Court of Appeal upholds High Court decision limiting private law actions in pollution disputes – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has confirmed a judgment of the High Court that affected parties do not have a right to bring private law actions against water companies over unauthorised discharges of sewage.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 28th June 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Government retracts ‘unlawful’ pollution guidance for England’s farms – The Guardian

‘Guidance that would have allowed farmers to spread manures and slurry on land in a way that would overload it with nutrients and risk pollution of rivers, lakes and coastal waters has been changed by Defra, after a challenge over its lawfulness.’

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The Guardian , 20th June 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Broads: Couple launch legal challenge over water extraction monitoring plans – BBC News

‘A couple who have spent years battling water abstraction in a national park are taking their fight to the High Court.’

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BBC News, 9th May 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Wetlands protection law delays building of new homes in England – The Guardian

‘A legal requirement that new houses do not pollute nearby wetlands, rivers and nature reserves has halted development across a swath of England.’

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The Guardian, 2nd May 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Breaches of English farm pollution laws rise as rules remain largely unenforced – The Guardian

Posted April 22nd, 2022 in agriculture, environmental health, news, pollution, statistics, water by sally

‘The number of documented violations of legislation designed to reduce water pollution caused by agriculture in England has hit record levels as the rules remain largely unenforced.’

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The Guardian, 21st April 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Environment Agency downgrading 93% of prosecutions for serious pollution – The Guardian

‘England’s Environment Agency has downgraded 93% of prosecutions for serious pollution over four years, despite recommendations from frontline staff for the perpetrators to face the highest sanction, a leaked report seen by the Guardian reveals.’

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The Guardian, 2nd March 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Bakery handed £26k fine after dishwasher pollutes stream – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 21st, 2022 in environmental protection, fines, local government, news, pollution, Wales, waste, water by sally

‘A Natural Resources Wales (NRW) prosecution has seen a bakery fined for polluting a stream with its dishwasher.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th January 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Burials, groundwater activities and related surface water discharge activities – Law & Religion UK

‘On 29 September, Defra announced a consultation on proposed amendments to the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 as they apply to groundwater activities and some related surface water discharges.’

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Law & Religion UK, 24th November 2021

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

UK legal group warns of information blackout on sewage discharges – The Guardian

Posted November 23rd, 2021 in disclosure, environmental health, news, waste, water, water companies by sally

‘A legal action group is warning there may be an information blackout on sewage discharges by water companies for years, after the Environment Agency announced an inquiry into more than 2,000 sites.’

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The Guardian, 22nd November 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Laws of nature: could UK rivers be given the same rights as people? – The Guardian

Posted July 19th, 2021 in environmental health, environmental protection, human rights, news, water by michael

‘In 2018, Frome Town Council tried to pass a bylaw giving part of the river [Frome] and the adjacent Rodden meadow the status of a person in law. This would establish their right to exist, flourish and thrive, and for the river to flow freely and have a natural water cycle, as well as ensuring timely and effective restoration if they were damaged.’

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The Guardian, 17th July 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Southern Water fined record £90m for dumping raw sewage – BBC News

Posted July 13th, 2021 in fines, news, pollution, waste, water, water companies by tracey

‘Southern Water has been fined a record £90m for deliberately dumping billions of litres of raw sewage into the sea. The company admitted 6,971 illegal spills from 17 sites in Hampshire, Kent and West Sussex between 2010 and 2015.’

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BBC news, 10th July 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Southern Water denies deliberately dumping sewage in coastal waters – BBC News

Posted July 9th, 2021 in news, pollution, waste, water, water companies by tracey

‘Southern Water has denied deliberately dumping raw sewage into seas and rivers on thousands of occasions to avoid investing in its treatment works.’

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BBC News, 8th July 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Skewen: Coal Authority ‘not liable’ for mine flood damage – BBC News

Posted February 25th, 2021 in compensation, news, Wales, water by sally

‘People flooded out of their homes after a mine blow-out say it is “disgusting” the Coal Authority is refusing to accept liability for the damage caused.’

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BBC News, 25th February 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Case Note: Município de Mariana & Ors v BHP Group plc, BHP Billiton plc and BHP Group Ltd – Blackstone Chambers

‘This note considers the judgment of Turner J in the Technology and Construction Court of 10 November 2020 in the case of Município de Mariana & Ors v BHP Group plc, BHP Billiton plc and BHP Group Ltd. In that judgment, Turner J struck out a claim by a very large group of claimants for compensation for damage caused by the 2015 collapse of the Fundão Dam in South Eastern Brazil, in which over 40 million cubic metres of tailings washed into the Doce River with massive human, environmental, and economic cost. This note presents the factual background of the case and sets out the most relevant features of the judgment for the practice of mass tort litigation in the multinational context.’

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Blackstone Chambers, 15th February 2021

Source: www.blackstonechambers.com

High Court strikes out group action as an abuse of process: Municipo de Mariana v BHP Group PLC [2020] EWHC 2930 (TCC) – Henderson Chambers

‘The High Court has struck out claims brought by more than 200,000 Brazilian claimants in the English courts against British and Australian holding companies in relation to the collapse of the Fundao Dam in Brazil in 2015. In Municipo de Mariana v BHP Group PLC ([2020] EWHC 2930 (TCC)) Turner J found the claims to be an abuse of process and also considered that, in the alternative, the proceedings should be stayed under the Recast Brussels Regulation and on the basis of forum non conveniens. While Turner J emphasised that the factual background of this case was central to his conclusions, his judgment contains a detailed analysis of the relevant caselaw and his consideration of the facts surrounding the claim will no doubt be of interest to parties involved in similar cross-jurisdictional and group actions. Charles Gibson QC led the Counsel team for the Defendants.’

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Henderson Chambers, 19th November 2020

Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk

Court of Appeal upholds ruling that council overcharged tenants for water – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 27th, 2020 in agreements, appeals, interpretation, landlord & tenant, local government, news, water by sally

‘The Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames has lost its appeal to the Court of Appeal over a High Court ruling that it overcharged tenants for water.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 27th October 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Competition watchdog sides with water firms in row over plan to cut household bills – The Guardian

Posted September 30th, 2020 in competition, consumer protection, news, ombudsmen, water, water companies by sally

‘Britain’s competition watchdog has sided with water suppliers in a row over the regulator’s plan to reduce industry revenues in order to cut an average of £50 a year from water bills.’

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The Guardian, 29th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Coalition calls for new laws to end sewage discharges into UK waters – The Guardian

Posted September 30th, 2020 in bills, environmental protection, news, pollution, statistics, waste, water, water companies by sally

‘A coalition of river and sea organisations is calling for targets for water companies to reduce sewage discharges to be included in the upcoming environment bill.’

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The Guardian, 28th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Environmental Law News Update – Six Pump Court

Posted June 4th, 2020 in coronavirus, environmental protection, news, waste, water by sally

‘In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Charles Morgan, Christopher Badger and Mark Davies consider a Court of Appeal case on the meaning of exempt waste operations, a new report on financing energy efficient buildings and the impact of COVID-19 on the aqueous environment.’

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Six Pump Court, 26th May 2020

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk

Environmental Law News Update – Six Pump Court

Posted February 26th, 2020 in chambers articles, environmental protection, housing, news, nuisance, privacy, waste, water by sally

‘In this latest Environmental Law News Update, Charles Morgan, Gordon Wignall and Natasha Hausdorff consider recent flooding events in the UK, the Tate Gallery viewing platform case and the rise in fly-tipping and organised crime.’

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Six Pump Court, 19th February 2020

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk