Brexit is bad for bees… and your stomach
10/03/2024
The UK has again approved the use of a bee-killing pesticide that is banned in the EU.
Experts warn UK’s regulations now lag behind those of the EU and that Britons will be exposed to more toxic chemicals as a result.
EU rules designed to protect rivers from agricultural pollution are set to come to an end on 1 January 2024. / A Brexit law change is set to worsen the state of Britain’s rivers as the Government ditches old EU rules designed to protect the waterways from agricultural pollution.
Farmers will no longer have to follow EU regulations in areas such as reducing agricultural runoff into rivers.
The government is to loosen EU-derived laws on chemicals in a move experts say will increase the likelihood of toxic substances entering the environment.
Deleting national emissions ceiling regulations as part of scrapping EU laws ‘a clear example of deregulation’. / The government is ignoring its post-Brexit green watchdog over the removal of air quality regulations, in a move that has been described by experts as “a clear example of deregulation”.
The Government has effectively made it cheaper for firms to pollute in Britain in what some see as another anti-green move by Rishi Sunak’s administration.
Flagship Brexit freeport at East Midlands Airport accused of poisoning River Trent with de-icer
05/07/2023
East Midlands airport has been accused of causing sewage fungus in the River Trent with pollution up to 32 times worse than raw sewage. The Environment Agency is investigating.
There were sighs of relief in many quarters when it was announced that the British government was not going ahead with plans for a wholesale bonfire of EU regulation.
The UK's Environment Information Regulations have enabled researchers and campaigners to force water firms to publish data on river pollution, but they may be scrapped as part of the Brexit process.
Brexit bonfire of EU laws could let water companies conceal sewage discharges, campaigners warn
14/03/2023
The Environmental Information Regulation allows the public to demand data from private water companies, but it is at risk of being scrapped by the Government.
‘Playing with fire:’ Scrapping rules to keep rivers clean after Brexit stirs up Tory rebellion
01/03/2023
Ministers have refused to rule out scrapping EU regulations that protect swimmers and wildlife.
Brexit law bonfire could cost put environment at risk and cost tens of billions of pounds, nature groups warn
19/01/2023
Nature organisations have hit out at legislation that they say could lead to the loss of important environmental protections and cost the UK tens of billions of pounds.
Ministers are facing a clash with opposition and Conservative MPs over their plans to scrap EU-era laws copied over to UK law after Brexit.
There are more EU era environmental laws to review after Brexit than had been previously known, the environment secretary has suggested.
Michael Gove has failed to name a single change from Brexit that has “made business easier”, as criticism of the economic harm from the trade deal grows.
Post-Brexit delay on air quality standards condemns more London children to breathing toxic air
15/11/2022
Ministers were accused on Tuesday of condemning another generation of children to breathing toxic air in London and other parts of Britain by setting a target to tackle it only by 2040.
Opposition to the retained EU law bill is mounting, as the government discovers the importance and popularity of EU law.
Londoners’ lives put at risk by Government’s bungled post-Brexit targets to tackle toxic air, warns watchdog
01/11/2022
Londoners’ lives are being put at risk by the Government’s bungled post-Brexit targets to tackle toxic air, a watchdog warned on Tuesday.
Powers passed to help in dealing with the impact of Brexit are being used for the first time to ensure Scotland’s drinking water aligns with standards set by the European Union.
A bill to remove EU-derived laws that include 570 environmental regulations will cause serious ecological harm, charities and MPs have warned.
One of the supposed ‘benefits’ of Brexit was the ‘bonfire of Brussels red-tape‘ which was promised by libertarian Brexiteers. Two weeks into the administration of Liz Truss, the new government announced that they were planning to revoke 570 environmental laws which, in order to continue environmental protections, were rolled over from EU law after Brexit.
Brexit bonfire of environment regulations will kill otters, dolphins and birds, warn conservationists
23/09/2022
Government’s plan to ‘streamline’ environmental regulations could put dormice, porpoises and bats under threat.
Campaigners say revoking of post-Brexit protections amounts to legislative vandalism. / Hundreds of Britain’s environmental laws covering water quality, sewage pollution, clean air, habitat protections and the use of pesticides are lined up for removal from UK law under a government bill.
Brussels official says UK has ‘non-regression obligation’ to protect waters as part of trade deal.