REHIS News

Additional measures aimed at stemming the spread of the Omicron variant whilst the vaccination booster programme took effect are to be lifted.

From 05:00 Monday 24 January, restrictions including one metre physical distancing in hospitality and leisure settings and table service in hospitality venues will not be required and attendance limits at indoor events will be removed. Non-professional indoor contact sports will also resume.

Legislation to end the harmful practice of setting ‘glue traps’ is to be brought forward by the Scottish Government in order to protect animal welfare.

All short-term let properties will require a licence to ensure they are safe and the people providing them are suitable, under legislation approved by the Scottish Parliament.

Local authorities will be required to establish a short-term lets licensing scheme by 1 October 2022, and existing hosts and operators will have until 1 April 2023 to apply for a licence.

Environment Analyst's Brownfield Intelligence Network conference Brownfield Land Scotland is returning on 29 March 2022 to the Grosvenor Hotel, Glasgow. 

The initial agenda is now available and offers updated, actionable solutions to key challenges affecting the investigation and development of brownfield and contaminated land in Scotland, with an emphasis on regional case studies.

No Smoking Day 2022 will be held on Wednesday, 9 March

Ash Scotland will be inspiring people to think about quitting and to access support from Quit Your Way Scotland.

This year’s theme is Quit Your Way and is focused on motivating people to quit smoking in the way that works best for them. Ash Scotland will be encouraging people to make the most of the free expert advice and the multitude of options available to support them.

Employers responsibilities to workers regarding the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) are changing from 6 April 2022.

Scotland’s Environmental Health community was shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Martin Keeley who died suddenly at home on Sunday 9 January 2022.

The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on the update of the Marine Litter Strategy for Scotland. This consultation proposes new priority actions to tackle marine litter in Scotland, building on the work already conducted through the original strategy.The main purpose of the strategy is to develop current and future measure to prevent litter from entering the maritime and coastal environment and to support litter removal, in order to bring ecological, economic and social benefits.

Morrisons has announced plans to remove use-by dates on their own label milk packaging by 31 January, in a bid to prevent waste.

The large supermarket will instead advise customers to carry out a “sniff test” on fresh milk in order to work out if it’s has gone off or is still useable.

Changes will apply to 90% of milk sold by Morrisons and include Morrisons’ own-brand British and Scottish milks, Morrisons For Farmers milks and Morrisons organic milks in store.

Morrisons senior milk buyer Ian Goode said the changes would reduce impact on the environment.

A new dog squad has been specially trained to sniff out products of animal origin (PoAO) and prevent them from entering circulation in Scotland.

The detector dogs, accompanied by handlers and funded by the Scottish Government will be based full time at airports, ports and parcel hubs across the country. They will help stop the introduction of exotic animal diseases to Scotland, such as African swine fever and foot and mouth disease.