Environment Agency plan lists upgrades to methane monitoring

The Environment Agency has highlighted its plans to abate methane release from its main emitters including the wastewater processing industry.

In an update on its Methane Action Plan to 2026, the watchdog said it will “progressively issue new and modified permits to ensure best available techniques are adopted for around 120 anaerobic digestion installations used to treat sewage sludge currently being operated by water companies.”

The agency said it was reviewing the leak detection and repair (LDAR) reports under its anaerobic digestion improvement programme “to develop consistent reporting requirements from the sector. We will collate the data to estimate losses and drive improvements.” It added: “LDAR requirements are also being added to environmental permits as part of our permit review programmes.”

In a bid to achieve one of its stated aims – improvements in data – the agency said it will work with other regulators, including Ofwat and Natural England, “to support a consistent approach to methane and how greenhouse gases are monitored, regulated and reduced”.

It quoted figures from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero that showed methanols made up 14% of UK greenhouse gas emissions with 49% arising from agriculture and 30% from the waste sector.