Midsummer, a magical in time Scotland where we can expect to enjoy over 17 hours of glorious daylight each day. On the longest day (21 June this year if you’re curious), the sun will barely set at all in some places. In fact, in the North, on a good day, it’s possible to watch the sun rise before it goes below the horizon… or maybe that’s on a good two days? Can be hard to get your head around that marvel.

The long days don’t just mean more time to enjoy summer festivals, late night walks on the beach and extended day trips to appreciate our more remote beauty spots. The extra 10 hours of sunlight we get every day, when compared to mid-winter, is good for business too. 

That is, it’s good if your business takes advantage of all that extra daylight instead of leaving the lights burning. To make sure you don’t miss out, we’ve come up with our top six midsummer money saving ideas, including some handy no and low-cost things you can start doing today.

1. Make use of natural daylight

There’s no better light than natural light. It’s great in terms of colour and intensity, and that’s great for staff productivity. Best of all, it’s completely free.

To make sure your business is making the most of all the natural light it can, we recommend you start by keeping your workplace’s windows (and skylights if you have them) clean and free from obstructions. Yes, Dave from marketing may have to move his big box of brochures from the window ledge, but it could mean you can switch off your lighting until the autumn, creating a better working environment and saving a packet on your energy bill. Sorry Dave.

You could then also think about rearranging your office to ensure your desk-based workers are near to the windows where they can enjoy the natural light – rather than having them sitting in darker areas where artificial lighting will need to be turned on.

2. Check your timers

This tip relates specifically to any external lighting you may have – safety and security, company signage and car-park lighting for example. It can also apply to display lighting in shop window displays for retailers. 

If you have daylight sensors that control these lights, great, you’re sorted. But, if like many businesses you don’t have sensors fitted, it will pay dividends for you to take 5 minutes to adjust your timers for the summer. A quick check now will make sure you’re not wasting energy and money, all summer long – needlessly lighting up areas that are already bright enough.

3. Encourage staff to use lights only when needed

Question – with so much natural light available throughout the whole working day at this time of year, do you really need your lights on at all? Have you tried switching some, or even all, of them off? 

We are creatures of habit, so it may be that your lights are on across your workplace right now, not because they’re needed, but just because they always get switched on in the morning – every day, all year round.

A great way to save money on your energy bill is to encourage staff to use lighting only when it’s required, and to switch it off when it isn’t. These free posters, stickers and light switch labels will help you do just that.

4. Use technology to automate your lighting

Encouraging staff to use lighting only when it’s needed is a quick, no-cost way of reducing your lighting bill. But we are all human and lights do get left on by accident – in meeting rooms, toilets, corridors and many other places where they are not needed. It’s happening right now in countless buildings across Scotland, wasting energy and profits.

The good news is, there’s lots of technology now available that can automatically control your lighting for you. Infrared, microwave, ultrasonic and heat sensors are all available and can prevent lights being left on unnecessarily in your business. What’s more, many systems can be installed without having to do any rewiring of your current lighting. 

5. …and when you do need lighting on, make sure it’s efficient 

OK, it’s Scotland. Even in the height of summer, there’ll be rainy days where there won’t be enough natural light and you’ll need to reach for the light switch. Maybe more than the odd day to be fair. Over the course of a year, lighting costs can quickly rack up for Scottish businesses and will often make up 20% of total energy costs. 

Thankfully, lighting technology such as LEDs has progressed hugely in recent years and taking advantage of this technology provides a cracking opportunity to save energy and money.

At the same time, while new technology offers fantastic cost-saving opportunities, the rapid proliferation of new products on the market can sometimes be daunting. But that’s not a reason not to make cost-savings improvements. Just call our team of advisors and they can give you free advice on the type of system that would work best for you and your business – there’s no need to be left in the dark about your best options. What’s more, there’s lots of Government-funded support to help you make recommended improvements in your workplace – such as the Scottish Government’s interest-free SME loan.

6. Invest in solar panels

With over 17 hours of sunlight shining down on your workplace every day right now – have you considered turning some of it into free energy to cut your bills and boost profits? 

Solar panel electricity systems, also known as photovoltaics (PV), capture the sun's energy (even on a cloudy day) and convert it into electricity, which can be used to power your business. 

A well as benefitting from free energy, the UK Government’s Feed-in Tariff scheme also pays you for the electricity you generate, even if you use it. And the energy you don’t use? Well, you can sell it to the grid and receive another payment. What’s not to like? Plus, the Government’s SME Loan extends to renewables to help your business install solar panels.

There are hundreds of ways you can save resources to boost profits in your business, but the tips above are a great place to start. 

Just have a look at the businesses on the Green Network For Businesses that have acted already and see the kinds of savings that can be easily made. And, remember, if you would like to join them, all you have to do is call our helpline on 0808 808 2268 or email enquiries@resourceefficientscotland.com. 

Resource Efficient Scotland is a programme from Zero Waste Scotland. Free support to business is funded by the Scottish Government and by the European Regional Development Fund through the £73 million Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Accelerator Programme.

Frozen corn and possibly other frozen vegetables are the likely source of an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes that has been affecting five EU Member States Austria, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom since 2015.

This is the conclusion of a rapid outbreak assessment by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

Experts used whole genome sequencing to identify the food source, which initially was thought to be limited to frozen corn. As of 8 June 2018, 47 cases including nine deaths had been reported.

The same strains of L. monocytogenes have been detected in frozen vegetables produced by the same Hungarian company in 2016, 2017 and 2018. This suggests that the strains have persisted in the processing plant despite the cleaning and disinfection procedures that were carried out following an investigation in March.

The available information confirms the contamination at the Hungarian plant. However, further investigations, including thorough sampling and testing, are needed to identify the exact points of environmental contamination at the Hungarian plant. The same recommendation applies to other companies belonging to the same commercial group if environmental contamination is detected.

On 29 June 2018, the Hungarian Food Chain Safety Office banned the marketing of all frozen vegetable and frozen mixed vegetable products produced by the affected plant between August 2016 and June 2018, and ordered their immediate withdrawal and recall. This last measure is likely to significantly reduce the risk of human infections and contain the outbreak. All freezing activity at the plant has been stopped.

New cases could still emerge due to the long incubation period of listeriosis (up to 70 days); the long shelf-life of frozen corn products; and the consumption of frozen corn bought before the recalls and eaten without being cooked properly.

To reduce the risk of infection, consumers should thoroughly cook non ready-to-eat frozen vegetables, even though these products are commonly consumed without cooking (e.g. in salads and smoothies). This applies especially to consumers at highest risk of contracting listeriosis – such as the elderly, pregnant women, new-borns and adults with weakened immune systems.

What is a rapid outbreak assessment?

Coordination at EU level is crucial when there are multi-country foodborne outbreaks. One aspect of this coordination is the production of a rapid outbreak assessment (ROA) by EFSA and ECDC in close cooperation with affected countries.
The ROA gives an overview of the situation in terms of public health and identifies the cause of the infections. It also includes trace-back and trace-forward investigations to identify the origin of the outbreak and where contaminated products have been distributed. These help to identify measures that will prevent further spread of the outbreak.

The public is being asked to shape a deposit return scheme for drinks containers as a way of reducing plastic pollution.

People would pay a small deposit when they buy a drink in a single-use container and get that money back when it is returned empty.

A consultation on a Deposit Return Scheme for Scotland asks for views on questions including:
• How much the deposit should be
• where people could return items
• what sort of materials and products should be included

Around 2.5 billion single-use drinks containers are sold in Scotland every year. Some countries with deposit return schemes are achieving up to 95% recycling rates for drinks containers compared to 50% in Scotland.

The responses to the consultation will help to design an effective system. This will then go forward as regulations under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

The consultation can be viewed at the following link- https://beta.gov.scot/news/tackling-plastic-pollution/

Charges brought against three out of five companies following an outbreak of Legionnaires Disease in the west of Edinburgh have been dropped.

The legal case against the North British Distillery Company Limited, Pera Services Limited and Chemtech Consultancy Limited ended on 29 June when not guilty pleas were accepted.

The five companies were originally charged under the Health and Safety at Work Act after allegedly exposing people to the legionnaires bacteria.

The charges were related to the maintenance and cleaning of cooling towers and are unconnected to the deaths of four people in the city during the outbreak.

The case against two firms continues. Ashland Industries UK Limited, and MacFarlan Smith Limited are both accused of health and safety breaches. They maintained their pleas of not guilty. A further First Diet hearing has been fixed for 30 July.

Four people died and a further 92 were infected in an outbreak of Legionnaires Disease in the area in 2012. The source was never traced and no prosecutions ever brought.

An Argyll and Bute hotel owner plans to serve burgers made with midges to his customers.

David Keat, who owns the Brander Lodge Hotel near Oban, said he would harvest the midges from the hotel’s midge exterminator machines. The burgers would be dipped in a coat of midges, like breadcrumbs, and a special secret ingredient added.

The plans are due to be considered by Environmental Health from Argyll and Bute Council.

Mr Keat, who admitted the idea started off as a joke, said he came up with it after creating a vegan “midge fodder burger” using leaves and herbs grown in the hotel’s garden, which attract the tiny insects.

He said: “If you are angry and you want to get your own back on the midges, you can eat them for a change, instead of them eating you.”
He insisted that the idea of eating insects was becoming more mainstream.

Mr Keat said: “We just thought that, with ants and grasshoppers on menus across the world, Scotland has a ready supply of protein-filled midges and, because of our location, we have an ample supply of the wee blighters.

“There is a huge plague of midges this year. We’re seeking advice via the health authorities and plan to send a midge burger to be tested, to see if it is fit for eating.”
The midges will be coated on to the outside of the burger, like breadcrumbs, said Mr Keat, adding: “I will cook one of the vegan patties and fry it up out of hours, in my own domestic kitchen, freeze it, and send it away for testing.

Iain MacKinnon, Environmental Health Manager for Argyll and Bute Council, said midge burgers were certainly “an unknown quantity.”

He added: “In principle we have no objection, but it would need to be thoroughly tested and checked before it was served up to humans.

“You would need to make sure that the cooking process is able to deal with any bacteria and it would need to go to a food science lab, to make sure it’s fit for human consumption.”

The Crown Office has decided not to carry out a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into the death of a three-year-old girl during an outbreak of E.coli O157 in 2016.

The Crown Office had previously said South Lanarkshire-based Errington Cheese would not face prosecution over the child’s death. The firm’s Dunsyre Blue was named the most likely source of the outbreak.

The Crown Office said it had considered “all the relevant matters” it decided this was not a case where an FAI was required.

A total of 26 cases of the same strain of E. coli O157 were identified between July and September 2016 as a result of the outbreak, which left 17 people requiring hospital treatment.

A report published by Health Protection Scotland on behalf of the Incident Management Team in March 2017 said that the likely source of the infection was consumption of an unpasteurised cows’ milk cheese. The multi-agency incident management team, consisting of Health Protection Scotland, South Lanarkshire Council, and Environmental Health teams from a further from 11 Local Authorities, found that potentially pathogenic E. coli were able to enter and survive the cheese production process at the food business.

However, Errington Cheese has repeatedly questioned the quality of the investigation and any suggestion that their product was responsible.

A Crown Office spokesman said: “The Crown Office has fully investigated the death of a three year-old Dunbartonshire girl who died on September 2, 2016 following a complication of an E.coli infection.

“Following a full and thorough investigation by the procurator fiscal, Crown counsel have concluded that there is insufficient evidence for a prosecution, and as a result no criminal proceedings are instructed.

“Should additional evidence come to light, that decision may be reconsidered.

“Having given careful consideration to all relevant matters, including the recommendations of the incident management team, Crown counsel were satisfied that the cause of the death had been clearly established and that in the circumstances this was not a case where a fatal accident inquiry was required.
“The family have been informed of this decision.”

Last year the company announced it had started making Dunsyre Blue using pasteurised, rather than unpasteurised milk, but that it hoped the move would be “only a short to medium term measure whilst we wait for resolution of the ongoing legal issues”.

Further actions to stop young people taking up smoking and raise a tobacco-free generation have been outlined.

The Scottish Government’s updated Tobacco Control Action Plan sets out 44 specific actions to address health inequalities and cut smoking rates in the communities where people find it most difficult to quit.

These include legislating to restrict smoking around hospital buildings, banning tobacco in prisons and establishing a new national brand for the stop-smoking service.

It also outlines media campaigns around discouraging smoking in school grounds and communal stairwells and preventing young people from taking up the habit.

In 2013, ministers set out plans to create a tobacco-free generation, meaning that when children born in 2013 reached the age of 21, their generation would not be smokers. 

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell said:

“We all want to give our children the best possible start in life, and to protect them from harm as they grow up. One way we can all help with this is to fight the influence of tobacco over children and young people.

“Five years ago we set an ambitious target to create a tobacco-free generation by 2034. We’ve made good progress – halving the number of children exposed to second hand smoke, introducing plain packaging and cracking down on cigarette sales to under-18s. Now it’s time to set out our next steps.

“The action plan I’m publishing demonstrates our commitment to the new Public Health Priorities which include an ambition for a Scotland free from the harms caused by alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. All of these together can create a healthier Scotland.”

View the Tobacco Control Action Plan here.

The Food Standards Agency has begun an investigation following claims that traces of meat were found in food classified as vegan or vegetarian.

The Daily Telegraph tested ten vegan and vegetarian products at Tesco and Sainsbury’s and found meat in two.

According to the newspaper’s investigation, a German government-accredited food testing laboratory found traces of pork in Sainsbury’s branded Meat Free Meatballs, and traces of turkey in Tesco’s Wicked Kitchen BBQ butternut macaroni cheese meal.

A statement from FSA said: ‘The Daily Telegraph has shared information with us regarding the products they have tested. We are examining this information in relation to the allegations made… and will take appropriate action as necessary.’

A Tesco spokesperson said:
“We take the quality and integrity of our products extremely seriously and understand that our vegan and vegetarian products should be exactly that.

“Our initial DNA tests have found no traces of animal DNA in the BBQ Butternut Mac product available in stores today.”

Sainsbury’s said the meatball product, which carries the widely-respected Vegetarian Society logo, is produced at a meat-free factory. A statement stressed that Sainsbury’s and the Vegetarian Society carried out regular checks and no issues had been found. “We are concerned by these findings however, and are carrying out a comprehensive investigation alongside our supplier.”

Supermarkets continue to expand their range of meat-free products as the trend towards vegetarian food continues to increase. Veganism is believed to have grown four-fold over the past decade, according to the Vegan Society.

In addition, there are many who do not eat meat for religious or ethical reasons. The Muslim Council of Britain called the findings “distressing”.

NHS Health Scotland has published the latest data on Scotland’s relationship with alcohol. 

The report, ‘Monitoring and Evaluating Scotland’s Alcohol Strategy: Monitoring Report 2018’ found that 10.2 litres of pure alcohol were sold per adult in Scotland, equivalent to 19.6 units per adult per week. This means that enough alcohol was sold last year in Scotland for every adult to exceed the weekly guideline by 40%, every week of the year.

After a period of decline, rates of death entirely caused by alcohol have increased over the past four years, and it is now directly responsible for an average of 22 deaths and 697 admissions to hospital per week. 

People in the most deprived areas are experiencing the most harm. Rates of both alcohol-specific death and alcohol-related admissions are more than eight times higher than in the least deprived areas.

More than 24,000 people were admitted to hospital for a drink-related condition in 2016-17, with a total of more than 36,000 in-patient stays recorded over the course of the year.

The scale of the problem means alcohol-related hospital admissions are 4.4 times higher than they were in the 1980s.

Almost half (47%) of alcohol sold in shops and supermarkets last year cost less than 50p per unit – the new minimum unit price for drink which was brought in by the Scottish government in May.

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell said: "Our world-leading minimum unit pricing policy now ensures no alcohol can be sold below 50p per unit. I am confident minimum unit pricing will make a significant difference to the harms shown in this report.

"Those that drink most heavily and live in deprived areas experience the greatest levels of harm, and they will benefit most from minimum unit pricing."

Lucie Giles, lead author of the report and Public Health Intelligence Adviser at NHS Health Scotland said: 

“As a leading cause of illness and early death, alcohol consumption and related harm remains a significant public health concern.     

“With rates of alcohol-specific deaths increasing in recent years, and alcohol related hospital admissions 4 times higher than they were in the 1980s, it is more important than ever that we continue to monitor alcohol price, consumption and alcohol-related harms to inform and evaluate policy.

“Preventative action is necessary to reduce alcohol consumption if long-term improvements in alcohol-related harm are to be realised. And with the most harm being felt in our poorest areas, we must take action to reduce the health inequalities related to alcohol.”

Hotfoot it to The Mound, East George Street and the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh on Thursday 21 June for the start of a free two-day Summer Summit to mark National Clean Air Day.

REHIS will be heavily involved in the event with our Chief Executive Tom Bell’s keynote speech at the Air Quality, Public Health and Transport seminar on the afternoon of the first day.

National Clean Air Day itself is a nationwide awareness-raising day about air pollution aimed at helping making the air cleaner and healthier for everyone.

In Edinburgh, road closures will be in place and a host of fun events and stalls are planned, including e-bike demos, an urban garden space, mural wall painting, and lots more. The celebrations will kick off at 9.30am with a public procession, leaving from Mound Place and ending at St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church on George Street. The two-day Summer Summit has been organised by the Edinburgh City Council, working with Sustrans and Paths for All.

For more information regarding the event see: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/blog/newsblog/post/1329/edinburgh-to-mark-uk-clean-air-day-with-fume-free-celebrations-on-city-centre-streets.

Scotland is aiming to be a world leader in improving the public’s health, through a new vision for organisations and communities across the country.

The Scottish Government and COSLA have jointly published public health priorities for Scotland, aimed at focussing action across the public sector and voluntary sector and in communities. The priorities are the first milestone in a wider reform of public health.

The public health priorities have been developed through a process of engagement with stakeholders from across Scotland. Feedback from stakeholders was reviewed by public health experts which helped to inform these priorities.

The priorities set a direction for Scotland’s public services over the next decade, with the aim of organisations and communities working better together to focus on prevention, to reduce health inequality and increase healthy life expectancy. The priorities recognise that health and wellbeing is created in communities and through partnerships across sectors and that mental health must have parity with physical health, including commitments to enhance suicide prevention. Some 54 bodies across Scotland have already endorsed the priorities, reflecting a growing consensus and momentum for change.

The announcement of the priorities comes ahead of the publication of Scottish Government strategies and action plans covering tobacco, physical activity, diet, substance misuse and alcohol, and the creation of a new public health body in 2019.

The six identified public health priorities for Scotland, where by working together, healthy life expectancy can improve and reduce inequalities, the priorities are:

·       A Scotland where we live in vibrant, healthy and safe places and communities.

·       A Scotland where we flourish in our early years.

·       A Scotland where we have good mental wellbeing.

·       A Scotland where we reduce the use of and harm from alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

·       A Scotland where we have a sustainable, inclusive economy with equality of outcomes for all.

·       A Scotland where we eat well, have a healthy weight and are physically active.

Scotland’s Public Heath Priorities can be downloaded here. 

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell said:

“We want a Scotland where everybody thrives and to be a world leader in improving the public’s health. We’ve made great progress, with people living healthier for longer. But we still face significant challenges with significant and persistent health inequalities, and not everybody enjoys good health. 

“As well as improving the quality and length of people’s lives, we also want to reduce the social and economic impact of ill-health and inequality, and help build a nation where people achieve their potential. I am clear that the NHS cannot do this alone; wellbeing is created in wider society, in communities and across our public services, and we need all of these partners to work together.”

COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson Peter Johnston said:

“The launch of public health priorities represents an important step in improving Scotland’s health and tackling the health inequalities we still face. Local government is committed to a full and equal partnership with the Scottish Government to reform public health. These priorities tackle the issues driving Scotland’s health problems and represent a call to action across the whole system.

“Most importantly, we need to put our communities at the heart of efforts to improve people’s health. Councils have a key role to play through empowering communities and bringing partners together across the public, voluntary and private sectors.”

World Environmental Health Day was launched by the IFEH Council at its meeting in Indonesia on the 26 September 2011. Every year since 2011 this date has been earmarked to celebrate as World Environmental Health Day with a particular theme celebrating an environmental health issue Worldwide. 

REHIS has featured prominently in the past, particularly in 2017 and 2016 (see IFEH website) and would like to actively participate and encourage participation again this year. The 2018 theme is 'Global Food Safety and Sustainability' which aims to support the provision of more safe food, make use of precious water and nutrient resources, and for communities to increasingly value sustainable food production.

At it's meeting on Saturday 2 June the REHIS Council decided that the best way forward this year is to contact members and colleagues in our community training network to ask them if they are involved in any projects which could fulfil the remit of the IFEH and which could become the REHIS entry this year. 

Further information concerning the theme of 2018 is featured on the IFEH website. Information about planned national/regional initiatives, including short videos if available, will be displayed on a specific page on the IFEH website.  Participation in World Environmental Health Day. Participation in previous years has raised the profile of the participant's organisation and employer. 

Any members interested in taking part are asked to confirm their interest with Tom Bell, Chief Executive by 30 June 2018.