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Insufficient ventilation is one of the main factors leading to damp and mould in residential buildings. One low-cost method to improve these moisture-related issues is positive input ventilation (PIV) but research data on performance is scarce in the literature. This paper presents a bibliographical review together with a case study based on monitoring a residential building by means of environmental sensors. The review reveals the importance of correct location, installation, operation and continued maintenance of mechanical ventilation systems. Specifically, PIV and exhaust ventilation units in existing buildings require routine checking to ensure these systems are working correctly and efficiently. The results of monitoring ambient and surface temperature and relative humidity show that the PIV and enhancement extract fan set-up can reduce atmospheric moisture levels and avoid surface condensation. Mould growth is no longer active, but it is always essential to perform thoughtful building inspections checking the right conditions for installation and maintenance to ensure the proper functioning of the units. It is critical to study the size of the building and structural characteristics of the roof and ceilings. Also to verify that the doors are well undercut to allow air flow and that the occupancy levels and regional climate are adequate for selecting the appropriate type of mechanical ventilation units and corresponding operational modes (flow rates, operational settings, etc.). More research, measurements and monitoring studies pre- and post-installation of PIV and other whole house mechanical ventilation systems are recommended to assess optimal performances. This could also help to ensure the success of retrofitting projects in residential buildings which aim to improve energy efficiency but also make buildings relatively airtight and prone to condensation damp. An effective, sufficient and appropriate ventilation system as well as a good installation practice and adequate maintenance is key to avoid surface condensation and mould growth and to improve the indoor air quality of both new and existing buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radar has been applied to the study of insect migration for almost 40 years, but most entomological radars operate at Xband 9.4 GHz, 3.2 cm wavelength and can only detect individuals of relatively large species, such as migratory grasshoppers and noctuid moths, over all of their flight altitudes. Many insects including economically important species are much smaller than this, but development of the requisite higher power andor higher frequency radar systems to detect these species is often prohibitively expensive. In this paper, attention is focused upon the uses of some recentlydeployed meteorological sensing devices to investigate insect migratory flight behaviour, and especially its interactions with boundary layer processes. Records were examined from the verticallypointing 35 GHz ‘Copernicus’ and 94 GHz ‘Galileo’ cloud radars at Chilbolton Hampshire, England for 12 cloudless and convective occasions in summer 2003, and one of these occasions 13 July is presented in detail. Insects were frequently found at heights above aerosol particles, which represent passive tracers, indicating active insect movement. It was found that insect flight above the convective boundary layer occurs most often during the morning. The maximum radar reflectivity an indicator of aerial insect biomass was found to be positively correlated with maximum screen temperature. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is to develop into an effective decision support instrument globally, then it should not just rely only on the input provided by a selected group of countries. In this context, the understanding of how to apply SEA effectively in different planning systems is unlikely to improve if the knowledge about those systems is limited. This paper establishes what appears to make SEA effective in two countries with different planning systems: Italy and the UK. Italy is chosen as an example, representing a specific Southern-European planning culture, which to date has not contributed to the SEA literature to any great extent. Based on empirical observations, it is suggested that the SEA effectiveness elements portrayed in the international literature are not fully valid. The UK is chosen as an example, which represents a specific Northern-European planning culture. Countries representing this planning culture have contributed heavily to the international SEA literature and have influenced the development of SEA theory strongly. In this context, the SEA effectiveness elements and benefits portrayed in the international literature appear to be valid. As part of a PhD research project, this paper builds on the findings of a content analysis of the international SEA literature (Fischer and Gazzola, 2006). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first round of shoreline management plans (SMPs) within the UK exhibited an inconsistent approach to the inclusion of estuaries. This paper describes guidance to ensure a more consistent approach is adopted in the second round of SMPs. Consideration is given to the unique physical features of estuarine areas, their interrelationship with coastal areas and the relevant management issues which exist. Physical interactions are treated in terms of water and sediment exchanges, while management issues are focused on those actions that have the potential to alter flood and erosion risks. The various parameters, methods and features which can be used when assessing the scale of physical interactions and management issues are described. A précis is given of the procedural guidance that has been produced on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). This guidance is focused on addressing three fundamental key questions for a particular estuary: (a) Should the estuary be included in the SMP process? (b) If so, how should the estuary be included? (c) How far upstream should the estuary be included? The recommended approach uses a number of tables and flow charts to guide the user through a structured thought process which enables the above questions to be addressed. Although intended for the UK, the generic nature of the guidance means that it is potentially applicable to other parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Glastir Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (GMEP) ran from 2013 until 2016, and was probably the most comprehensive programme of ecological study ever undertaken at a national scale in Wales. The programme aimed to (1) set up an evaluation of the environmental effects of the Glastir agri-environment scheme and (2) quantify environmental status and trends across the wider countryside of Wales. The focus was on outcomes for climate change mitigation, biodiversity, soil and water quality, woodland expansion and cultural landscapes. As such, GMEP included a large field survey component, collecting data on a range of elements including vegetation, land cover and use, soils, freshwaters, birds and insect pollinators from up to 300 1 km squares throughout Wales. The field survey capitalised upon the UKCEH Countryside Survey of Great Britain, which has provided an extensive set of repeated, standardised ecological measurements since 1978. The design of both GMEP and the UKCEH Countryside Survey involved stratified-random sampling of squares from a 1 km grid, ensuring proportional representation from land classes with distinct climate, geology and physical geography. Data were collected from different land cover types and landscape features by trained professional surveyors, following standardised and published protocols. Thus, GMEP was designed so that surveys could be repeated at regular intervals to monitor the Welsh environment, including the impacts of agri-environment interventions. One such repeat survey is scheduled for 2021 under the Environment and Rural Affairs Monitoring and Modelling Programme (ERAMMP). Data from GMEP have been used to address many applied policy questions, but there is major potential for further analyses. The precise locations of data collection are not publicly available, largely for reasons of landowner confidentiality. However, the wide variety of available datasets can be (1) analysed at coarse spatial resolutions and (2) linked to each other based on square-level and plot-level identifiers, allowing exploration of relationships, trade-offs and synergies. This paper describes the key sets of raw data arising from the field survey at co-located sites, 2013 to 2016. Data from each of these survey elements are available with the following Digital Object Identifiers. Landscape features, https://doi.org/10.5285/82c63533-529e-47b9-8e78-51b27028cc7f, https://doi.org/10.5285/9f8d9cc6-b552-4c8b-af09-e92743cdd3de, https://doi.org/10.5285/f481c6bf-5774-4df8-8776-c4d7bf059d40; Vegetation plots, https://doi.org/10.5285/71d3619c-4439-4c9e-84dc-3ca873d7f5cc; Topsoil physico-chemical properties, https://doi.org/10.5285/0fa51dc6-1537-4ad6-9d06-e476c137ed09; Topsoil meso-fauna, https://doi.org/10.5285/1c5cf317-2f03-4fef-b060-9eccbb4d9c21; Topsoil particle size distribution https://doi.org/10.5285/d6c3cc3c-a7b7-48b2-9e61-d07454639656; Headwater stream quality metrics, https://doi.org/10.5285/e305fa80-3d38-4576-beef-f6546fad5d45 ; Pond quality metrics, https://doi.org/10.5285/687b38d3-2278-41a0-9317-2c7595d6b882; Insect pollinator and flower data, https://doi.org/10.5285/3c8f4e46-bf6c-4ea1-9340-571fede26ee8; Bird counts, https://doi.org/10.5285/31da0a94-62be-47b3-b76e-4bdef3037360. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Port health authorities have played an important role in the control of infectious diseases worldwide. The International Health Regulations (2005) further clarifies this role and provides a legal statutory instrument that aims to assist the international community to prevent and respond to global public health risks. Eleven UK sea and airports participated in a pilot, investigating the challenges ports could face in attempting to monitor for mosquitoes. The study also examined the types of habitat that could support mosquitoes. There is a concern that exotic vector species, such as Aedes albopictus, could invade and become established in the UK. Environments in and around the ports differed, and this was reflected in the species of mosquitoes caught. Ports used different methods to collect mosquitoes and developed a range of techniques for surveying, which suited the conditions at their port. This paper discusses the implications of invasive mosquito surveillance to UK port health authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to determine outliers in analytical data sets is important to ensure data quality. More sophisticated techniques are required when the checking of individual results is not possible, for instance with very large data sets. This paper outlines a novel method for the detection of possible outliers in multivariate sets of air quality monitoring data, here the metals content of ambient particulate matter. Principal component analysis has been used to take advantage of the expected correlation between metals concentrations at individual monitoring sites to produce a summary statistic based on the deviation of each observation from the expected pattern, which can then be interrogated using one-dimensional robust statistical techniques to identify possible outliers. The sensitivity of this statistic to the number of principal components included in the summary statistic has been examined, and the method has been demonstrated on exemplar data from the UK Heavy Metals Monitoring Network where it has produced very accurate predictions of outlying data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural landscapes are highly dynamic and their change impacts on a number of ecological processes such as the dynamics of biodiversity. Although a substantial amount of research has focused on quantifying these changes and their impact on biodiversity, most studies have focused on single dimensions of land use change. This lack of integration in land use change studies can be explained by the fact that data on the spatial, temporal, and ecological dimensions of land use are seldom available for the same geographical location. In this paper, the benefits of taking into account these three dimensions are illustrated with results derived from the Great Britain Countryside Surveys (CS), a large-scale monitoring programme designed to assess change in the extent and ecological condition of British habitats. The overview of CS results presented in this paper shows that (1) changes in land use composition will translate into a variety of spatial patterns; (2) the temporal stability of land use is often lower than can be expected; and (3) there can be large-scale shifts in the ecological condition of the land use types that form our rural landscapes. The benefits of integrated rural landscape studies are discussed in the context of other national monitoring programmes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The paper describes the issues and processes associated with controlling the internal environment in historic National Trust buildings that are open to the public, with the aim of slowing the rates of deterioration of the collections, and decorative interiors, without causing damage to the structure. The paper shows how environmental monitoring is providing knowledge of the building performance prior to any services project and also sets out the current National Trust Environmental Control Strategy. Conservation heating is proving extremely successful at stabilizing environmental conditions and reducing the remedial conservation requirement of the collections. Other control methods, such as buffered microclimates and dehumidification are mentioned briefly, along with the current issues of ventilation, choices of insulation and fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental health physics is an interdisciplinary field, involving study of the release, transport, and fate of radioactive material in the environment. Further, it addresses the interaction of humans with radioactive materials within the ambient (outdoor) environment and with the environments associated with modern technology and lifestyles. It also involves both naturally occurring and artificially produced radionuclides with the former generally being by far the highest source of exposure. In fact, doses from naturally occurring radionuclides are increasingly being used as a benchmark for the establishment of dose rate limits for people. Because of the pioneering work of early environmental health physicists, models exist today that can be used to assess the potential impacts of new nuclear facilities prior to their operation. In fact, these people represent the branch of the health physics profession who conducted environmental monitoring programs and performed the associated research studies that led to the identification of the principal radionuclides of interest, the major pathways and mechanisms through which they expose people, and the doses that may result from radioactive materials in the natural and technologically enhanced environments. One of their most important contributions was the identification and quantification of many of the key parameters that serve as input to such models. Monitoring of nuclear weapons development facilities used during and after World War II was the initial stimulus for the establishment of environmental health physics programs. Thereafter, these programs were expanded both nationally and globally, as a result of the atmospheric weapons testing programs of nations such as France, the People's Republic of China, the former Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Additional stimuli were provided by the development of the commercial nuclear power industry. Current environmental programs, particularly within the U.S., focus on decontamination and decommissioning of dormant facilities from these earlier defense and commercial programs. The range of the environmental health physics aspects of these activities is the subject of this paper. Presented at the end of the paper is a summary of some of the more important lessons that have been learned. As will be noted, this is an exciting field that will present challenges to health physicists for years to come. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most studies of observer discrepancies in vegetation recording have been limited in the extent to which they can separate different sources of error. It is straightforward to quantify the degree of disparity between two species lists but not clear how to allocate a particular discrepancy to a specific cause. Misidentification is especially difficult to detect, and is rarely discussed in the literature. The vegetation monitoring protocol devised by the United Kingdom Environmental Change Network (ECN) splits each plot to be recorded into cells, within each of which a species list is compiled. This provides an objective measure of the frequency of occurrence of individual species, in place of the more subjective estimation of cover, and allows within-plot variation to be quantified. An added advantage of the ECN methodology is that botanical expertise and the use of cells can be combined in quality assurance (QA) studies to detect instances of consistent misidentification of species, thereby increasing the repeatability of vegetation recording and enhancing the possibility of detecting change. This paper reports an analysis of the data obtained from a 1996 ECN QA exercise and describes the methods used to pinpoint the most likely sources of discrepancies between the original site surveys and the QA survey. Overall it is estimated that 5.9% of specimens were misidentified at species level and 1.9% at genus level, though it is detectable that sites employing consultant surveyors achieved slightly better results. Misidentification rates are particularly high for the lower plants and for woodland plots. The number of unmatched records (the pseudoturnover rate) is high, 24%, but comparable to other studies. This does not seem to be the result, to any great extent, of seasonal changes or identification problems, but appears to be largely due to overlooking and partly a result of relocation problems. The overall percentage agreement between surveyors was 57%, also comparable with other studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing trend in the global average temperature, the UK's water industry has committed to achieve Net Zero by 2030 and part of this includes cutting CH4 emissions from sludge treatment facilities. Currently, emissions are estimated following the carbon accounting workbook guidelines and using default emission factors. However, this method might not be a true representation of emissions as these vary depending on many factors. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has proved cost effective for environmental monitoring tasks requiring high spatial resolution information. Within the context of CH4 emissions and in the last decade, the technology has been curtailed by sensor weight and size. Recent advances in sensor technology have enabled the development of a fit-for purpose UAV CH4 sensor (U10) which uses Tuneable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy. This study intends to develop a framework for CH4 data collection strategies from sludge treatment centres using UAV-U10 technology and asset level CH4 enhancement estimations based on geostatistical interpolation techniques and the mass balance approach. The framework presented here enables the characterization of spatial and temporal variations in CH4 concentrations. It promotes asset level CH4 enhancement estimation based on on-site measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the efficiency to determine an enforcement between price and regulation for emissions of externalities mainly pollution in Great Britain. It compares the enforcement of consent form of regulatory policy with that of an effluent taxation scheme, where revenue is paid on each unit of pollution discharged. It aims to frame a set of rules whereby the efficiency of an enforcement agency may be judged in terms of its effectiveness in encouraging dischargers to reduce their actual effluent loads. It concludes that an increased monitoring should always be undertaken rather than raising the fines rate.

Investigates the role of public registers in environmental information in Great Britain. Foundation of the Government's environmental policy; Public access to environmental information; Effectiveness of public registers.

Abstract: Countryside Survey is a unique large scale long-term monitoring programme investigating stock and change of habitats, landscape features, vegetation, soil and freshwaters of Great Britain. Repeat field surveys combine policy and scientific objectives to provide evidence on how multiple aspects of the environment are changing over time, a key goal of international science in the face of profound human impacts on ecosystems. Countryside Survey 2007 (CS2007), the fifth survey since 1978, retained consistency with previous surveys, whilst evolving in line with technological and conceptual advances in the collection and integration of data to understand landscape change. This paper outlines approaches taken in the 2007 survey and its subsequent analysis and presents some of the headline results of the survey and their relevance for national and international policy objectives. Key changes between 1998 and 2007 included: a) significant shifts in agricultural land cover from arable to grassland, accompanied by increases in the area of broadleaved woodland, b) decreases in the length of managed hedges associated with agricultural land, as a proportion deteriorated to lines of trees and c) increases in the areas and numbers of wet habitats (standing open water, ponds) and species preferring wetter conditions (1998–2007 and 1978–2007). Despite international policy directed at maintaining and enhancing biodiversity, there were widespread decreases in species richness in all linear and area habitats, except on arable land, consistent with an increase in competitive and late successional species between 1998 and 2007 and 1978 and 2007. Late successional and competitive species: Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), Hawthorn (Cratageous monogyna) and Bramble (Rubus fruticosus), in the top ten recorded species recorded in 2007, all increased between 1998 and 2007. The most commonly recorded species in CS (1990, 1998 and 2007) was agricultural Ryegrass (Lolium perenne). Increases in both water quality and soil pH were in line with policy aimed at addressing previous deterioration of both. Headwater streams broadly showed continued improvements in biological quality from 1998 to 2007, continuing trends seen since 1990. In soils, there were significant increases in soil pH between 1998 and 2007 consistent with recovery from acidification. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: openair is an R package primarily developed for the analysis of air pollution measurement data but which is also of more general use in the atmospheric sciences. The package consists of many tools for importing and manipulating data, and undertaking a wide range of analyses to enhance understanding of air pollution data. In this paper we consider the development of the package with the purpose of showing how air pollution data can be analysed in more insightful ways. Examples are provided of importing data from UK air pollution networks, source identification and characterisation using bivariate polar plots, quantitative trend estimates and the use of functions for model evaluation purposes. We demonstrate how air pollution data can be analysed quickly and efficiently and in an interactive way, freeing time to consider the problem at hand. One of the central themes of openair is the use of conditioning plots and analyses, which greatly enhance inference possibilities. Finally, some consideration is given to future developments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Maintaining the ecosystem is one of the main concerns in this modern age. With the fear of ever-increasing global warming, the UK is one of the key players to participate actively in taking measures to slow down at least its phenomenal rate. As an ingredient to this process, the Springer vehicle has been designed and is being developed for environmental monitoring and pollutant tracking. This paper highlights the Springer hardware and software architecture including various navigational sensors, a speed controller, and an environmental monitoring unit. In addition, details regarding the modelling of the vessel are outlined which are based mainly on recent trials data. The formulation of a fault tolerant multi-sensor data fusion technique is also presented. Moreover, control strategy based on a linear quadratic Gaussian controller is developed and simulated on the Springer model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The moratorium on the building of new nuclear power stations in the UK that has existed since the 1980s may be ended as a result of government concerns about the security of energy provision and the environmental impact of fossil-fuel-based energy supply. This viewpoint argues that the case for nuclear power on both counts is unproven. Moreover, renewed government support for a civil nuclear power programme may be a case of government attempting to pick winners, when the evidence suggests that such decisions are best taken by energy suppliers, producers and consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on a comprehensive longitudinal research monitoring study of the construction of Sizewell B nuclear power station in the UK, the article highlights local socio-economic impacts and approaches to their better management. It explores local employment and expenditure impacts and ways to maximise local benefits. Approaches to the internalisation of some impacts, for example, on the housing market and on health services, to live within the capacity of local services, are also examined. Monitoring and controlling the impacts of a major project on the neglected area of crime provides another facet to the research. The paper concludes with an exploration of several barometers of local opinion of impacts, providing social constructions of the reality of the power station development. It provides examples of how the management of a major construction project in its local community can be clearly improved through a long running monitoring programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the UK, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is one of several government departments which undertakes research in support of its policy aims. For example, DEFRA has responsibility for licensing the deposit of materials in the sea in order to protect the environment, public health and prevent interference with other uses of the sea. This includes assessment of pollutant responses in marine organisms. The objectives include assessment of the sub-lethal effect that pollutants have at the cellular, organ and individual level, for example in normal genetic, behavioural and reproductive activity and extrapolation of the potential impact of pollutants to populations. This work helps DEFRA to establish whether individually or in combination, pollutants have an adverse effect on the environment. This paper gives some examples of the research undertaken and demonstrates how biological research can provide cost effective solutions to analytical problems and an opportunity to predict the way in which proposed disposal operations may have an impact on the marine environment. The way such research may influence policy is also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the establishment of Great Britain's Marine Management Organization (MMO) and development of planning and licensing functions. It states that MMO was established after the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 which aims to deliver the British government's vision for clean, healthy and clean oceans and seas. It indicates that Marine Policy Statement will provide the strategic framework for all marine plans and guide decision making the marine environment.

The contribution of citizen scientists to worldwide environmental monitoring has increased rapidly, particularly over the last two decades, as initiatives have become increasingly wide ranging in scope and style. River monitoring and assessment faces many challenges, especially over the longer‐term. Difficult decisions are being made over what can be measured and where. Citizen scientists are helping address these challenges by providing information on properties of river ecosystems, in particular biotic and water quality indicators, at lower cost and higher spatial and temporal coverage than would otherwise be possible and by contributing to data interpretation especially through their local knowledge. A notable deficit, however, has been the monitoring of physical characteristics and outcomes of physical interventions. Furthermore, the development of frameworks, such as the catchment partnership approach in the United Kingdom, within which volunteers, non‐governmental organisations, charities, and statutory bodies collaborate to improve understanding of river environments and decision making, is facilitating the engagement needed to support a new generation of integrated citizen science surveys. Within the United Kingdom, citizen scientists use the Modular River Survey to record river habitat data at a range of spatial scales to monitor physical changes and complement biological monitoring, notably the Riverfly Monitoring Initiative and associated "Riverfly Plus" surveys. They also collect geomorphological data and provide data for restoration appraisal. We present and analyse Modular River Survey data to illustrate how such new generation, multiscale, multipurpose monitoring methods can extract maximum value from the ever‐increasing citizen river science approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Air pollution damages health by promoting the onset of some non-communicable diseases (NCDs), putting additional strain on the National Health Service (NHS) and social care. This study quantifies the total health and related NHS and social care cost burden due to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in England.Method and Findings: Air pollutant concentration surfaces from land use regression models and cost data from hospital admissions data and a literature review were fed into a microsimulation model, that was run from 2015 to 2035. Different scenarios were modelled: (1) baseline 'no change' scenario; (2) individuals' pollutant exposure is reduced to natural (non-anthropogenic) levels to compute the disease cases attributable to PM2.5 and NO2; (3) PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations reduced by 1 μg/m3; and (4) NO2 annual European Union limit values reached (40 μg/m3). For the 18 years after baseline, the total cumulative cost to the NHS and social care is estimated at £5.37 billion for PM2.5 and NO2 combined, rising to £18.57 billion when costs for diseases for which there is less robust evidence are included. These costs are due to the cumulative incidence of air-pollution-related NCDs, such as 348,878 coronary heart disease cases estimated to be attributable to PM2.5 and 573,363 diabetes cases estimated to be attributable to NO2 by 2035. Findings from modelling studies are limited by the conceptual model, assumptions, and the availability and quality of input data.Conclusions: Approximately 2.5 million cases of NCDs attributable to air pollution are predicted by 2035 if PM2.5 and NO2 stay at current levels, making air pollution an important public health priority. In future work, the modelling framework should be updated to include multi-pollutant exposure-response functions, as well as to disaggregate results by socioeconomic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New technologies have increasingly featured in environmental conservation conflicts. We examined the deployment of imaging devices such as sonar equipment and cameras to survey the Fal estuary in Cornwall, UK. Due to heavy use of these waters, there have been several disputes coalescing around protected marine features, including the estuary's rare maerl beds. A comparison of two cases, scallop dredging and docks development, showed technical instruments being deployed to produce information about the marine environment as evidence to inform decision-making. The use of imaging devices stimulated political action and was regarded as a move away from emotion-based decision-making towards desired objectivity. Simultaneously, however, the process of deploying these devices was challenged and there was recognition that the resultant information could be used to construct the estuary as a politically charged space. Thus, rather than clarifying and resolving contentious issues, technological interventions generated new baselines for knowledge contestation and amplified ongoing battles for credibility and authority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the relationship between exposure to a substance and disease and the risk of ill health and death among workers. Many organizations and advisory bodies have been developing occupational exposure limits (OELs) as part of the effort to address the risk. In Great Britain, the Control of Substance Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations have been introduced in response to the issue.

Renewable energy will potentially make an important contribution towards the dual aims of meeting carbon emission reduction targets and future energy demand. However, some technologies have considerable potential to impact on the biodiversity of the environments in which they are placed. In this study, an assessment was undertaken of the realistic deployment potential of a range of renewable energy technologies in the UK, considering constraints imposed by biodiversity conservation priorities. We focused on those energy sources that have the potential to make important energy contributions but which might conflict with biodiversity conservation objectives. These included field-scale solar, bioenergy crops, wind energy (both onshore and offshore), wave and tidal stream energy. The spatially-explicit analysis considered the potential opportunity available for each technology, at various levels of ecological risk. The resultant maps highlight the energy resource available, physical and policy constraints to deployment, and ecological sensitivity (based on the distribution of protected areas and sensitive species). If the technologies are restricted to areas which currently appear not to have significant ecological constraints, the total potential energy output from these energy sources was estimated to be in the region of 5,547 TWh/yr. This would be sufficient to meet projected energy demand in the UK, and help to achieve carbon reduction targets. However, we highlight two important caveats. First, further ecological monitoring and surveillance is required to improve understanding of wildlife distributions and therefore potential impacts of utilising these energy sources. This is likely to reduce the total energy available, especially at sea. Second, some of the technologies under investigation are currently not deployed commercially. Consequently this potential energy will only be available if continued effort is put into developing these energy sources/technologies, to enable realisation of their full potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and implementation of evaluation methods assessing the impact of the United Kingdom's climate finance on the Ethiopian Government's institutional capacity for implementation of the national climate change strategy is described. The article focuses on capacity-assessment tools that support evidence-based self-assessments of progress toward politically determined targets. We highlight the strengths of the capacity-assessment tools in building ownership of monitoring data among implementers, providing rapid feedback to inform management of development programs, and the potential to create windows of opportunity to tackle long-standing institutional blockages. We also note challenges in relation to the skills required to implement the evaluation methods effectively, the limitations in attributing change to a particular intervention, and potential biases. Finally, we explain the scope for use of the tools in other contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in citizen science has been increasing rapidly, although the reviews available to date have not clearly outlined the links between the long-established practice of recording plant species' distributions for local and national atlases, or other recording projects, and the gradual development of more structured monitoring schemes that also rely on volunteer effort. We provide a review of volunteer-based plant monitoring in Britain and Ireland, with a particular focus on the contributions of expert volunteers working with biological recording schemes and natural history societies; in particular, we highlight projects and practices that have improved the quality of data collected. Although the monitoring of plant distributions at larger scales has led to numerous insights into floristic change and its causes, these activities have also led to the recognition that knowledge of species' abundances at finer-scales often provides a more powerful means of detecting and interpreting change. In the UK, this has led to the development of a new, abundance-based 'National Plant Monitoring Scheme'. We outline this new structured scheme, and review some of the design considerations that have been made during its development. New monitoring projects require a clear justification, and the launch of a new scheme is also an opportune moment to review whether some basic assumptions about the collection of monitoring data can withstand scrutiny. A distinction is often made between monitoring that is focused on answering particular, focused questions, and that which is more generally seeking to detect changes; for example, in species' distributions or abundances. Therefore, we also review the justification for such general 'surveillance' approaches to the monitoring of biodiversity, and place this in the context of volunteer-based initiatives. We conclude that data collected by biological recorders working within atlas or monitoring scheme frameworks will continue to produce datasets that are highly valued by governments, scientists, and the volunteers themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK has a rich legacy of biological recording, developed through the expertise and commitment of volunteer participants. The Biological Records Centre has supported this activity in the UK since 1964, in close partnership with recording schemes and societies. Vast datasets have been built up and enabled a range of ecological questions to be addressed. We consider the future priorities for the role of biological recording for ecological monitoring and citizen science. We propose a 10-point plan for activities helping to ensure that biological recording continues to thrive and plays a major role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Salvage Union (ISU) has proposed that the 1989 Salvage Convention be amended to allow for an 'environmental salvage' award. A traditional salvage award remains fundamentally about saving maritime property, whereas an environmental salvage award measures its success against liabilities avoided. In practical terms, these two types of awards cannot be quantified using the same principles. In its current form, the Salvage Convention does provide for a salvage award to be enhanced for efforts to prevent or minimise environmental damage as set out in Article 13. The 'safety net' provisions of Article 14 allow salvors special compensation where no property is saved but efforts to protect the environment are undertaken. As Article 14 is largely unworkable, it has effectively been replaced by the Special Compensation P&I Clause (SCOPIC) where Lloyd's Open Form contracts are used. This article looks at the proposed amendments by the ISU to the Salvage Convention and discusses the difficulties in quantifying an environmental salvage award. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a Level 7 MPharm project, a study was carried out on how the Schools of Pharmacy within the United Kingdom teach aseptic technique to undergraduate students. A questionnaire with open questions was sent to all the schools offering a validated Master of Pharmacy degree in the academic year 2010-2011. The data were then used to design a second questionnaire with closed questions. The responses were analysed and areas of good practice identified. How these areas may be incorporated into the Liverpool John Moores University programmes is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The purpose of this work was to assess the changes in control of exposure to hexamethylene diisocyanate based paints used in vehicle spraying after a Health & Safety Executive (HSE) national project. Methods: Paint sprayers and managers from motor vehicle repair (MVR) bodyshops across the UK, were invited to one of 32 Safety and Health Awareness Days (SHADs) to increase their understanding of the hazards, and practical ways of controlling of exposure to isocyanate based paints. Exposure measurement based on biological monitoring was offered, free of charge, to each of the roughly 4000 participants and used to assess the effectiveness of controls and methods of working. Results are compared with pre and post SHAD measurements. Results: Urine samples were received from 995 paint sprayers. Hexamethylene diamine (HDA) levels in urine, indicative of exposure to hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), were significantly lower (Mann-Whitney, p<0.0001) than had been seen in a wider population from previous HSE inspections and routine sampling. Where a sprayer’s urinary HDA was above the quantification limit they were asked to send another sample after reviewing and improving exposure control measures. The results from these repeat samples were significantly lower than the original results. There was no difference in the exposures of sprayers using air-fed half-mask face-pieces compared with visor type air-fed breathing apparatus, or between spray booths and rooms. Conclusions: The analysis of HDA in urine is a useful technique for assessing exposure to isocyanates in paint sprayers. The simplicity of this approach has allowed wide-scale use of biological monitoring in an industry dominated by small and micro businesses. Biological monitoring of exposure has enabled individual companies, and sprayers, to check that their control measures are working. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Citizen science can provide a valuable tool for collecting large quantities of ecological data over a larger geographic area than would otherwise be possible. Here, data were collected on 1,022 bumblebee nests by means of a public survey in which participants were asked to record attributes of bumblebee nests discovered in their gardens. All commonly reported species appeared to be generalist in their nest site selection and though species-specific differences in nest site choice were evident, there was a high degree of overlap in nesting habitat between most species. There was little evidence supporting the hypothesis that bumblebees tend to nest in the same site in consecutive years. A comparison of the contributions made by different species to the total nests reported in this and previous similar surveys suggests that the common bumblebee species Bombus pascuorum may have declined over the past 20 years relative to other species, comprising ~21% of colonies discovered in a survey conducted in 1989-1991, but just 8-9% of colonies in 2007-2009. This was accompanied by a reduction in the proportion of nests on the ground surface (the preferred position of this species). This is the first quantitative evidence of potential declines in the one of the UK's 'big six' common bumblebee species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Lead has been recognized increasingly as a public health risk, although with the introduction of wide-ranging occupational and public health measures, levels of blood lead in the general population of the UK and other developed nations have been in decline in recent years. Nonetheless, cases of lead poisoning still occur. Methods We report on a large cluster of exposed lead workers and their families, including several children. The focus of the occupational and public health investigations was to identify the different groups at risk and the pathways by which potential exposures were taking place. Results Lead in the workplace was found to account for the raised blood lead levels amongst the workers with exposure occurring as a result of insufficient demarcation between ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’ areas, and from contamination of personal belongings with lead. Furthermore, there was evidence of para-occupational exposure of family members. Conclusions The successful control of lead in this case required multidisciplinary working. Efforts included extensive workplace controls, along with the education and care of workers and their families, though complicated by lack of familiarity with the UK health service amongst the affected groups, language barriers, underlying low levels of literacy and high mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: In this commentary we present the findings from an international consortium on fish toxicogenomics sponsored by the U.K. Natural Environment Research Council (Fish Toxicogenomics-Moving into Regulation and Monitoring, held 21-23 April 2008 at the Pacific Environmental Science Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada). Objectives: The consortium from government agencies, academia, and industry addressed three topics: progress in ecotoxicogenomics, regulatory perspectives on roadblocks for practical implementation of toxicogenomics into risk assessment, and dealing with variability in data sets. Discussion: Participants noted that examples of successful application of omic technologies have been identified, but critical studies are needed to relate molecular changes to ecological adverse outcome. Participants made recommendations for the management of technical and biological variation. They also stressed the need for enhanced interdisciplinary training and communication as well as considerable investment into the generation and curation of appropriate reference omic data. Conclusions: The participants concluded that, although there are hurdles to pass on the road to regulatory acceptance, omics technologies are already useful for elucidating modes of action of toxicants and can contribute to the risk assessment process as part of a weight-of-evidence approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Investigation of Atmospheric Pollution program in Great Britain, from its inception in 1912 to 1960. The cooperation of central and local government, industry groups, and nongovernmental organizations on establishing a nationwide air pollution monitoring network is discussed, as are the challenges of setting technical standards to guide policy on environmental pollution. Also discussed is the role of the program in raising public awareness about the dangers of coal smoke and related urban air pollution issues.

The article analyzes the impact of climate changes on extreme seasonal precipitation in Great Britain. It has been proven that enhanced greenhouse conditions attributed to climatic and hydrologic extremes have largest impact on the biodiversity. Increased precipitation and enhanced variability offer the people a hard time coping with its changing intensity and occurrences. Results of the assessment of global and regional climate model simulations and future projections of extreme precipitation show that the trend is primarily dependent on climate changes.

The article describes the result of the environmental life-cycle analyses of ballast and generic concrete track beds in Great Britain. It highlights the manufacturing, construction, maintenance, dismantling and recycling of the track bed components. The article also compares the life-cycle analyses of energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions to show the impact of track bed ballasts on the environment.

The article presents a study which compares three methods of interpolation in a case of a complex geomorphologic territory. These methods include a local interpolation method, universal kriging, and multilayer neural networks trained with backpropagation. The study also identifies 12 climatic variables and nine bioclimatic indexes. It is determined the Great Britain with external drift to be the optimal method, which leads to a plausible distribution of climatic variables, specifically temperature and precipitation as well as most of the analyzed bioclimatic indexes. The researchers reveal that the study of interpolation methods will be useful for concerns on ecological monitoring and environmental assessment of the territory.

The article focuses on the use of indicator taxa as a tool to assess freshwater biodiversity in the low land of Great Britain. However, it was said that the approach to identifying sites of conservation priority requires surveyors to possess proficient taxonomic knowledge. The study uses mussel abundance as surrogate that provides a rapid and straightforward alternative to conventional method of assessing freshwater biodiversity. Moreover, the results highlights the ecosystem-level consequences of allowing global decline of freshwater mussels to remain unchecked.

A Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funded Knowledge Transfer (KT) workshop was held in the United Kingdom (UK) to identify the needs and opportunities in the application of molecular biology and ‘omics’ techniques to environmental monitoring and risk assessment. Attendees highlighted a lack of effective communication between end-users and researchers as well as difficulties with data interpretation as reasons behind the slow uptake of molecular biology and omics techniques. A number of promising areas in which new techniques could be implemented at a practical level in the very near future were identified, thereby raising the profile of these recent technologies and providing vital proof of concept work. Molecular taxonomy, bacterial source tracking and pre-screening of chemicals for potential toxicities were all viewed as areas in which omics and molecular techniques could have immediate value, with the aim of reducing cost, increasing efficiency and providing more comprehensive data of improved quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study to determine the impact of reduced nickel Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) and Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) on the nickel plating industry in Great Britain. This technical feasibility study commissioned by the European Nickel Industry Association examined companies involved in nickel plating during the period September-December 2004. It was found that nine out of 16 companies had conducted some form of occupational exposure monitoring.

Presents an analysis of the case "R (on the application of Anne-Marie Goodman and Keith Hedges) v London Borough of Lewisham" at a Court of Appeal in Great Britain. EC Environmental Assessment Directive; Proposed storage facilities; Decision that storage facilities fall outside "urban infrastructure" category; Categorization issues a question of law not discretionary judgment by authorities.

Examines the importance of river habitat survey in environmental monitoring and catchment planning in Great Britain. Analysis of channel modification; Assessment of the geomorphological processes; Formulation of conservation and rehabilitation strategies.

Discusses the nature of monitoring and post-auditing in environmental impact assessment (EIA) as implemented in Great Britain. Literature examining the need for post-auditing in EIA; Overview of post-audit findings from published studies; Preliminary post-auditing results for eight projects.

If businesses are to contribute to green sustainable development, then a method of measuring progress is essential. Accounting methods need to be used that indicate to the organization and the general public the progress of the business towards sustainability. Sustainability, by some definitions, refers to the degradation or depletion of natural resources, i.e. direct and indirect environmental effects. For example, consider the effect of pesticides contaminating water. Sustainability would reflect the degradation of the water quality and the disturbance of the water's aquatic ecosystem, the damage to aquatic life and the possible human and animal health effects. Consequently, by this definition, sustainability is equivalent to the environmental effects. The considerations required to identify environmental performance measures (EPMs) which reflect the progress towards sustainable development and which measure environmental performance are discussed. Environmental performance measures can be used in a wide variety of ways and this is illustrated with respect to two research projects currently being carried out at the University of Hertfordshire. The first discusses the use of corporate EPMs with the water industry of England and Wales by examining company environmental reports. The second uses EPMs to measure environmental performance and the goal of both business and green sustainability within arable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the impact of the directive of European Commission on environmental planning in Great Britain. It stresses the directive of the Commission of the European Communities that asked for research on Environmental Impact Analysis. It notes that the directive is anticipated to formally approve in 1982 with possibilities of substantial modifications from published draft. It emphasizes that the developer will bear the primary responsibility for supplying information required for environmental impact study. It points out that the competent authority must then make its final assessment and publish the fact that the application has been made. It further stresses that the competent authority is expected to check periodically in the event of the project being authorized.

The article discusses the assessment on environmental impact related to its retrospect and prospect. It stresses that the evolution of Environmental Impact Analysis finds its origins during post war period with growing environmental awareness of affluent western societies. It notes that the legislation relating to the improvement of the environment in Europe and North America was brought about the interaction of government and articulate pressure groups. It emphasizes that the best guardians of the physical environment are responsible governments and an informed and alert public specifically in western world. It points out that the British government have commented that Environmental Impact Analysis brings nothing substantially new to the best practice in Great Britain.

Examines environmental monitoring activities from a perspective which focuses on the political and economic and social factors which shape knowledge about local environments. Use of a British urban case study to examine that range of influences that can operate on local level monitoring; Importance in effective urban environmental management.