Environmental Health

Environmental Health Services and Information

Animal Control & Welfare - Asbestos Information - Bonfires - Contaminated Land - Crematorium & Cemeteries - Enforcement Policy - Environmental Information Regulations - Environmental Protection - Fireworks - Food and Agriculture - Food Safety - Health & Safety at Work - Health Impact of Waste Management - Licensing - Noise Complaints - Pest Control - Pollution Control - Noise - Public Health - Radiation - Radon Information - Sewage and Drainage - Smoke Control Areas - Tobacco smoking - Water Quality

Environmental Health is part of the Community Protection Division, it comprises a number of specialised teams covering public health, bereavement services, environmental protection, emergency planning, food safety and health & safety, and licensing.

Although each team has a specialised area of work, the teams work together in a co-ordinated fashion to ensure that the community of Milton Keynes receive a top quality service offering help and advice across the whole spectrum of Environmental Health issues.

Environmental Health Service Teams
Community Team - Bereavement Services Team - Emergency Planning Unit -
Environmental Protection Team - Food and Safety Team - Licensing Team

Environmental Health out-of-office-hours Standby Service acts against anti-social nuisance noise

On the 14th November Environmental Health prosecuted a Bletchley householder for breach of an abatement notice in respect of anti-social nuisance noise. The Magistrates Court fined the defendant £150 with £700 costs.

In April 2007 several complaints were received about late night excessive nuisance noise from a house in Westfield Road Bletchley. The Environmental Health out-of-office-hours service duty officer visited the site and witnessed extremely loud music noise disturbing the whole neighbourhood. Accordingly a few days later a Statutory Nuisance Noise Abatement Notice was served on the occupier of the house.

This notice, issued under Section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, required the occupier not to cause any further nuisance from excessive noise. Breach of such a notice is a criminal offence and on summary conviction the offender is liable to a maximum penalty of a £5000 fine plus further fines of up to £500 per day for each day the breach continues after conviction.

In July 2008 complaints about excessive noise from the same address were again received by the out-of-hours service. The Environmental Health duty officer visited the area and found a large, very noisy party with music and a public address system which was disturbing the surrounding area. This was deemed to be a serious breach of the abatement notice served the previous year and a decision was taken to prosecute the householder, in the Magistrates Court.

Milton Keynes Council Environmental Health will not hesitate to take legal enforcement action against the small minority of our citizens who through anti-social behaviour of this type seriously disturb their neighbours.

Click here to find out more about complaining to the Environmental Health out-of-hours Stand-by Service.

Air quality in Milton Keynes is generally very good. This is shown in the Air Quality Progress Report 2008, produced by the Environmental Protection Team.

The main findings of this report are that all Air Quality Objectives (AQOs) have been met at all the relevant locations with the exception of Bridge Street and High Street South in Olney. A Detailed Assessment of the air quality in this area has been undertaken (Olney Detailed Assessment 2008) which shows there is an exceedence of the annual mean NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) objective. This means that under the Environment Act 1995 an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) must be declared. The Statutory Consultation period of the Draft Order ended on the 17th October 2008 and there were no adverse responses. It is expected that the order will come into force on the 1st of December 2008.

All our air quality reports can be found here: Air Quality Reports 2000 to 2008.

The most recent research (reviewed in New Scientist July 2007) shows that, unlike the unsubstantiated claims raised by some people, there is no evidence that cellphone masts cause fatigue, anxiety or headaches.

The research study (Mobile phone radiation sensitivity study) one of the biggest ever carried out, shows that mobile phone radiation does not produce any symptoms in people and strongly suggests that "electromagnetic hypersensitivity" (EHS), a condition where sufferers claim to feel ill in the vicinity of mobile phones, masts, and appliances like microwave ovens, could be all in the mind, being psychological in origin and not due to 'toxic effects' from radio waves.

Tell me more about radiation and electromagnetic waves

From 1st July 2007 all smoking in enclosed public places has been banned under the provisions of The Health Act (2006).

What's all the fuss about? Is smoking and breathing in other people's tobacco smoke really so dangerous that we need this legislation?

Yes - tobacco smoke contains over 4000 chemicals, including over 100 chemical poisons and more than 60 chemicals known or suspected to be cancer causing agents in tobacco smoke.

Why don't you give up smoking on National No Smoking Day?

The ban on smoking includes cafes & restaurants, food businesses, pubs, shopping centres, hair salons & barbers, hospitals, schools, public transport including taxis and mini cabs, hotels and guest houses, working mens' clubs, company and work vehicles and all workplaces.

Landlords and employers who ignore the ban face fines of up to £2,500, while failing to display no smoking signs will lead to on-the-spot fines of up to £200. People caught smoking face an on-the-spot fine of up to £50.

Tell me more about the smoking legislation and the effects of smoke on health.

Are you concerned about the potential health impacts of dealing with our waste?

Landfilling, incineration, advanced thermal treatment, pyrolysis, mechanical-biological treatment, etc.

Do you want to know how these processes work and what are the potential health hazards associated with them?

Yes, tell me more about the potential health hazards of solid waste management

The World Health Organisation's International Agency for Research on Cancer has concluded that fumes (emissions) from burning coal are carcinogenic to humans. At the same time they also concluded that emissions from burning biomass fuel (wood etc.) are probably carcinogenic to humans. In addition the emissions from high temperature food frying are also classed as probably carcinogenic.

For more details see: IARC Press Release Carcinogenic Coal & Wood Smoke.

The Licensing Act 2003 introduced sweeping changes to the existing Licensing law. Since February 2005 the Council has been dealing with applications to convert existing Licences over to the new regime.

For full details and how the latest developments and changes in legislation will affect the Leisure Industry click here for the Licensing Home Page .

Do you see buses and HGVs on the road leaving trails of diesel fumes behind them? Environmental Health often gets calls about smoky vehicles.

You can help to reduce vehicle emissions by reporting lorries and buses which are extremely smoky.

To report a smoky vehicle ring the Vehicle Inspectorate on 0870 60 60 440 or visit their website

www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/contactus/sharingintelligence/sharingintelligence.htm.

If you want to report a smoky vehicle you will need to give some basic information:

The vehicle registration number (displayed on the number plate)
The type of vehicle (be as specific as possible)
The date, time and place where you saw the vehicle, and if possible,
The name of the vehicle operator (the company or owner)

Once you have provided this information the The Vehicle Inspectorate will contact the vehicle operator and investigate the report.

For further information on Local Air Quality in Milton Keynes see the Local Air Quality Management section on this site.