New environmental watchdog to get legal teeth after Brexit
- 13 January 2019
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 […]
Scotland’s first low-emission zone begins in Glasgow
- 7 January 2019
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 […]
Scottish Water trials use of sniffer dogs to find leaks
- 21 December 2018
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. […]
New WHO guidelines on housing and health
- 21 December 2018
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 […]
New guidance published for the public health management of E.coli O157
- 21 December 2018
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 […]
Fast food adverts could be banned on Edinburgh’s bus and tram stops
- 20 December 2018
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 […]
Discount store refused alcohol licence in Glasgow
- 20 December 2018
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 […]
Third of rare Scotch whiskies tested found to be fake
- 20 December 2018
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 […]
Energy content of meals in UK restaurants is “excessive”, BMJ finds
- 17 December 2018
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 […]
Merry Christmas from REHIS
- 13 December 2018
Just Eat UK to display food hygiene ratings on platform nationwide
- 13 December 2018
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 […]
Restaurant and cafe chains found giving out incorrect allergy advice
- 13 December 2018
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 […]
