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The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has almost doubled the CO2 price that is used to calculate penalties for companies found to have violated the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) Regulations.
Fines that are issued in 2020 for misreporting emissions regulated through the ETS will be calculated using the price of £21.93 per tonne of CO2, rather than the 2018 value of £12.61 per tonne of CO2.
The Global Carbon Project presented their new research at the COP25 talks in Madrid and stated that the global increase in emissions for 2019 are likely to be slower than the increase in 2018 and 2017 however, there is still a long way to go to achieve the rapid cuts needed to keep global temperature rise below 1.5°C.
Although there has been a 10% reduction in coal use within the EU and the US, global emissions are forecast to be up by 0.6% on 2018 levels.
The research also states that China’s emissions are set to increase by 2.6% which is down to an increase in usage of coal, oil and natural gas as well as increase in cement production. India’s emissions however, are likely to be lower at 1.8%, which is down to an unusually large amount of rain throughout the year, flooding coal mines and driving hydro power.
A life-size doll designed by health experts, shows what office workers could look like in the future – with a permanently hunched back, protruding stomach and varicose veins!
The life-size doll has been created as part of a study, titled ‘The Work Colleague of the Future’ to illustrate how a poorly set up workstation could lead to physical and visual defects by the body adapting to cope with the office environment.
The doll has various health complications such as:
The study report revealed the following:
Unless changes to working lives are made i.e. taking regular walking breaks, addressing posture when sitting at desks or improving the workstation set-up, then the offices we work in may provoke ill health.
More information on the report can be found here.
Sweden has announced a new tax on imports of “waste that is burnt”, which will come into effect from the 1st of April 2020. The £6 per tonne tax is expected to affect UK exporters of refuse derived fuel (RDF) to Sweden.
RDF exporters are likely to face higher costs as a result of the Swedish import tax, with the UK providing around half of Sweden’s 1.5 million tonnes of RDF imports. Under the plans passed by the Swedish government, the tax is set to increase by a further £2 a year over the next 2 years at which point further annual increases will be set. A Swedish government spokesperson commented that the country is seeking to achieve “more resource-efficient and non-toxic waste management.”.
The impact that these measures will have upon the UK RDF export market are currently unknown. The Dutch, another large importer of RDF from the UK, are voting later this month on their own tax of €30 per tonne on RDF imports, potentially increasing the cost for UK exporters further. With other countries also looking at their own taxes on RDF imports to meet climate change targets, exporters are facing uncertain times ahead.
On the 4th of December, the long awaited results of the ground-breaking benchmarking exercise into Mental Health in the highways sector were released. The exercise, a survey launched in June by Safer Highways, was based around the Thriving at Work standards, which are split between ‘core’ and ‘enhanced’ standards. The survey, which was completed by some of the biggest companies from across the sector, was aimed at assessing mental health provision across the industry and also had the intention of directing organisations to the relevant guidance information, helping them improve their mental health provision.
The results show that 95% of organisations surveyed are hitting at least one of the core standards, with 52% meeting all ten. It was also found that 28% of those organisations surveyed met all 10 of the core and enhanced standards. The vast majority (90%) were found to offer mental health awareness to staff, with 84% believing they actively encourage conversations around mental health. The lowest scoring standard was core standard six which expects organisations to routinely monitor employee mental health and wellbeing, being met by 63% of respondents.
The statistics generated by this survey provide an encouraging picture of a sector that is starting to acknowledge its role in supporting mental health in the workplace. The numbers also reveal that there is room for improvement and where this improvement might be needed most. The results demonstrate that while organisations are highlighting success at hitting one or more of the standards, these successes are largely not yet being built into wider strategies to meet all of the Thriving at Work standards. It is hoped that companies that took part in this survey can now use Thriving at Work, and the resources its provides, to help in areas which they are currently not compliant.
Jurisdiction: England, Wales
Commencement: 30th October 2019
Amends: Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999
Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 implements the EU Integrated Pollution Prevent and Control (IPPC) Directive 96/61/EC. IPPC requires industrial and agricultural activities with high pollution potential to have an environmental permit and meet certain environmental conditions.
This Order designates the following European Directives, to allow the Secretary of State and Welsh Ministers to make regulations under the 1999 Act:
These designated Directives cover the following topics:
There are no changes to duties for organisations.
Jurisdiction: England, Scotland and Wales
Commencement: 24 October 2019
Amends:
Transport Act 1968 creates rules for management of driver safety in relation to goods and passenger vehicles. The rules set out in this Act and subsequent amendments are known as the ‘Domestic Rules’
New provisions in relation to smart tachographs* are to be enforced, through the introduction of Regulation (EU) 2016/799 implementing Regulation (EU) No 165/2014 laying down the requirements for the construction, testing, installation, operation and repair of tachographs and their components.
These amendments are necessary to ensure that effective enforcement action may be taken by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and the police, if the smart tachographs requirements are breached.
*Smart tachographs are digital devices with the ability to use satellite positioning and short range communication for road enforcers through a harmonised Intelligent Transport System Interface.
References to Regulation (EU) 2016/799 are inserted to ensure consistency with the latest EU Regulations regarding tachographs.
Consequential amendments are made to the Drivers’ Hours and Tachographs (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, removing overlapping amendments which are not yet in force, to ensure these ‘Amendment Regulations’ operate correctly when brought into force.
Jurisdiction: EU
Commencement: 29 October 2019
Amends: Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as amended
Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) applies to substances manufactured or imported in the EU in quantities of 1 tonne or more per year. They impose a greater responsibility on industry to manage the risks from chemicals and to provide safety information on substances used.
Annex V is amended to include digestate in the list of substances that are exempt from the obligation to register under the following titles of the 2006 Regulation:
They are granted exemptions as their registration is deemed inappropriate or unnecessary and their exemption does not prejudice the objectives of the 2006 Regulation.
Jurisdiction: Northern Ireland
Commencement: From 1st November 2020, these Regulations must be complied with in full.
These Regulations transpose, in Northern Ireland, the emergency preparedness and response elements of Directive 2013/59/Euratom laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation (“Euratom Basic Safety Standards Directive”) for premises in which work with ionising radiation takes place.
The Euratom Basic Safety Standards Directive establishes the basic safety standards for the protection of the health of individuals subject to occupational, medical and public exposures against the dangers arising from ionising radiation.
The aim is that these Regulations will strengthen Northern Ireland’s emergency preparedness and response arrangements for radiological emergencies. It will also improve public protection and reduce adverse consequences in the event of an emergency.
These Regulations apply to any work with ionising radiation which involves having on any premises, or providing for there to be on any premises, a radioactive substance containing more than the quantity specified in relation to that radionuclide in Schedule 1 or, in the case of fissile material*, more than the mass of that material specified in Schedule 2.
They do not apply where the operator can demonstrate that the quantity present on the premises would not allow, in a radiation emergency situation, an annual effective dose to persons off-site of greater than 1 millisievert* (mSv).
These Regulations do not apply in respect of;
*Fissile material is material that are composed of atoms that can be split by neutrons in a self-sustaining chain-reaction to release enormous amounts of energy.
*A millisievert is a unit of measurement for the effective dose of radiation absorbed by the body.
*A non-dispersible source means a sealed source or a radioactive substance that cannot cause a radiation emergency and does not include any radioactive substance that is or has been a component of a nuclear reactor.
* A substances activity is the concentration of something within the substance, based on its chemical potential.
Operators must carry out a written hazard evaluation before any work with ionising radiation is carried out for the first time.
Where the hazard evaluation reveals the potential for a radiation emergency to occur, the operator shall make an assessment in accordance with Schedule 3 to consider and evaluate a full range of possible consequences. The assessment must be completed within 2 months of the day the hazard evaluation is completed.
Further assessments are required to be made if the organisation makes a material change related to the ionising radiation process. In addition to this, if no changes to a radiation process have taken place in 3 years, an assessment is required within 3 years of the date of their last evaluation.
If an assessment is required following a hazard evaluation, in accordance with Schedule 3, the operator must also prepare a report setting out the consequences identified by that assessment, called a consequences report.
This must be done as soon as reasonably practicable on completion of the assessment and must include the information set out in Schedule 4. Operators must send this report to the Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland (HSENI) before they start any work.
The operator must offer a meeting with the HSENI to discuss the consequences report and supply any information the HSENI may require in order to prepare an off-site emergency plan. The operator has 28 days in which to supply such information from the date of request.
The HSENI must supply a detailed emergency planning zone (the area around a facility for which the HSENI must restrict public exposure in the event of a radiation emergency) to the operator on the basis of the operators recommendation within 2 months of having received the consequences report.
Confirmation of the HSEN’s detailed emergency planning zone must be recorded by the operator as finalised.
Where it is determined by the operator that a risk of a radiation emergency is possible, the operator must define an adequate emergency plan to restrict the exposure to persons who may be affected as identified by the organisation. Regulation 10 further sets out the considerations, requirements, restrictions and other duties which must be taken into account when documenting the emergency plan.
Emergency plans must be reviewed at least every 3 years, but if changes are made which affect the process then they must be reviewed at that stage. Operators must test their emergency plans to determine if they are effective. Reports of these tests must be documented within 3 months of the tests and supplied to the HSENI within 28 days of their completion.
There must be cooperation between the operator and the HSENI in order for emergency plans to be adequately tested.The HSENI may charge an operator a fee for the performance of its functions in relation to the off-site emergency plan.
Operators must consult with any other employer who carries out work with ionising radiation on the premises, and take into account relevant matters arising from that consultation. Employers are required to cooperate with the operator or HSENI with regards to preparing an emergency plan, the exchange of information, and the testing of emergency plans as is necessary to ensure compliance with these Regulations.
An operator must put their emergency plan, or parts of it as necessary, into action without delay when a radiation emergency occurs or an event occurs which might lead to a radiation emergency. They must also inform the HSENI immediately. The HSENI will then implement any off-site emergency plans it has arranged, or parts of it as necessary.
The operator and HSENI must make a provisional assessment of the circumstances and consequences of the emergency and must consult:
The operator must make a full assessment of the effectiveness of the emergency plans with the cooperation of the HSENI. Within 28 days of the assessment the operator must make a report of the findings and keep the report for at least 50 years from the date the report was completed. The operator must supply the report to the HSENI within 28 days of its completion.
Where the emergency plan identifies the possibility of an employee receiving emergency exposure, the employer must:
An employee may be exposed to more than the approved dose in order to save a life, prevent severe health effects, or to prevent the development of catastrophic conditions, provided it is authorised by a duly responsible person, the employee has been informed about the risks involved and agrees to undergo the increased exposure.
After an emergency exposure the employer must assess the dose received by the employee, record it, and make this available to the employee. Reports made as a result of an emergency plan being initiated where an employee was exposed must be kept until that person reaches the age of 75, and for at least 30 years from the termination of the work which gave rise to the emergency exposure.
It should be noted that an employer has a duty under this section to any person who regularly provides a service as a volunteer.
Where the operator has prepared or the HSENI has arranged for the preparation of an emergency plan, it must ensure that the plan prioritises keeping effective doses below a 100 mSv (millisievert – the unit of measurement for the effective dose of radiation absorbed by the body) reference level. The dose level for each emergency worker must be recorded.
Where the response to a radiation emergency is underway, reference levels determined for emergency workers may be revised in order to optimise the response. In exceptional circumstances, a reference level for an effective dose for an emergency worker may be set in excess of 100 mSv but not exceeding 500 mSv.
The HSENI for an area covered by an off-site emergency plan with a detailed emergency planning zone must, in cooperation with the operator, ensure that members of the public are made aware of relevant information and, where appropriate, are provided with it.
In the event of an emergency, the HSENI has a duty to prepare, and keep up to date, arrangements to supply to the public with information about, and advice on, the facts of the emergency, the steps to be taken, and the protective action applicable.
All employers that do work with ionising radiation must consult one or more suitable radiation protection advisors about occupational and public exposure to assist that employer with preparations for responding to radiation emergency situations. Radiation protection advisors must be appointed in writing.
Those who had a duty under The Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 may continue to comply with those Regulations until 31st October 2020.
Those who had a duty under The Ionising Radiations Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017 may also continue complying with those Regulations until 31st October 2020.
From 1st November 2020, these Regulations must be complied with in full.
Jurisdiction: EU
Commencement: 17th April 2019, but applies from 17th October 2020.
Amends: Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures
This Regulation introduces a new hazard class for desensitised explosives, Chapter 2.17 in Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). It defines what comprises desensitized explosives and their classification criteria.
A new hazard category, pyrophoric gases, within the hazard class of flammable gases has also been added.
Changes are also introduced to some hazard and precautionary statements; therefore, technical provisions and criteria in Annexes I, II, III, IV, V and VI to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 are made accordingly.
Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (The CLP Regulation) harmonises the requirements and criteria for the classification, labelling, and packaging of substances and mixtures and certain specific articles within the European Union (EU). It takes into account the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) of the United Nations (UN). These rules of the GHS are periodically reviewed at UN level. Revisions of these require that amendments to some technical provisions and criteria on classification, labelling, and packaging are made.
These specific changes introduce a new hazard class for desensitised explosives, Chapter 2.17 in GHS (a solid or liquid explosive that is wetted or dissolved to suppress its explosive properties). It defines what comprises desensitized explosives and their classification criteria.
A new hazard category, pyrophoric gases (a chemical in a gaseous state that will ignite spontaneously in air at a temperature of 54.4°C or below), within the hazard class of flammable gases has also been added. If a flammable gas or gas mixture is classified as pyrophoric then all the relevant classifications should be communicated on the safety data sheet as specified in Annex 4 of the GHS and the relevant hazard communication elements included on the label.
Changes are also introduced to some hazard and precautionary statements; therefore, technical provisions and criteria in Annexes I, II, III, IV, V and VI to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 are made accordingly.
Application of this Regulation is deferred until the 17th October 2020 in order to give suppliers of substances and mixtures time to adapt to the changes; however, those who wish to comply sooner may do so on a voluntary basis.
Anti-Bullying Week took place on the 11th to the 15th November and the theme announced by the Anti-Bullying Alliance was ‘Change Starts With Us’. To get young people thinking about how to tackle bullying the South Kirkby Reachout team wanted to get creative!
As part of Anti-Bullying Week, Odd Socks Day is a fun and accessible way of celebrating everyone’s individuality. The young people enjoyed creating their own sock puppet as a way to get them thinking about what was unique about them. They also discussed how they could tackle bullying and why we should celebrate that everyone is different.
Local police community support officers also stopped by to see what the youth group was up to!
Reachout South Kirkby holds senior and junior sessions once a week for local young people to come and chat with youth workers, who work with young people and the community in all capacities.
Lucy Keogh, Sustainable Communities Officer, said: “It was great to see the young people think about what is unique about them when designing their puppets! Anti-Bullying Week is important in encouraging young people to celebrate themselves and give them the confidence to tackle bullying they may see in the future. The Anti-Bullying Alliance is right, change does start with us.”
For more information on Anti-Bullying Week you can visit: https://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/anti-bullying-week/anti-bullying-week-2019-change-starts-us
Young people at the Reachout Hub in South Kirkby, funded by Newground, celebrated what makes them unique for Anti-Bullying Week
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