The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation seeking views on expanding the Environment Agency’s powers to issue faster civil penalties of up to £500,000 against water companies in England that breach environmental rules. Responses are invited until 11:59 pm on 3 December 2025.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced a further delay to the implementation of mandatory digital waste tracking system across the UK. Originally scheduled to launch in April 2025, the system will now come into force from April 2026.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced its decision to deny emergency authorisation for the use of Cruiser SB, a neonicotinoid pesticide containing thiamethoxam, on sugar beet in England for 2025. This follows an application from British Sugar and the National Farmers' Union for emergency use to control aphids carrying the virus yellows complex. The decision aims to protect pollinators, particularly bees, from the harmful effects of neonicotinoids. Defra is committed to supporting farmers in developing alternative pest control methods, including funding research through the Farming Futures Fund to explore the potential of precision breeding for producing virus-resistant sugar beet varieties. Defra has also published a series of reports pertaining to its decision.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has designated 13 new bathing water sites under the Bathing Water Regulations 2013 following a consultation which concluded on 23 March 2026. Defra stated that the consultation received 5,546 responses, approximately 90% of which supported the proposed designations. The new sites became operational on 15 May 2026 at the start of the bathing season and include the first designated bathing water site on the River Thames in London at Ham and Kingston.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a policy paper setting out the rationale used to identify priorities for UK regulatory action on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals (UK REACH) work programme for the 2023 to 2024 financial year. Defra, alongside the Scottish and Welsh Governments (the appropriate authorities) have consulted on the annual UK REACH work programme with the Health and Safety Executive, the Environment Agency and other stakeholders. The report provides a rationale for each agreed priority, and reasons why other proposals were not adopted.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has formally enacted legislation banning the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic in England. This measure aims to protect rivers, lakes, and seas from plastic pollution, which has been proven to cause severe environmental harm and major sewer blockages, resulting in costs of up to £200m annually. Supported by strong public backing the legislation establishes an 18-month transition period before taking effect in Spring 2027. It also includes a commitment to review the potential for prohibiting the manufacture of such products thereafter.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has extended the consultation period on the alternative transitional registration model (ATRm) until 11:45pm on 25 July 2024.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced the extension of the Ivory Act 2018 (IA 2018) to include four additional species: hippopotamus, narwhal, killer whale, and sperm whale. The IA 2018 now bans the import, export, and trade of items containing ivory from these animals, in addition to elephants. All four species are listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora. Offenders face severe penalties, including unlimited fines or imprisonment for up to five years. The extended legislation provides a limited exemption for the existing trade of artistic and cultural artefacts.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has published its response to advice from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee on changes to species protections under Schedules 5 and 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, following the seventh quinquennial review. The response addresses recommendations to add, remove or regrade protection for certain animals and plants, and sets out the government’s position on how those recommendations will be taken forward, with potential implications for future amendments to species protection regimes.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has implemented the Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (England and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025, SI 2025/67, to establish a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers in England and Northern Ireland. The scheme, scheduled to launch on 1 October 2027, will cover single-use plastic and metal containers between 150ml to three litres, with a Deposit Management Organisation to be appointed in April 2025. From 1 October 2027, consumers will have a financial incentive to return empty containers to collection points, such as local supermarkets, to facilitate the recycling of bottles and cans.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has implemented its simpler recycling scheme across England. Under this scheme, waste collectors are required to collect four categories of waste separately from households by default: (1) food and garden waste; (2) paper and card; (3) all other dry recyclable materials (including glass, metal, plastic, and cartons) and (4) residual waste. In certain circumstances, paper and card may be collected with the other dry recyclable materials, providing local authorities with operational flexibility. The scheme is designed to achieve a target of 65% municipal waste recycling by 2035 and is expected to deliver greenhouse gas emissions savings equivalent to £11.8 billion.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has introduced the Water (Special Measures) Bill. The intention of the draft legislation is to strengthen regulation, ringfence infrastructure investment funding, increase the accountability of water executives and ban bonus payments if environmental standards are not met.