The Environment Agency (EA) and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) have updated guidance for carrying out a risk assessment if you are applying for a bespoke permit that includes discharging hazardous chemicals and elements to surface water. The ‘Background data for estuaries or coastal waters’ section has been updated to specify that, in the absence of upstream or background data for estuaries, coastal waters, and freshwaters, you should assume the concentration of each pollutant is 50% of the Environmental Quality Standard (EQS). This update helps ensure more accurate assessments when such data is unavailable.
Source: EA and Defra.