Category: News Item

Environment secretary Michael Gove has launched draft legislation to set up an independent environmental watchdog which will “hold government and public bodies to account” after Brexit.

Under the environment bill, the independent statutory body Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) will be created to safeguard environmental standard.

This will include taking on legal powers of enforcement instead of the European Commission.

At the moment, if the UK breaks green laws – like over air pollution for instance – it gets taken to court by the EU. Under the provisions of the draft Environment Bill, the new watchdog will have a similar legal power.

The bill also sets down in the UK some of the key principles of European law – like the polluter pays principle, which establishes who is responsible if the environment is harmed.

The government says European law will remain in place in the UK until the new environment bill is passed, and any law-breaking will be dealt with by the OEP when it opens for business.

The bill will get debated after the scheduled Brexit date of 29 March.

Mr Gove said the draft clauses in the bill placed “our environmental ambition and accountability at the heart of government”.

He added: “They set out how we will create a pioneering new system of green governance, placing our 25 Year Environment Plan on a statutory footing. We will explore options for strong targets to improve our environment, and provisions on air quality, waste and water resource management, and restoring nature.

“Our ambition is to be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than that in which we found it. We will keep building on our successes by enhancing our environmental standards and delivering a green Brexit.”

Scotland’s first low-emission zone (LEZ) was introduced in Glasgow on 31 December 2018.

The first phase of the LEZ will set emission standards which must be met by 20% of buses which pass through the city centre. It means local bus services must comply with European emissions standards.

Phase Two will come into effect in December 2022 and will apply to all vehicles entering the zone. The scheme is being enforced by Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).

Glasgow’s LEZ will eventually adopt the following emission standards:

• Euro 3 for motorcycles and mopeds
• Euro 4 for petrol cars, vans, minibuses and other specialist vehicles
• Euro 6 for diesel cars, vans and minibuses and other specialist vehicles
• Euro VI for lorries, buses and coaches and other specialist heavy diesel engine vehicles

A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said the council’s approach was a “manageable, yet robust” way to reduce pollution.

‘Glasgow is committed to cleaning up the air and is leading the way by introducing Scotland’s first low-emission zone at the end of the year,

‘Glasgow’s LEZ is modelled as being capable of making significant reductions in levels of air pollution in the city centre. Focusing initially on local service buses, the strict emission standards required to enter the LEZ will apply to all vehicles by the end of 2022.

‘This pragmatic and phased approach will ensure a manageable, yet robust timetable for implementation that looks at the city’s overall needs to ensure it won’t have a detrimental impact on people’s lives, businesses and the vitality of the city centre.

‘Other cities across Europe adopted similar lead in times for their low-emission zones, so it’s seen as a reasonable amount of time to get the message out to businesses and residents so they are informed and can prepare. Glasgow’s LEZ is a progressive policy that will deliver cleaner air for the people of Glasgow.’

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson described the development as a “milestone moment” and said the government was committed to introducing low emission zones into Scotland’s four biggest cities by 2020.

He added: “Glasgow is the first city to implement a zone, working with the bus industry to respond to the particular air quality challenges within their city centre.

“This is incredibly important for the oldest and youngest in our society and those with existing cardiovascular or respiratory conditions – but is also relevant to all of us who wish to enjoy cleaner air and less polluting emissions.

“We will continue to support local authorities and the bus industry in delivering transformative steps to improve the quality of our air in places that we live, work and visit.”

The Scottish Government has pledged to introduce Low Emission Zones into Scotland’s four biggest cities; Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee between 2018 and 2020.

Sniffer dogs are being used to help find leaking water mains for the first time in Scotland and have scored a big success with two discoveries.

Scottish Water have deployed a team of specially trained dogs to help locate leaks in pipes in rural areas where the water does not always show on the surface.

Two spaniels, called Snipe and Denzel, aged two and three, have been trained by ex-military dog handlers to detect the smell of chlorine in treated water.

Scottish Water is conducting trials with Cape SPC, a pest control company based near Warrington, England, who provide the service and own the dogs.

Snipe, a cocker spaniel, and Denzel, a springer, are finishing a trial programme in parts of Dumfries and Galloway and Ayrshire surveying Scottish Water’s trunk mains and searching for leaks before the utility decides whether to use them on an ongoing basis.

During the trials in the past week, the dogs found leaks on a 24-inch steel main in the Dalmellington area and on a nine-inch main near Lochmaben.

The dogs’ sense of smell is about 40 times greater than human beings’ because they have up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses – compared with humans who have six million.

They are trained by scent association and rewarded for smelling chlorine, which rises to the surface from pipes, with ‘prizes’ of balls, toys or treats. The training starts off with tap water and then extra chlorine levels are put into the water to make it stronger and the dogs understand that the strongest odour is the one they are expected to find.

Craig Garment, a Scottish Water network analyst in leakage delivery, who has been working with Cape SPC, said: “We take our responsibility to manage water very seriously and since 2006, leakage has been reduced by over 50%.

“We use modern technology such as ground microphones, correlators, hydrophones and other devices to pinpoint the exact location of underground assets and leaks.

“However, some bursts in rural locations are more difficult to pinpoint and we are always looking for innovative ways to do the job more effectively and to continue reducing leakage.

“That’s where these sniffer dogs come in and we are hoping that Snipe and Denzel can continue to demonstrate during the trial period that their sensitive noses can detect treated mains water at very low concentrations.

“When the dogs help pinpoint the exact locations of leaks we then come back to that point, investigate, excavate and repair the bursts and if their work in certain rural locations helps us achieve that, then they could prove to be great assets to Scottish Water.”

Luke Jones, managing director of Cape SPC, who are carrying out similar work for United Utilities in the north west of England, said: “The dogs’ noses are an amazing tool that can be used in many different situations.

“Using dogs to help people like the police and border security search for drugs and explosives is well known, but there are a host of other applications that we are only just starting to explore.

“We’re really excited by this trial with Snipe and Denzel for Scottish Water and we hope that, if successful, they can be used to help locate leaks in some of the more remote parts of the rural network going forward.”

Scottish Water has 30,246 miles of water mains and its water supply system is very different to the majority of systems in England, reflecting the geography and topography of the country.

Since 2006, the utility has reduced leakage by 51 per cent due to increased investment and pressure management and currently spends almost £8 million annually tackling leakage.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published new guidelines which bring together the most recent evidence to provide practical recommendations to reduce the health burden due to unsafe and substandard housing.

The guidelines provide new evidence-based recommendations on how to reduce major health risks associated with poor housing conditions in 4 areas:
• Inadequate living space (crowding)
• Low and high indoor temperatures
• Injury hazards in the home
• Accessibility of housing for people with functional impairments.

The guidelines also identify and summarise existing WHO guidelines and recommendations related to housing, in relation to water quality, air quality, neighbourhood noise, asbestos, lead, tobacco smoke and radon.

The guidelines take a comprehensive, intersectoral perspective on the issue of housing and health and highlight co-benefits of interventions addressing several risk factors at the same time.

The guidelines aim to inform housing policies and regulations at the national, regional and local level and emphasise the importance of collaboration between the health and other sectors and joint efforts across all government levels to promote healthy housing.

The guidelines’ implementation at country-level will in particular contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals on health (SDG 3) and sustainable cities (SDG 11). WHO will support member states in adapting the guidelines to national contexts and priorities to ensure safe and healthy housing for all.

‘WHO Housing and health guidelines’ can be accessed at: https://www.who.int/sustainable-development/publications/housing-health-guidelines/en/

The Scottish Health Protection Network (SHPN) has issued new guidance, replacing the 2013 Guidance for the Public Health Management of Infection with Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli, which is designed to support the development of those arrangements and assist in response to E. coli cases by health protection teams, environmental health departments and other stakeholders. It is also part of a suite of materials that has been produced in parallel with, and it should be used alongside, the ‘Scottish STEC Enhanced Surveillance Form’.

Over a number of years, there has been a large amount of work to reduce the burden of disease from E. coli O157 through a host of interventions aimed at preventing, or minimising risk of, infection.

However, cases still occur, both sporadically and in outbreaks, and rapid response to these situations is necessary for protection of the public health. Additionally, there has been an increase in the number of non-O157 STEC, and increasing evidence of the disease burden of E. coli O157 Shiga-toxin negative organisms.

This document:

• notes the current epidemiology of E. coli in Scotland, including the increase in non-O157 STEC
• expands and further details the local diagnostic and reference laboratory testing procedures currently available
• and refreshes the advice on public health actions in light of the best available evidence

The guidance can be accessed at: https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/pubs/detail.aspx?id=180.

Fast food adverts could be banned from council-owned sites in the Capital as part of an effort to tackle obesity.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Kevin Lang has tabled a motion at a full council meeting, calling for an investigation into “the legal powers available to ban fast food advertising on sites owned by the council, including bus and tram stops”.

This follows a similar ban that will come in force from 25 February in London that will bring in a fast food advertisement ban on its public transport network, after 82 per cent of residents supported the proposals. The restrictions will apply to advertisements on all modes of transport controlled by TfL, including the underground, overground, London buses, trams and river services.

If Cllr Lang’s motion wins support, the council will draw up a timetable to hold a public consultation on such a ban as well as a “financial appraisal of any new restrictions” including replacing projected lost revenue from other advertising sources.

Cllr Lang said: “Advertising has a major influence on the decisions we all make. It is why fast food companies spend billions of pounds on their adverts every year.

“Yet as a country, we are facing an obesity crisis with national obesity levels amongst the highest in the developed world. The question is whether the council is helping or hindering that by allowing sites such as bus and tram stops to be used for fast food advertising. I believe the approach now being taken forward in other cities is worth looking at.

“The London experience certainly showed strong public support for banning fast food advertising across that city’s transport network. It would be interesting to know whether there is similar support here in Edinburgh. It is certainly not the only answer to the obesity problem but it may help.”

An Advertising Association spokesman said: “Advertising restrictions, like the one tabled, will certainly negatively impact income and revenue incomes for the city council, but are likely to have little or no effect on childhood obesity levels in the city.

“It is important to note that the advertising rules currently in force in the country are among the strictest in the world and that the advertising in question helps pay for Edinburgh’s transport network and infrastructure.

“International experience and independent research have shown an advertising ban would have minimal impact on the wider issues that drive obesity, which is caused by many complex factors and means help is needed at a community level.”

A discount store in the north of Glasgow has been refused an alcohol licence following concerns that drinking in the local area was double the Scottish average.

Home Bargains in Springburn had applied to Glasgow City Council’s licensing board to sell wines, beers and spirits.

However, the bid was rejected by Glasgow City Council’s licensing board after it was pointed out that alcohol-related harm in the area was more than double the national average.

Elaina Smith, of Glasgow city health and social care partnership, told the licensing board on: “This neighbourhood is already filled with supermarkets and stores which sell alcohol.

“To have another one would make the problem even bigger. The existing harm levels in Springburn are above the Scottish rates.

“Selling alcohol in this Home Bargains is likely to add to the problem.”

Councillor Margaret Morgan said: “I am shocked that the alcohol harm rate in Springburn is 220% above the national average.

“People can buy alcohol from Tesco and Lidl. Having another shop selling alcohol is going to make the issue even bigger.”

Members were informed by the Home Bargains representative that the shop in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, could sell alcohol and there had not been any problems.

Councillor Alex Wilson said: “I am very aware of the retail park in Clydebank – it adds value to the area.

“But I am also concerned about the alcohol-related harm levels which have been presented to us.

“I would like to know what you would do to address that and give the board some comfort?”

A representative for Home Bargains said: “I don’t agree that the supply of alcohol would lead to people drinking more or drinking more harmfully.

“What we can enforce is the Challenge 25 and work with the local authority and police if there were concerns about people’s drinking habits.

“We have staff who are trained at identifying signs of people who are intoxicated and they would not sell them alcohol.”

Mr Wilson replied: “While I agree with you on some things, I have seen severe intoxication on many occasions in Springburn shopping centre which worries me.”

Councillor Matt Kerr said: “We have to understand that there are vulnerable people in this area who are more likely to drink alcohol.”

Ms Smith added: “There are high levels of extreme poverty. They may not intentionally go to the store to purchase alcohol but if they see a bargain they will pick it up.
Following the discussion members refused the licence.

Twenty-one out of 55 bottles of vintage Scotch whiskies tested at a specialist laboratory have been found to be fake.

The research was conducted at the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC), based in East Kilbride which is home to one of the UK’s four Radiocarbon Accelerator Units. The lab used advanced radiocarbon dating techniques to forensically test and analyse a range of different whiskies. The analysis, which took more than 9 months to complete, measured residual concentrations of a radioactive isotope of carbon present in the alcohol contained in each bottle in order to establish the ages of the whiskies.

The samples had been sent for analysis by whisky broker Rare Whisky 101 (RW101) on the back of growing concern surround the proliferation of fake whisky in the secondary market.T he bottles had been selected at random from auctions, private collections and retailers.

Of particular note are three rare whisky bottles identified as fakes this included an Ardbeg 1885, which had been acquired from a private owner, Thorne’s Heritage early 20th Century blended whisky purchased from an auctioneer and a bottle of Ardbeg purported to be bottled in 1960’s bought from a retailers.

RW101 said a total of 10 single malts purporting to be from 1900 or earlier were found not to be genuine.

The company said that if tests had proven all 21 bottles to be genuine, collectively they could have been valued at about £635,000. Individual bottles could have fetched anything from £2,500 for the lowest value bottle right up to an estimated £150,000 for the oldest, most valuable bottle.

Professor Gordon Cook, head of the SUERC Radiocarbon Laboratory said: ‘We have had significant help from the major distillers who provided whisky samples of known age that allowed us to start this work.

‘However, it has been our collaboration with Rare Whisky 101 and their provision of really old and rare whiskies that has allowed us to really push this work forward to what we consider to be the Gold Standard technique for identifying the age of a whisky.

‘It is disappointing to see the large percentage of vintage whiskies that turn out to be fake. However, we have developed a very powerful technique to beat the fraudsters and I’d advise anyone thinking about selling what they consider to be an early product to have it analysed.

‘Recently, we have analysed four bottles of early whisky (including a rye whisky from the USA), purported to have been distilled between the mid-19th to the early 20th century, for members of the general public. Of these, three were genuine, so there are really old and rare whiskies in existence.’

The process through which these whiskies have been dated is based on the evolving science of identifying levels of radiocarbon (or C-14) within the liquid. Carbon-14 is that element’s only radioactive isotope and every piece of organic material. Its relatively slow rate of radioactive decay means it has a half-life of 5,370 years. In other words it takes that long for half of it to be gone. Measuring how much Carbon-14 remains in a sample gives an accurate indication of how old it is.

The energy content of a large number of main meals in major UK restaurants is “excessive” and the full service restaurant meals tend to be higher in energy content than fast food meals, research published in the BMJ has found. 

University of Liverpool researchers analysed thousands of meals from places like Nando’s and McDonald's. The researchers examined at more than 13,500 meals on the menus of 21 full service restaurants and six fast-food chains. 

The observational study accessed online nutritional information for each restaurant and extracted the number of kilocalories for each eligible meal. Although nutritional information tends not to be displayed on UK restaurant menus in store, some restaurant chains provide this information on their websites. For those who did not not provide nutritional information on their UK website the researchers requested this information

The study found that in of all the restaurants included, the mean energy content of main meals was 977kcal. A sizeable proportion (47%) were “excessive” in energy content (≥1000 kcal), and only a small minority (9%) were in line with public health recommendations for main meal energy consumption (≤600 kcal). 

On average, the energy content of main meals served by full service restaurants was 268 kcal higher than that of main meals served by fast food restaurants. Full service restaurants also tended to serve more highly calorific main meals and provide fewer main meals meeting public health recommendations for energy consumption.

Well-known restaurant chains with high calorie content included Harvester, at 1,166 calories, JD Wetherspoon, with 1119 calories, and Nandos, on 1,019 calories. The biggest offender was Hungry Horse with 1358 calories on average in a main meal. 

Among fast food chains, meals at Burger King had an average of 711 calories, followed by Wimpy, at 721 calories, and McDonald’s at 726 calories. The highest meal in a restaurant classed as “fast-food” was at KFC, with an average of 987 calories.

Even when the study compared similar meals, the energy content in restaurant meals was greater. Burger meals in restaurants contained an average of 414kcal more than burger meals in fast-food chains, while salad meals in restaurants were   slightly higher in calories on average than fast food salads.

Dr Eric Robinson, lead researcher from Liverpool's department of psychological science, said the results were "shocking" but probably underestimated the calories consumed in restaurants as the analysis did not include drinks, starts, desserts or side orders. 

He said: "Only one-in-ten of the meals we surveyed could be considered a healthy number of calories.

He said: "It's really clear what the food industry need to do – they need to act more responsibly and reduce the number of calories that they're serving."

Britain’s restaurant habits are fuelling its obesity crisis he said, with four in ten adults eat out at least once a week.

Dr Robinson said the poor nutritional content of 'fast food' is well known but full service restaurants where dining tables are provided have received less attention.

Dr Robinson said portion size, the ingredients used and cooking methods could explain the difference, but he said the food industry had to make changes.

"It's really clear what the food industry need to do. They need to act more responsibly and reduce the number of calories that they're serving."

Researchers said many public health experts had focussed concern on fast foods, but not paid enough attention to the stodgy and fatty fare sold in high street restaurants.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of trade association UKHospitality, said restaurants, pubs and other hospitality businesses were already taking action to reduce calories and offer healthier dishes – but there were costs to consider too.

"Proposals to shrink the size of dishes or cap calories would be yet another burden for hard-pressed operators to absorb, resulting in prices going up and investment in businesses going down; inevitably negatively impacting the overall customer experience."

The researchers said it was possible the fast-food sector was now offering more lower-energy meals and healthier options, after pressure from campaigners to do so.

Food Standards Scotland is currently consulting on a proposal to improve the out of home food environment in Scotland which closed on 22 February 2019. 

“(Over)eating out at major UK restaurant chains: observational study of energy content of main meals” published by the BMJ can be found here.

Food delivery platform, Just Eat has announced plans to display the official Food Hygiene Rating of each of its UK restaurant partners directly on its platform both in-app and online.

Following consultations with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), Just Eat will launch its trial of the initiative in Northern Ireland in early 2019 with over 600 restaurants. Following a full evaluation of the trial, a national roll-out will be implemented later in the year.

Whilst Just Eat already provides a link to the FSA’s website on each restaurant’s menu page so that customers can access food hygiene ratings, the change will make ratings instantly clear in-app and online.

Graham Corfield, UK managing director at Just Eat, said: “We are always looking to do more for both our partners and customers and displaying hygiene ratings will provide better access to this important information than ever before.”

The BBC Watchdog Live has found that leading restaurant and coffee shop chains are giving out incorrect allergy advice.

Acting as customers with food allergies, Watchdog Live's journalists covertly filmed staff at Frankie & Benny's, Pizza Hut, Nandos, Pizza Express, Starbucks and Costa. The journalists asked staff if specific dishes contained one of the 14 major allergens, including nuts, mustard and celery – which is often used as flavouring in stocks and sauces.

None of the outlets visited had allergens listed on menus or labels, so customers must rely on staff being able to give accurate information.

Five out of the 30 outlets visited gave the reporters incorrect information.

By law, cafes, restaurants and takeaways should be able to give customers clear information about which dishes contain allergens. 

Out of the six chains, only Pizza Express gave accurate advice in each of the five branches visited.

Starbucks, Costa, Frankie & Benny's and Nando's said that the incidents Watchdog's undercover team experienced fell short of their usual standards. They told the programme they've addressed the issues with staff at both a regional and national level. 

Pizza Hut told the BBC that while the information provided to Watchdog's undercover journalist was ultimately correct, it is now taking steps to make allergy information clearer.  The pizza chain is introducing QR codes on menu cards this week, and will be making the font size of text in its nutritional guide bigger in the new year. 

At a Costa Coffee branch, the reporter asked for a mince pie they knew contained milk, however even after thoroughly consulting the allergy book they were told by staff that it contained soya milk. 

In one Frankie & Benny's restaurant the undercover journalist told staff she had a celery allergy and enquired about eggs royale, which contains celery, according to the company's website. The server did not at any point consult a product information guide or check with the kitchen, but assured the journalist that the dish didn't contain any celery. 

In a branch of Pizza Hut, a reporter asked if the mac n' cheese contained mustard, which is listed as an ingredient on the company's website. A member of staff showed the reporter a book containing allergy advice, but neither the reporter or the staff member could understand the information in the book.

When the reporter asked if the pepperoni pizza contained mustard, he was told that the member of staff couldn't give him any more information than that listed in the allergy book, which was unclear.

At a Nando's restaurant, the reporter asked if a burger contained mustard. The server guessed that it didn't, but on checking the allergen book, discovered that the burger did in fact contain the ingredient.

While in one branch of Starbucks the advice was ambiguous, with a staff member initially telling the reporter the item he'd chosen – a lemon loaf cake with almonds in the ingredients – did not contain nuts, but ultimately advising there was still a risk of nut contamination.

At one Frankie and Benny's restaurant, a reporter was asked to agree to terms and conditions that state Frankie and Benny's can never guarantee that a dish is completely free of any allergen – except for gluten. The server told the reporter the form "saves our back".

Frankie & Benny's owner The Restaurant Group told Watchdog Live that the allergy advice presented to customers to read and tick is not a disclaimer. The firm added that it does not ask its customers to waive their rights.

The findings come three weeks after Watchdog Live found supermarket bakery counters giving incorrect allergy information, prompting Sainsbury's and Asda to pledge to introduce allergy labels on all in-store bakery products.