that the water environment is stagnating or declining. Those concerns are understandable, but they …
Waste crime isn't fly-tipping. It's a billion-pound criminal enterprise in which organised crime groups exploit the waste industry to launder money, evade tax, undercut legitimate businesses, and pollute communities and the environment, while presenting themselves as lawful operators. These criminals …
Water is a precious resource that we can’t live without; from supplying drinking water and supporting fisheries, to providing an essential resource to business and agriculture, as well as a source of recreation. It is important that our rivers, lakes, …
Following Rolls-Royce SMR’s announcement about the new Pioneer Works facility in Derby, Andy Pynn, our strategic lead for nuclear new build, reflects on a visit he made to the company’s EXPERI facility at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research …
In July 2021, thousands of Londoners watched floodwater enter their homes, businesses and communities with little warning, turning an ordinary summer day into an unforgettable one. Over two separate days, extreme rainfall overwhelmed parts of the capital, causing widespread flash flooding across 24 boroughs. Homes, …
Flooding affects many communities across England. As climate change increases the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, new Environment Agency research shows that ensuring our approach to flood risk management is both effective and equitable has become more important than ever.
We have commissioned the British Geological Survey to undertake a new survey of the Fell Sandstone Formation and surrounding strata to help us undertake our regulatory role in protecting groundwater underlying Berwick and the surrounding area.
From 28 April 2026, permitted operators receiving waste onto their site are encouraged to start using the new digital service to record receipt of waste. This marks the start of a phased transition for everyone involved in the handling of waste to record waste movements digitally.
