Rural Affairs

The UK Precipitation Network monitors the chemical composition and concentration of pollutants in rainwater, particularly pollution contributing to acidification and eutrophication. Operating since 1986 as part of the UK Eutrophying and Acidifying Atmospheric Pollutants Network, it has 48 rural background monitoring stations across the UK. Rainwater samples are collected every two weeks, analysed in laboratories and published quarterly on UK AIR. The network measures ions including ammonium, nitrate, sulphate, phosphate, calcium, chloride, magnesium, potassium and sodium.

The guidance explains how UK producers must create and submit packaging data files under Extended Producer Responsibility rules. It provides example CSV files, an Excel file generator, required fields and coding systems for large and small producers, including packaging activities, types, classes, materials, UK countries, drink containers and recyclability ratings. It also sets out category-specific reporting rules, instructions for saving and uploading files, reporting deadlines, and contact routes for regulatory or technical support.

The guidance explains how organisations with packaging extended producer responsibility obligations must create and submit registration files through the Report packaging data service or via a compliance scheme. It details required organisation, address, contact, brand and partnership information; CSV templates and formatting rules; registration and packaging activity codes; large- and small-producer classifications; and joiner and leaver codes for organisational changes. Organisations must keep submitted information current and report changes within 28 days, while compliance schemes must submit separate files for large and small producers.

Enrique Fernandez-Pino has been appointed to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board for a three-year term beginning 1 September 2026. He brings more than 30 years of digital, data and technology leadership experience from organisations including The Go-Ahead Group, Chubb and Network Rail. The appointment followed the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The UK government’s ICT carbon emissions were estimated at 294,654 tonnes in 2024–2025, down 13% year on year, while ICT waste fell 36% to 955 tonnes. Less than 1% of waste went to landfill or incineration, and more than £2 million was generated through reselling end-of-life equipment. Most emissions came from servers, peripherals and embodied carbon in end-user devices, with Scope 3 emissions accounting for nearly 75% of the total. All five Greening Government ICT ambitions were assessed as on track except for measuring procurement of remanufactured or refurbished equipment, which was rated at risk. The report highlights improved departmental data coverage but cautions that emissions and waste figures remain estimates, with methodological and supply-chain reporting gaps still unresolved.

UK guidance explains when the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement may require environmental impact assessment for activities in areas beyond or within national jurisdiction. Planned activities with more than minor or transitory marine effects, unknown effects, or potential for substantial pollution or significant harmful changes must be screened and, where necessary, assessed, monitored and reported. Licensable activities should follow marine licensing guidance, while Antarctic activities are governed separately under the Antarctic Act 1994 and related regulations.

The BBNJ Conference of the Parties can establish area-based management tools, including marine protected areas, in areas beyond national jurisdiction. These tools may restrict or control activities within defined geographic areas. No such tools or related measures have yet been proposed or established under the agreement, and future proposals will undergo stakeholder consultation. The guidance is relevant to UK vessels and activities that may be subject to these restrictions, but not to activities conducted solely within national jurisdiction.

Licensed or permitted organisations receiving controlled waste in England or Wales must report every load through the Report receipt of waste service from 1 October 2026, generally within two working days. The rules specify required information, including waste movement details, classification and recovery or disposal codes, hazardous waste data and persistent organic pollutant information. Some household waste recycling centres and qualifying digitally excluded operators are exempt from using the service, but must follow alternative record-keeping procedures. Paper waste-transfer and consignment notes, waste returns and hazardous-waste consignee returns will continue alongside the digital system until further notice. Errors must be corrected promptly and within one month of discovery, while outage records must be transferred to the service after restoration. Non-compliance can result in notices, financial penalties, prosecution, unlimited fines and, for knowingly false records, up to two years’ imprisonment.

The UK has declared freedom from highly pathogenic avian influenza for Great Britain, and England’s avian influenza prevention zone was lifted on 4 June 2026. During the 2025–2026 outbreak season, 79 HPAI H5N1 cases and one low-pathogenic case were confirmed in England, contributing to 100 HPAI cases across the UK. Current risks to wild birds and poultry are assessed as low, while UKHSA and the Food Standards Agency say risks to the public and food safety are very low. Guidance covers reporting disease and dead birds, biosecurity, disease zones, bird gatherings, vaccination restrictions, wildlife and mammal monitoring, and applicable legislation.

The publication sets compensation rates for cattle compulsorily slaughtered in England during August 2026 because of bovine TB, brucellosis, EBL, BSE or related disease-control requirements. It provides separate values for non-pedigree and pedigree beef and dairy cattle by sex and age, with some categories subject to individual valuation. The rates are based on recent livestock sales data, using one month of data for non-pedigree cattle and six months for pedigree cattle, and may be reduced for TB reactors from herds with overdue tests.

The UK government responds positively to the Animal Sentience Committee’s assessment of restrictions on lead ammunition under UK REACH. Regulations coming into force on 1 April 2026 prohibit lead bullets at outdoor shooting ranges without effective risk controls from April 2028, and ban the sale and use of lead shot and large-calibre lead bullets for live quarry shooting from April 2029, with limited exemptions for elite athletes. The government accepts that hunting practices, weapon modification, guidance, enforcement and monitoring must adapt, while arguing that best practice can preserve lethality. It maintains that a three-year transition period is appropriate and notes the ASC’s recommendation to explore licensing as a route to restricting lead in airgun ammunition.

The Environment Agency has declared seven areas of England—including East Anglia, London, the Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, the West Midlands, and Wessex—to be in drought after exceptionally low rainfall and repeated heatwaves. July rainfall is only 7% of its long-term average, river flows and reservoir storage have fallen sharply, and seven water companies have imposed temporary use bans affecting 23 million people. The conditions are disrupting agriculture, increasing wildfire risks and harming wildlife, while authorities are restricting abstractions, rescuing fish, releasing stored water and urging companies to reduce leaks. The government says it is investing in infrastructure, including nine new reservoirs, as droughts become more frequent.

A new Lead Environmental Regulator has been appointed to streamline planning and regulatory processes for the £175 million Port of Tyne Clean Energy Park, a project expected to create up to 12,000 jobs and significantly boost the regional and national economy. The Marine Management Organisation will coordinate environmental oversight, supported by the Environment Agency and Natural England, to accelerate approvals while maintaining environmental protections. The development will expand deep-water port capacity to support North Sea offshore wind and aligns with the government’s broader plan to build a clean energy‑focused economy. Officials and regional leaders highlight the project as a major step toward strengthening the UK’s renewable energy infrastructure and job growth.

A new UK-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement introduces tariff-free access for UK lamb exports and reduces tariffs on beef, dairy and English sparkling wine, expanding opportunities in a market worth £195 million annually. The deal maintains protections for UK farmers by withholding new access on pork, poultry and eggs while improving seasonal access for fruit and vegetable producers. Additional UK Geographical Indications will be safeguarded, and a new sanitary and phytosanitary chapter aims to streamline border processes and enhance cooperation. UK officials and the National Farmers’ Union highlight the agreement as a balanced outcome that strengthens competitiveness without lowering standards.

A non-statutory inquiry will be established to examine the circumstances surrounding the 2014 death of seven‑year‑old Zane Gbangbola, including how public services responded and their treatment of his family. Dr Sandie Okoro has been appointed to chair the independent inquiry, which will begin later in the year and produce recommendations to which the government has committed to respond publicly. Statements from Zane’s family, the Prime Minister and the Environment Secretary underscore the need for clarity, accountability and lessons to prevent similar tragedies.

New regulations introduce faster and stronger financial penalties for water companies that breach environmental rules, including automatic fines and a £500,000 cap on civil penalties. The Environment Agency gains expanded authority to impose penalties using a lower standard of proof, accelerating enforcement and discouraging pollution. The measures form part of broader reforms to improve water quality, strengthen oversight, enhance customer protections, and increase transparency, supported by significant private investment in water infrastructure.

Large producers with obligations under the UK’s extended producer responsibility scheme for packaging must register with an environmental regulator and pay an annual fee, either directly or through an approved compliance scheme. For 2027, applications are generally due by 1 October 2026, with a later deadline for producers whose only activity is selling filled packaging directly to end users. Direct registration costs £2,842, while registration through a compliance scheme costs £1,803, with additional fees for online marketplaces, closed-loop packaging data and grouped subsidiaries. Registration involves creating an account on the Report Packaging Data service, gaining approval as an approved person, submitting organisational details and packaging data, and paying the applicable fee. Producers must keep their details current, report changes within 28 days, and notify regulators if their obligations end or they enter financial difficulty.

The general licence permits the use of inactivated bluetongue serotype 3 vaccines in England without an individual application, provided all licence conditions are met. Vaccine use must be reported within 48 hours, and veterinarians are advised to consult the Chief Veterinary Officer’s guidance before prescribing. Separate arrangements apply in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Organisations that supply or import packaging or packaged goods, as well as compliance schemes, may need to create an account on the Report packaging data service to meet extended producer responsibility obligations. The account allows users to register directly or through a compliance scheme, submit packaging data, update organisation details and, for large producers, review recycling obligations, manage PRNs and PERNs, and view annual waste disposal fees. The guidance also provides helpdesk contact details and links to privacy information.

Guidance for UK large producers—organisations with annual turnover above £2 million that supply more than 50 tonnes of packaging—sets out how to report packaging data under extended producer responsibility rules. It explains how to identify packaging activities, classify materials and weights, determine packaging classes and types, assess recyclability, and record nation-of-supply or nation-of-discard data. Producers must submit the information through the Report Packaging Data service, using separate reporting categories and supporting evidence where required, particularly for self-managed consumer waste and recyclability assessments.

UK businesses must assess whether they are packaging producers under extended producer responsibility rules. Obligations generally apply to UK-established businesses, subsidiaries or corporate groups that supplied or imported more than 25 tonnes of packaging in the previous year and had worldwide annual turnover of at least £1 million. Depending on packaging weight and turnover, obligated producers are classified as small or large. Large producers must register annually, report packaging data every six months, obtain recycling evidence such as PRNs or PERNs, submit compliance certificates, pay applicable household-packaging disposal fees and retain records for seven years. Small producers must register, report annually and retain records. Charities supplying or importing packaging are exempt, although profit-making subsidiaries are not.

Ports and airports must have designated border control posts to receive specified imports of animals, animal products, plants, plant products, wood and certain high-risk foods from EU and non-EU countries. Applicants must submit an expression of interest or application form describing the post’s location, customs area and expected commodities and volumes. Competent authorities assess building plans, inspect construction, verify staffing, equipment, laboratory access, storage, biosecurity and anti-contamination arrangements, and may suspend or withdraw designation if requirements are not met. Designation is handled by Defra in England, and by the Scottish or Welsh governments in the relevant nations.

The guidance explains how to use, store, transport and dispose of sheep dip while minimizing groundwater and surface-water pollution in England. It requires users to hold a Level 2 certificate of competency and obtain environmental permits for land disposal of waste dip. It sets minimum distances from watercourses, wetlands, wells, springs and boreholes; specifies suitable dip baths, drain pens, storage facilities and mobile systems; and requires careful management of runoff, contaminated equipment, containers and waste. Operators must keep records, use licensed waste carriers and report pollution incidents to the Environment Agency. Breaches can result in imprisonment and substantial fines.

Rabies in bats is rare in Great Britain but can be transmitted to humans and other mammals through bites, scratches or contact with infected saliva. Possible signs include aggression, disorientation, difficulty flying and an unusual staring expression, although laboratory testing is required for confirmation. Suspected cases must be reported immediately to the relevant animal health authorities. People should avoid handling bats, use thick gloves when contact is unavoidable, and seek urgent medical advice after exposure; vaccination is recommended for people who regularly handle bats. The guidance also explains precautions for dead bats and pets, and lists confirmed infected-bat locations across the UK.