7. Diffuse source pollution
This section describes mechanisms for agricultural and non-agricultural diffuse source pollution.
Diffuse pollution represents a myriad of smaller, scattered, episodic sources that together have a significant effect. Examples of diffuse pollution include:
- the cumulative effect of many individual activities, such as run-off from transport in urban environments or the poor management practice of soils and nutrients in the rural environment. Although individually they can be small and hard to detect, at a catchment scale they can have a significant impact on groundwater and surface water quality
- the dispersal of pollutants over a larger area, for example, the leaching of nutrients through soil and underground drainage or run-off from land during rainfall events which erodes soil causing sediment, nutrients and pesticides to pollute surface waters or groundwater
There will be continued focus on taking an integrated approach to effectively tackling diffuse pollution using a mix of advice, incentives, industry led initiatives and regulation. This will include the ongoing development of catchment partnerships and the use of new and innovative techniques such as drone surveys and remote sensing using satellite imagery to inform integrated actions.
You can find further information on the catchment based approach website.
Agricultural diffuse pollution has a large and often cumulative impact on the water environment. Mechanisms for managing agricultural diffuse pollution are as follows.
Water Resources Act 1991, Anti-Pollution Works Notices, s161A, Water Protection Zones s93:
- requires a person to carry out works and operations to prevent or deal with the consequences of any poisonous, noxious or polluting matter or any solid waste entering controlled waters
- restricts or prohibits activities to protect the water environment from entry of poisonous, noxious or polluting matter
Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016:
- allows enforcement action for various offences where surface water and/or groundwater are polluted
- requires permits for disposals/discharges that might lead to pollutants entering groundwater, including small sewage discharges in sensitive areas
- requires permits for spreading waste on agricultural land to improve or maintain the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil to grow crops
- allows notices prohibiting any activity that might lead to an input of pollutants into groundwater
- requires permits for pig and poultry farms exceeding a certain size, with conditions to protect the environment
- makes sure that agricultural waste is recovered or disposed of without putting people’s health at risk and without using processes or methods that could harm the environment
Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2015 (as amended) on farms within Nitrate Vulnerable Zones require farmers to follow an action programme that reduces the risk of nitrate entering water.
Plant Protection Products Regulations 2011 underpin EC regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
Control of Pollution (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) Regulations 2010 (‘SSAFO’) sets standards for all farms storing silage, livestock slurries and agricultural fuel oil, to minimise the risk of water pollution.
Environmental Damage (Prevention and Remediation) (England) Regulations 2015 (as amended) requires operators to carry out measures to prevent imminent or actual damage to the environment and remediate.
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) allows consent to be refused for activities that may damage Sites of Specific Scientific Interest and action against third party damage to Sites of Specific Scientific Interest.
Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 allows for enforcement action against polluters who harm or injure fish, spawning grounds or fish food.
The Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989 makes sure that recycling sludge to agricultural land is carried out in a way that protects human and animal health and the environment.
Reduction and Prevention of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution (England) Regulations 2018, known as the Farming Rules for Water (FRfW). These regulations are applicable to all land managers in England and:
- cover nutrient management and soil protection
- create a clear baseline for both land managers and the regulator from which to work
- require land management activities to be undertaken in a way to avoid pollution
Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive (2009/128/EC) is a legislative framework which:
- contributes to reducing the impact of plant protection products on human health and the environment
- aims to achieve a more sustainable use of plant protection products
- promotes a significant overall reduction in risks and hazards of using plant protection products consistent with necessary crop protection
7.1.1 Nitrates
Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2015 (as amended) are designed to reduce water pollution caused by nitrates from agriculture sources and prevent further such pollution occurring. They require nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZs) to be designated as areas of land which drain to waters that contain or are likely to contain 50 mg/l or more of nitrate, or waters which are, or could become, eutrophic, if no action is taken.
Within these zones farmers are required to follow mandatory rules known as the ‘action programme’ to reduce the risk of nitrate pollution. The rules cover a requirement for farmers to plan their nitrate use, the storage of manure, place restrictions on the timing and rate of spreading of organic manure and manufactured fertiliser and specify certain spreading controls. A code of good agricultural practice for voluntary implementation on all farms is also required.
The effectiveness of the action programme and the designations must be reviewed, and any necessary revisions made at least every 4 years.
The Environment Agency is the enforcing authority for these regulations.
To date, discrete NVZs have been designated in England covering approximately 55% of land. You can find further information at nutrient management nitrate vulnerable zones.
7.1.2 Other plans and programmes
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has helped to deliver improvements to water quality through 2 mechanisms, cross compliance and the rural development programme. The CAP will transition over a 7 year period and move towards schemes that reward the delivery of environmental benefits.
In 2022, the Sustainable Farming Incentive was rolled out to recipients of the Basic Payment Scheme.
Cross compliance and the Basic Payment Scheme ended after the 2023 scheme year. However, most of the standards in cross compliance continue to apply to your farm activities as they remain in other English laws.
Delinked payments will replace the Basic Payment Scheme in 2024. For more information see Delinked payments: replacing the Basic Payment Scheme.
7.1.3 Environment Land Management
The government is developing three new environmental land management schemes as the main way that public money will be provided to land managers for delivering public goods. ‘Public goods’ may include outcomes like habitat protection and creation, species recovery, natural flood management, water quality, carbon capture, air quality, and animal health and welfare.
The new environmental land management schemes are part of a wider Future Farming and Countryside Programme within Defra which is looking across all elements of regulation, incentives and advice and guidance. It is promised as a key mechanism for achieving the outcomes of the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan in relation to: Clean and plentiful water; Clean air; Thriving plants and wildlife; Reduction in and protection from environmental hazards; Adaptation to and mitigation of climate change and Beauty, heritage and engagement with the environment.
There will be three schemes (Sustainable Farming Incentive; Local Nature Recovery; Landscape Recovery) aimed at paying for sustainable farming practices, creating and restoring habitats to support nature’s recovery and making landscape-scale change such as establishing new woodland and other ecosystem services.
Environmental land management schemes are being introduced through piloting and testing from 2021 to 2024. There will be early roll out of some core elements of all components, particularly the Sustainable Farming Incentive from 2022; with full roll-out across the three schemes available from 2024.
7.1.4 Cross compliance
The Basic Payment Scheme and cross compliance ended after the 2023 scheme year. They will be replaced by delinked payments in 2024. For more information see Delinked payments: replacing the Basic Payment Scheme.
7.1.5 Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE)
RDPE currently funds Countryside Stewardship and Countryside Productivity payments. From 2021 onwards this will be replaced by government funding, which has been guaranteed for projects already in place or approved by 31 December 2024 until they close. The ‘agricultural transition (2021 to 2027)’ will see new mechanisms including the environmental land management schemes, to deliver river basin management plan measures. By 2024, it is expected that 30% to 40% of rural England could be under Countryside Stewardship agreements. Countryside Stewardship financially supports the implementation of measures over and above legal requirements and good practice. It addresses soil management and the reduction of the effect of nutrients, sediment and faecal bacteria pollution. This will reduce the impact of eutrophication and benefit bathing waters, shellfish waters and drinking waters.
The main measures delivered by Countryside Stewardship are categorised by the following groups:
- enhanced field management, including seasonal livestock exclusion, winter cover crops, buffer and riparian management strips next to watercourses and reduced nutrient applications from fertilisers
- land use change, wetland creation or converting arable land to grassland which requires lower nutrient input
- water and woodland improvement grants, including sediment traps, fencing of watercourses woodland management infrastructure grants
- re-naturalising rivers and coastal defences, including making space for water and coastal realignment
The uptake of measures is voluntary and the scheme is competitive; applications are scored for the benefits that they can deliver for water and wildlife. Advice is a critical part of delivering Countryside Stewardship and the Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) programme, both increase the rate of uptake and quality of applications. Countryside Stewardship reduces agricultural pollution through a mix of land management options and capital grants. Initial modelling indicates higher tier agreements have achieved 12% to 18% and mid-tier 5% to 9% farm-scale pollutant reductions (averaged across nitrate, phosphorus and sediment). Greatest nitrate reductions were from grassland management options associated with reduced fertiliser use or stocking rates (or both), whilst greatest phosphorus and sediment decreases were the result of using buffer strips and increasing over-winter crop cover (The Environmental Effectiveness of the Countryside Stewardship scheme; Establishing a baseline agreement monitoring sample. REF: ECM47452/22965 (ITT 1630). Report by Fera-led consortium, August 2019).
7.1.6 Nature for Climate Fund (NCF)
The Government’s Nature for Climate Fund (NCF) is providing more than £750m over the course of this Parliament and will support a trebling of woodland creation rates and help to restore 35,000ha of peatland over the next 5 years. This will be achieved through a combination of new and existing grant schemes, supporting delivery partners and creating new partnerships and capacity building projects. The NCF is running between 2020/21 and 2024/25 when support for woodlands and peatlands will transition into Environment Land Management.
Funding for woodland creation is available through the England Woodland Creation offer and the Forestry Commission give specific advice on applications to this funding. The scheme encourages new woodland agreements that will benefit wider quality and enhance biodiversity. In so doing there is evidence to support the reduction of sediment and nutrients through run off and reduction in localised flood risk.
Woodland larger than 10 hectares can receive funding for its design through the Woodland Creation Planning Grant (WCPG). This grant provides funding to prepare a Woodland Creation Design Plan that complies with the United Kingdom Forestry Standard which can subsequently be used to support further woodland grant applications.
Find further information on Forestry Commission grants for woodland creation.
The NCF also supports partner organisations to offer funding, grants and advice. They all work to get more trees in the ground across England through initiatives including:
- England’s Community Forests
- Northern Forest
- National Forest Company
- Northumberland Forest
- Forest for Cornwall
- Woodlands for Water Partnership
Land in any of the areas covered by these partners, can also seek their support with tree planting.
7.1.7 Catchment Sensitive Farming
Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) is led by Natural England in partnership with Defra and the Environment Agency. It works with farmers, communities and organisations in catchments across England to improve the quality of air, water and natural flood management, through the Agricultural Transition. The partnership supports farmers with local expert advice, training and grant support. It enables farmers to take voluntary action to improve the environmental impact and business sustainability of their farm. Since 2006, CSF has worked with around 20,000 farms and helped farmers take more than 70,000 positive actions to reduce pollution.
CSF is expanding and being rolled out to the whole of England from 2022, previously it covered 34% of the farmed area in England.
Modelling indicates that the measures implemented because of advice provided have reduced average agricultural losses of key pollutants by 4% to 12% in target areas since 2006. Around 60% of the measures which CSF has advised farmers to carry out are subsequently implemented by farmers (Environment Agency (2019) Catchment Sensitive Farming Evaluation Report – Water Quality, Phases 1 to 4 (2006 to 2018). Natural England publication, June 2019).
7.1.8 Drinking water safeguard zones
Safeguard zones are non-statutory areas identifying parts of the catchment where land use activities pose risks to the quality of raw water abstracted for drinking water supplies. Within the zones, measures are targeted to help meet drinking water protected area objectives. The Environment Agency develops safeguard zone action plans with water companies and local groups to identify and deliver measures to meet drinking water protected areas objectives.
7.1.9 Using the leverage of market and industry led mechanisms
Taking a systems approach across the agri-food supply chain from field to fork, the Environment Agency extends its regulatory reach. With evidence at the core, partnerships are built with the industry to encourage greater ownership of its impacts on the natural resources, particularly soil and water, the resources on which it depends. Businesses and organisations in the agri-food supply chain can do much to encourage compliance, reduce environmental impacts and make itself resilient to climate change and other challenges.
The Environment Agency works with farm assurance schemes to influence and provide evidence-based advice on environmental standards and reward those schemes which demonstrate low risk through good environmental performance through implementing earned recognition.
7.1.10 Additional actions
Government keeps regulatory measures under review. Defra has been working with interested parties to identify some basic actions farmers could take which reduce diffuse pollution from agriculture. Defra recognises the need for a coherent, simplified regulatory baseline.
Water protection zones can be designated by the Secretary of State under the Water Resources Act 1991 to establish additional statutory provisions to prevent water pollution where evidence shows that existing statutory or voluntary measures have been or are unlikely to be sufficient to meet environmental objectives. Before a water protection zone is designated, the Environment Agency is required to make an appropriate case to the Secretary of State. The Environment Agency is also required to carry out a public consultation, which will include assessments of the costs and benefits of any proposed measures to be used within a zone. The size and nature of the zones depends on the location and the nature of the problem.
Diffuse water pollution plans are tools to help reduce diffuse pollution at protected sites. They are non-statutory and are produced jointly by Natural England and Environment Agency. They are used to plan and agree strategic action at the catchment-scale. They are the most frequently identified mechanism for improving the water quality of Protected Areas (Habitat Sites).
Progress towards reducing the impacts of diffuse pollution can be achieved by:
- better targeting of existing regulatory compliance
- additional mandatory rules for all farmers that will reduce phosphate in surface waters
- considering the need and additional use of regulation such as water protection zones
- promoting incentives (for example, Countryside Stewardship, the new environmental land management schemes and government sponsored catchment advice) in priority catchments
- using additional compliance mechanisms (for example, cross-compliance and farm assurance)
- engagement by industry led initiatives and partnerships to encourage reinforcement and uptake of ‘key actions for farmers’. A set of integrated actions farm businesses can consider reducing environmental impact
You can find further information from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) website.
Partnership approaches have been successfully adopted by many catchment based schemes, including catchment based approach partnerships and water company initiatives. Other industry-led campaigns such as the Campaign for the Farmed Environment, Water Environment Transformations Programme (WET) and Voluntary Initiative approaches also give targeted advice for specific failures, such as those relating to pesticides in drinking water.
Initiatives and key messages for farmers to build on government initiatives include the following.
The Campaign for the Farmed Environment encourages farmers and land managers across England to protect and enhance the environmental value of farmland, through voluntary measures that sit alongside productive agriculture. It:
- encourages voluntary retention of environmental stewardship options
- targets measures to protect soil and water and benefit wildlife
- promotes ‘tried and tested’ nutrient management plans to help farmers and growers plan their fertiliser and manure use, meet increasing regulatory demands and protect the environment
The Water Environment Transformations Programme (WET) will aim to increase water company investment in catchment-wide nature-based solutions to improve water quality, habitats, biodiversity, and help to address climate change and net zero. The private sector must be encouraged and supported to invest in protecting and enhancing our natural environment. There is an opportunity for greater collaboration with water companies, eNGOs and others to establish innovative funding models and regulatory approaches to increase investment into water, nature and climate resilience. We will embed new regulatory approaches so that nature-based solutions become business as usual for water companies. The programme will use innovative solutions, such as setting up water trading schemes, similar to carbon trading, in a variety of pilot schemes. The Environment Agency is in the early stages of developing this programme, currently establishing a team and focused on recruitment and planning. We are working closely with the Defra water quality team to ensure that WET aligns with the Holistic Plan for water.
The Voluntary Initiative is aimed at minimising the environmental impacts from agricultural and horticultural use of pesticides, including:
- annual sprayer testing and spray operator training
- implementation of integrated pest management plan
- best practice advice on individual pesticides
Development and promotion of ‘Key actions for farmers: resources and waste’, to supplement ‘Key actions for farmers: water:
- set clear messages and actions that farmers can take to manage their environmental impact through better management of resources and waste
- are a collation of messages that are existing regulatory requirements and good practice
- allow partnerships to use these base documents to develop summary leaflets and training for informing and driving improvements to the environment
Farm assurance schemes include measures for environmental protection, including:
- Red Tractor assurance which is used by a large proportion of farmers, has some basic standards on environmental protection
- working with assurance schemes on pollution prevention and waste management guidance
- working with ‘RSPCA Assured’ on plastics guidance
- working with Red Tractor assurance and the National Farmers Union (NFU) to promote better farm waste practices, in particular relation to farm plastics such as silage wrap and crop cover, pig enrichment toys and in food packaging
The Defra Code of Good Agricultural Practice, which provides practical guidance to help farmers and growers avoid causing pollution.
Biowaste permits are being reviewed, with the aim of restricting plastic contamination in green and food waste feed stocks to reduce plastic contaminated materials being spread to agricultural land. Along with:
- reviewing the effectiveness of the Quality Protocols for compost and digestate materials and intend to include more protective plastic contamination controls as part of this process
- working with various partners, including industry representatives, their trade associations and certification bodies, the NFU, WRAP (a charity that promote and encourage sustainable resource use) and the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management on a series of business-led initiatives designed to improve the quality of compost and digestate material and reduce plastic contamination
Secured Interreg funding to run a project ‘Preventing Plastic Pollution’ in the South West which included:
- working with Defra, to baseline current farm practices in relation to plastic waste management
- exploring the use of behavioural science to influence farm practices
- measuring the effectiveness
All the following contribute to diffuse pollution from non-agricultural sources:
- run off from transport
- on-street activities such as car washing
- industrial estates
- forestry and leisure industries
- misconnections of foul water into the surface water sewer network
- discharges from contaminated land and disused mines
Formal mechanisms for managing diffuse pollution from non-agricultural sources are set out in this section. Spatial planning procedures and policies, supported by the planning consultation process are also valuable mechanisms for reducing diffuse pollution.
Groundwater Protection position statements provide guidance on activities in advisory source protection zones around groundwater abstractions and encourages good practice to protect groundwater.
Mechanisms for managing non-agricultural diffuse pollution are as follows.
Water Resources Act 1991, Anti-Pollution Works Notices s161A, Abandonment of Mines s91A and B as amended and the Mines (Notice and Abandonment) Regulations 1998, Water Protection Zones s93:
- notices can be served on polluters or prospective polluters to prevent or remediate water pollution
- requires mine owners to notify the Environment Agency if they plan to abandon a mine and to produce a closure plan
- restricts or prohibits activities in order to protect the water environment from poisonous, noxious or polluting matter
Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. Causing or knowingly permitting entry of pollution to inland freshwaters and coastal waters:
- allows prosecution for various offences where surface water or groundwater is polluted
- require permit for disposals/discharges that might lead to inputs of pollutants to groundwater
- allows notices to prohibit any activity that might lead to an input of a pollutant to groundwater
Water Industry Act 1991, s101A encourages first time sewerage as a solution where there may be pollution from multiple septic tanks or cesspools, providing certain conditions are met.
Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001 set minimum design standards for new and existing above ground commercial oil storage facilities.
Authorisation and approval mechanisms for the marketing and use of plant protection products, biocides and veterinary medicines:
- these are enforced through equivalent regulations covering plant protection products, veterinary medicines and biocides
- require human health and environmental risk assessment of products and requirement for ‘authorisation’ or ‘approval’ by the competent authorities before the products can be marketed or used
Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016:
- allows conditions in permits that can include pollution prevention and other measures to prevent diffuse pollution, including air emissions that can lead to acidification
- requirements for secure storage, safe transport and controlled disposal reduce the potential for waste materials of all kinds to enter the water environment
Coal Industry Act 1994 as amended by Water Act 2003 and the Energy Act 2011, and supported by Ministerial Statements and Memorandums of Understanding with the Environment Agency and with Defra provide powers to the Coal Authority to:
- clean up and prevent water pollution from abandoned coal mines through a prioritised programme
- clean up and prevent water pollution from abandoned mines other than coal subject to available funding
Trade effluent controls under Water Industry Act 1991 regulates discharges and drainage arrangements from certain industrial and trade sites.
The Detergents (Amendment) Regulations 2013 limit the amount of phosphate in domestic laundry detergent and will potentially limit the use of phosphate in dishwasher detergent too.
Environmental Protection Act 1990, Part 2A (remediation of contaminated land) and the Contaminated Land (England) Regulations 2006 as amended provide for notices to require remediation of historically contaminated land to improve the quality of groundwater and surface water.
The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 set rules for the operation of septic tanks and sewage treatment plants, and the conditions that are required to be met (general binding rules) to operate systems without an environmental permit.
Local authority controls for managing non-agricultural diffuse pollution are as follows.
Public Health Acts 1936 and 1961 and the Building Act 1984 gives local authorities powers relation to wrong sewer connections.
Building Regulations 2010 – Part H deals with sewers and encourages the sustainable urban drainage systems approach to surface water drainage (deals with non-mains sewerage systems such as septic tanks).
Building Regulations 2010 – Part J deals with oil storage and complements the scope of the Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001.
Flood and Water Management Act 2010, Schedule 3 deals with sustainable drainage.
Town and Country Planning Act 1990, Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended); Planning Act 2008 (as amended); Planning policy provided in National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), 2021 and guidance in supporting Planning Practice Guidance (PPG), 2019; National Policy Statements (NPSs):
- in England, the NPPF expects that all major developments, and development in areas at risk of flooding, should incorporate sustainable drainage systems unless there is clear evidence that this would be inappropriate
- conditions can be attached to development permission to require the use of sustainable drainage systems where appropriate and to ensure ongoing maintenance
- the NPPF also requires land contamination to be considered in spatial planning
Town and Country Planning Act 1990, s215 gives local authorities powers to serve a notice on the owner or occupier of amenity land, or adjacent land, in their area to improve the condition of the land.
7.2.1 Sewage sludge
The Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989 (SUiAR) aim to protect people, animals, plants and the environment against the possible harmful effects from the uncontrolled spreading of sewage sludge on agricultural land.
They encourage sewage sludge to be used correctly and prohibit it from being applied to soils unless the concentration of heavy metals in the soil is below certain limits. Monitoring must be carried out to make sure that the soil does not exceed these limits after sludge has been spread. Sludge must be treated before it is used, for example, to reduce pathogen levels, unless it is injected or worked into the soil. Animals cannot graze on land that has been spread with sludge, and crops cannot be harvested from the land, for three weeks after the sludge has been spread. Work is currently underway to move sludge from SUiAR and into the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR) framework.
Preventing soils becoming contaminated in this way also protects surface water and groundwater from polluted run-off.
All water companies follow the Safe Sludge Matrix, an agreement made in December 1998 between Water United Kingdom and the British Retail Consortium, which bans the use of untreated sludge on agricultural land. There is also a non-statutory code of practice.
Water and sewerage companies are responsible for managing recycling and disposal routes of sewage sludge produced by their sewage treatment works. They must comply with the requirements of the Sewage Sludge Regulations, Environmental Permitting Regulations and the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations.
The Environment Agency is the enforcement authority for the relevant legislation.
You can find further information at managing sewage sludge slurry and silage.
The Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat) is responsible for ensuring water companies are adequately funded to carry out their functions, including sewage sludge disposal.
Other approaches, such as voluntary mechanisms, include the following.
National Highways manage the strategic road network, they:
- allocated a £411m Environment and Wellbeing designated fund to invest in the strategic road network until 2025, a proportion of this will address water quality issues
- developed a Drainage Database Management System for the strategic road network to identify and help manage pollution risks
- invested in a new fleet of salt gritters which optimise salt spreading rates and limit the risks to the water environment
- carrying out research into alternative de-icing agents
General public awareness raising, such as the Oil Care and ConnectRight campaigns, and environmental information for small businesses on GOV.UK.
Influencing developers to construct sustainable drainage systems in new developments and retrofit in existing developments where practicable. This has now been backed up by amendments to the National Policy Planning Framework.
Education and training, including environmental issues in Construction Industry Training Board sponsored National Vocational Qualifications.
Joint regulator and operator agreements and memoranda of understanding, such as:
- agreements on the use of herbicides with Network Rail and water companies
- the Environment Agency and Fire Service emergency response agreements
- the Environment Agency and Coal Authority Memorandum of Understanding
Voluntary codes of practice, such as:
- the Timber Treatment Code of Practice
- Forest and Water guidelines
- Metal Finishers code
- the photo-imaging code
- the British Marine Federation and Royal Yachting Association Environmental Code of Practice
- the Charter for Sustainable Cleaning (December 2004) which is driven by the detergents industry and includes key performance indicators in order to monitor progress
United Kingdom Water Industry Research (UKWIR) common framework for capital maintenance planning, and sustainable drainage systems code of practice – an interim code of practice on sustainable drainage systems (published by Construction Industry Research and Information Association).
Industry initiatives such as the Amenity Forum, which is concerned with promoting best practice in using pesticides in the amenity sector, and measures identified within the United Kingdom Strategy for the Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products to deal with amenity and home and garden use of pesticides.
The Water and Abandoned Metal Mines Programme, implements a programme of measures to improve the status of water bodies due to the impact of abandoned metal mines (funded primarily by Defra). The Coal Authority delivers a separate programme of measures to prevent deterioration and improve the status of water bodies due to pollution from abandoned coal mines (funded by BEIS).
Contributing to academic studies and research investigating the contribution of road run off and urban drainage as a vector for micro-plastics (road and tyre wear particles).
Developing partnership initiatives to explore and pilot screening technology or use of wetlands which trap plastics particles at outfalls and from surface water runoff.
Examples of guidance include the following:
- industry sector guides, such as Building a Cleaner Future and Construction Industry Research and Information Association’s control of water pollution from construction sites guide
- supply chain controls, for example including environmental requirements in construction contracts
- working with the food and drink industry to remove phosphates from food additives
- best practice and design manuals, such as the National Highway’s Design Manual for Roads and Bridges