Non-compliance with environmental laws by member states was more than any other area of EU legislation in 2013, a European Commission report has indicated. A high proportion of EU infringement procedures related to the poor application of environment legislation. These figures include letters of formal notice and reasoned opinions, the two steps taken before a case reaches...

Danish brewing multinational Carlsberg has embarked on a major private sector initiative, involving many of its main suppliers, on the upcycling of beer cans, bottles and other packaging. Upcycling is the conversion of used materials into materials of equivalent or better quality. The Carlsberg initiative will address the need for greater resource efficiency and reuse...

The new ‘Blue Guide’ has been published.  It builds on the on the content of the Guide to the implementation of directives based on the New Approach and the Global Approach (the “Blue Guide”) published back in 2000, but reflects the modernisation brought to the legal framework in the past decade.  This new version of...

From 1 June 2015, the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation will be the only legislation that applies to the classification and labelling of both substances and mixtures in the EU.   The CLP Regulation has applied in fact to substances since 1 December 2010 but now, mixtures come into play. CLP requires companies to...

Water Footprint is becoming more well known – Water an expensive resources which may have just got easier thanks to a new ISO International Standard. ISO 14046, Environmental management – Water footprint – Principles, requirements and guidelines will allow all kinds of organizations, from industry, to government and NGOs the means to measure their ‘water footprint’, or...

The EPA have published a green procurement guidance document to assist the public sector to implement and maintain procedures. Green Public Procurement (GPP) is defined as: “A process whereby public and semi-public authorities meet their needs for goods, services, works and utilities by choosing solutions that have a reduced impact on the environment throughout their life-cycle, as...

The EPA have published new guidance which addresses direct discharges to groundwater from point sources of potential pollution. It supplements the earlier report published by the EPA in 2011 entitled “Guidance on the Authorisation of Discharges to Groundwater” which focused on the technical assessment of indirect discharges to groundwater. The new guidance has the following primary objectives:...

Water use and management is a key consideration for any organization in light of growing demand for resources and increasing water scarcity.  Water management is required at local, regional and global levels.  It stands to reason therefore that a consistent assessment technique is required.  ISO 14046 (or International Standard ISO 14046, Environmental management – Water...

Ireland’s open data portal has been launched.  Open data forms a core element of Ireland’s first open government partnership (OGP) national action plan.  The new national open data portal currently contains 418 datasets from 45 public bodies.  While it is an alpha site, the Government describes it as an important first step.  Steps to further develop...

The EU has proposed higher recycling targets in a bid to transform Europe’s economy into one where nothing is wasted, supporting sustainable growth and a zero-waste economy. Under the new targets, European countries will: Ban the burying of recyclable waste in landfill after 2025 Recycle 70% of municipal waste (everyday rubbish) and 80% of packaging...