New regulations: February

The latest legislation, guidance and consultation.

Legislation

Emissions trading

1 January 2021

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Order 2020 is the UK successor to the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). As the UK has left the European Union, it is no longer a participant of the EU ETS. cedr.ec/7ez

Energy efficiency

28 December 2020

England and Wales

The Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 update the requirements for assessments of air-conditioning systems. Inspections must now consider the capabilities of systems to optimise performance under typical operating conditions. cedr.ec/7f0

Packaging waste

11 January 2021

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 have been published separately for each UK country to set new recycling targets for all materials, and to take into account the fact that no recovery targets are being set. cedr.ec/7f1

Waste

18 December 2020

Northern Ireland

The Waste (Circular Economy) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 implement the EU Circular Economy Package through amendments to domestic waste legislation, and includes changes to hazardous waste, waste management licensing and packaging waste. cedr.ec/7f4

Dangerous substances

14 February 2021

Scotland

The Environmental Protection (Disposal of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and other Dangerous Substances) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2020 require that equipment containing PCBs of more than 0.005% and volumes greater than 0.05 dm3 should be identified and removed as soon as possible, and no later than 31 December 2025. cedr.ec/7f3

Guidance

Waste

1 January 2021

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Technical Guidance WM3: Waste Classification Guidance on the classification and assessment of waste has been updated to reflect changes to chemicals legislation as a result of the UK’s exit from the EU on 31 December 2020. cedr.ec/7f5

Consultation

Energy

14 December 2020

England, Scotland and Wales

A consultation seeks views on bringing forward the deadline for phasing out unabated coal-fired generation to 1 October.

2024. This proposal is part of the government’s drive to go further and faster on decarbonising the power sector, as it works towards net-zero by 2050. cedr.ec/7f6

Greenhouse gases

14 December 2020

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is consulting on greenhouse gas removal methods and views on policy mechanisms that could incentivise and facilitate their development and deployment. This builds on its Vivid Economics study from 2019. cedr.ec/7f7

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