Environmental legislation to be cut back in the UK

The UK government have unveiled plans to 'cut the red tape' on environmental legislation rules concerning air, land and noise pollution, as well as wildlife protection, the Guardian recently reported.

Rules on asbestos control, invasive species and industrial air pollution, as well as protection for wildlife and common lands and restrictions on noise nuisance and deadly animal traps are set to be cut back under the new proposals.

The new moves come as an attempt to save businesses £1 billion, which ministers say is the expected savings of cutting the red tape associated with environmental procedures and legislation. However green campaigners have said the government's search for economic growth is mistakenly targeting the environment.

The Guardian obtained a document from the government that lists 174 regulations set to be scrapped, merged, liberalised or simplified. These moves come as the government recently received a vote of no-confidence in regards to their environmental policy. A recent poll by Greenpeace and the RSPB from YouGov found that only two per cent of the UK public believe that they live under the 'greenest government ever'.

Posted by Joseph Hutton