Environmental Protection UK
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Environmental Protection UK is a UK environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO) working to improve the quality of the local environment - specialising in the subjects of air quality, noise management and land quality. It was formerly known as the National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection (NSCA), changing its name 2007, to reflect ongoing work in fields beyond air quality.
History and early work
The organisation traces its roots back to the foundation of the Coal Smoke Abatement Society (CSAS) set up in 1898, making it one of the oldest environmental NGOs. CSAS was founded by London-based artist Sir William Blake Richmond, who became frustrated by low light levels in the winter caused by coal smoke. In an 1898 letter to the Times calling for action Sir William said that, "the darkness was comparable to a total eclipse of the sun".
Over the following decades the CSAS was instrumental in the introduction of the 1926 Public Health (Smoke Abatement Act) and the
As the menace of coal smoke receded the society changed its name to the National Society for Clean Air, reflecting a broader focus on air pollution from traditional and emerging sources - including a successful campaign to outlaw stubble burning, crown immunity for incinerators, industrial pollution and transport (including lead in petrol, dirty diesels, low emission zones).
During this period membership was drawn from local authorities, industry, consultancy and academia. Following the Clean Air Acts, NSCA worked closely with specialists and government on developing the concept of Local Air Quality Management and successfully lobbying for its inclusion in the Environment Act 1995. The original Environment Bill covered the establishment of the Environment Agency, contaminated land, National Parks and waste topics.
Through the work two of the Society’s Vice-Presidents (
Recent work
Air quality
Since the Act received its
Air quality continues to be a major problem in the UK. In 1998, the Government’s
Noise
The organisation has a long-standing interest in noise issues - in 1984 publishing 'Noise and Society', prompted by a rise in concern about noise - in particular from traffic, over the preceding 20 years. The NSCA Noise Committee was formed in 1986, in particular in response to increasing concerns about the poor quality of sound insulation in flat conversions - and the committee undertook a survey and reported on the problem. This influenced the development of sound legislation regulation. This marked the beginning of increasing involvement in working in the UK and EU on developing practical and policy solutions both in neighbour noise and environmental (transport) noise.
Neighbourhood noise
NSCA first co-ordinated a 'Noise Awareness Day' in 1997 - engaging around 50 local authorities in raising awareness of neighbourhood noise problems. During the following years the initiative gained increasing support - at its height attracting funding from all the UK government administrations, engaging at least 200 local authority participants and gaining national press coverage. To support the day and annual noise survey was undertaken, to gauge levels of noise complaint and views on effective solutions. During this time it expanded to Noise Action Week Archived 20 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine - which is still going strong, running in the third week of May. It receives increasing support from housing providers, alongside local authority noise teams, mediation services and schools.
Environmental noise
Transport is a major source of environmental noise - and, like air pollution, has a huge impact on the health of those exposed - second only to air pollution according to the World Health Organisation. EPUK worked closely with European partners lobbying for the reduction of vehicle noise - in particular on ensuring tyre noise was included on the environmental tyre labels to be in introduced in November 2012 - running a Campaign for Better Tyres in the UK 2010 - 2012. EPUK was also influential in the development of the Noise Policy Statement England - Noise Policy Statement England (NPSE) published in 2010.
The organisation also worked with industry and government in trying to achieve an up-to-date methodology for the prediction of wind turbine noise.
EPUK today
Environmental Protection UK continues to have membership amongst local authorities with a substantial contribution from consultants, academics, private individuals and industry. The organisation has seven divisions in England and a division each in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Environmental Protection UK is national member of the International Union of Air Pollution Prevention and Environmental Protection Associations (IUAPPA).
In 2023, Environmental Protection UK merged into the Institution of Environmental Sciences, facilitating the creation of the Environmental Policy Implementation Community.[3]
See also
References
- PMID 14698923.
- ^ "Air Quality: Fifth Report of Session 2009–10". UK Parliament. House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee. 22 March 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
In 1998 COMEAP estimated that on average up to 24,000 people in the UK die prematurely every year as a result of short-term exposure to air pollution and thousands more are hospitalised.
- ^ "Environmental Protection UK joins the Institution of Environmental Sciences". EnvironmentAnalyst UK. Environment Analyst. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
BBC on end of EPUK as staffed organisation Noise Action Week Archived 20 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine
External links
- Environmental Protection UK
- EU Air Quality Site
- The Air Quality Management Resources Centre at the University of the West of England Archived 23 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- The pollution index of the UK Met Office
- The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution
- Noise Action Week Archived 20 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine
- Environmental Protection UK archive collection, Wellcome Library finding aid