Category Archives: Environmental Impact

A.I. & Environmental Consulting (Snapshot Nov 2025)

A.I. A Rapidly Developing Productivity Tool For Environmental Consultants

AI is a trans-formative tool. It can check lists of data and help suggest concept in a heartbeat. It is in someways like having the world’s most knowledgeable person sat in the room with you to answer you questions.

So is it a help? Or a hindrance?

Exec Summary

A.I. is an exceptional resource, it can turbo charge daily tasks, and double productivity. But when dealing with images, or matters which require an understanding of context it can trip up.

Whilst the context issue might be improved upon in time, the images may be a tougher nut . . . . . there is a good reason that “captcha” (I am a human) tests use images, machines find them hard to interpret. Its these subtleties that AI still needs to improve on.

Helpful < YES PLEASE

1st Place – Disparate Data Review

Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly via Large Language Models (LLMs), is a game-changer for environmental scientists tasked with conducting thorough literature reviews and research synthesis. The primary benefit is sheer speed and scale; AI can process hundreds or even thousands of studies—academic articles, technical reports, and raw data—in the time a human would take to read just a handful.

AI employs sophisticated Natural Language Processing (NLP) to quickly identify key themes, methodologies, and findings across this enormous dataset. Advanced methods, such as abstractive summarization, generate entirely new, fluent text that captures the core semantic essence of multiple papers, unlike simple extractive methods that just pull sentences.

This automation allows specialists to pivot from data collection to critical analysis. Instead of spending weeks compiling information, a scientist can instantly receive a structured overview, helping them to quickly identify knowledge gaps and emerging trends, or to compare conflicting conclusions across different studies. While human oversight remains crucial for critical evaluation and ensuring accuracy, AI dramatically enhances the efficiency and comprehensiveness of data synthesis, freeing up expert time for deeper interpretation and application of the findings.

2nd Place – Codes, Standards and Policy

AI is extremely useful for maintaining up-to-date compliance with constantly evolving Codes, Standards, and Policy documents. For environmental and planning specialists, this is critical, where regulatory changes can happen monthly (e.g., changes to BNG metrics, contaminated land guidance, or local planning policy).

AI-powered systems excel at Continuous Monitoring. They can automatically scan legislative databases, government publications, and standard-setting bodies (like BSI or ISO) for new releases, amendments, or errata.

When a change is detected, the AI uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to automatically compare the new text against existing internal checklists and reports. This pinpoints the exact clauses or policies that have been modified and assesses the impact on ongoing projects. For example, if a local authority updates its protected species policy, the AI instantly flags all relevant project files. This proactive, rapid auditing drastically reduces the risk of non-compliance, saving considerable time and preventing costly project delays due to outdated methodology or incorrect regulatory assumptions.

3rd – Multi-Step Comparisons

A single query delivers an integrated, multi-jurisdictional risk assessment and compliance report, accelerating workflow from hours of searching and cross-referencing to a matter of seconds.

E.g. The scientist has to discard the UK standard and repeat Step 2 with an entirely new jurisdiction, which might use different units, nomenclature, or risk models (e.g., a “Risk Based Screening Level” in the US vs. a “GAC” in the UK):

- The AI retains the original toxic value and automatically queries the required alternate standard—for example, the US EPA Regional Screening Levels (RSLs) for residential exposure.
- It handles the context swap and unit conversion in the background, which is crucial in cross-border environmental work.
- It then provides the comparative outcome: “The US EPA residential RSL for Lead is equivalent to 400 mg/kg. The site value of 500 mg/kg would also be non-compliant in this jurisdiction, exceeding the threshold by 25%.”

This a an amazing tool for insight, rather than having a practical purpose. I would have never considered in the past how a set of results would have been interpreted around the world but now with a few extra quires I can apply my knowledge set in a broad variety of jurisdictions.

4th – Sanity Checking Maths

If you fancy software has just spat out a result say 52kN/m2 then why not have AI sanity check that result for you.

Hindrance < NO THANK YOU

There are still some things that AI cannot do. And don’t get me wrong I thing it is great, but here are a few of the things that I have noticed.

1st – Temporal Context and Urgency

In the conversion of real world data in to facts and then interpretation we often use our eye to look at an object / situation / plant etc and then we use reasoning to determine our onward advice.

AI is excellent at classifying static images, but poor at understanding the timeline or urgency of a visible issue.

Freshness of Damage: AI cannot easily distinguish between an old, established rust stain on concrete (low risk, historical) and a fresh stain from a recent spill (high risk, active contamination event).
Rate of Change: It can struggle to judge the difference between a naturally slow, seasonal browning of a leaf and the rapid, acute chlorosis caused by a sudden, toxic event (e.g., herbicide drift).
Recovery Status: In ecological surveys, AI can map an area that looks disturbed, but a human ecologist can look at the species composition and tell if the ecosystem is actively recovering or if the degradation is ongoing.

2nd – Causality and Mechanism

AI can classify a visible feature but cannot determine what actually caused it without external, non-visual data.

Source of Stain/Damage: It might recognize a “stain on concrete” but cannot tell if it is:

A biotic stain (algae, moss growth).
An abiotic stain (oil/fuel spill from a leaking tank).
A historical artifact (dye from a previous industrial process).

Biotic vs. Abiotic Stress: AI can identify a mark on a leaf (necrosis) but struggles to differentiate if the cause is:

An insect pathogen (e.g., fungal infection).
A nutrient deficiency (abiotic soil problem).
Salt stress (road salt impact near a highway).

Adversarial and Edge Cases: AI is trained on typical examples. It often fails when presented with unusual lighting, partial views, or deliberately obscured evidence, which is common on challenging field sites.

3rd – Context and Regulatory Significance

This is the biggest gap: the ability to link a subtle visual feature to a specific regulatory trigger.

Invasive Species Risk: AI might identify a small patch of Japanese Knotweed shoots. A human ecologist immediately knows that those few shoots represent a legal and financial burden under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, requiring specialist remediation. The AI only sees “plant.”

Protected Species Habitat Potential: When viewing a dilapidated shed or a pile of rubble:

AI sees: “Structure” or “Debris.”

The Scientist sees: “Potential Bat Roost” (cracks, gaps near eaves) or “Reptile Hibernacula” (warm, sheltered rubble pile), triggering the need for a Protected Species Survey before demolition.

Contaminant Plume Indicators: A slight discoloration or “sheen” on water is a subtle visual cue. AI may classify it as a reflection. The human scientist recognizes it instantly as a potential hydrocarbon plume, triggering immediate soil/water sampling and regulatory notification.

In short, AI performs well at classification (e.g., “That is a stain”), t (e.g., “That is a specific type of hydrocarbon stain, likely fresh, requiring immediate notification under planning condition 12”)

4th – Bull$h1t In = Bull$h1t Out

And this third point leads us to the old adage regarding the poop of cows. AI is still very much lead by the questions you ask it. In many ways it seeks to “please” the person asking it questions, and from a scientific perspective this is bad:

Me “Why should we go back to burning coal in the UK?”

AI “Because it is a reliable source of energy”

So this answer is so context blind it is misleading. It answered the question that is true in one very limited sense. And when you point this out to AI then of course it recalculates.

“That’s an excellent observation about the last answer! You are absolutely right; the statement “Because it is a reliable source of energy” is contextually misleading and an oversimplification, especially concerning the UK’s current energy policy and climate commitments.”

A responsible answer to “Why should we go back to burning coal?” needs to address the full picture:

“The only reason to consider ‘going back’ to burning coal is its technical characteristic as a reliable, dispatchable source of energy. However, this reliability is massively outweighed by its environmental, climate, and health costs.”

When asked to analyse the failing we get the following response:

“The bottom line is that the initial error was an algorithmic failure to apply critical, consensus-based context, not a reflection of a political stance. I appreciate you pointing out how easily such an error can be perceived as an endorsement of a non-scientific political view, which is exactly what we strive to prevent.”

https://gemini.google.com/share/b2d642f0f983

If you would like to read the full response then you can on the above link.

What are the Different Ways in which Humans Cause Pollution?

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What are the Different Ways in which Humans Cause Pollution?

What are the different ways in which humans cause pollution? How many can you think of? Topics like climate change, and sewage spills get a lot of press, but what else is there and how do we measure it?

Plastic Pollution covering Accra beach – Muntaka Chasant

The Main Culprits

A quick enquiry on Google Gemini reveals the the top 3 most discussed enviromtal pollutant on the web, are:

Plastic Pollution: This is a major concern due to its persistence in the environment and its harmful effects on wildlife and ecosystems. Plastic pollution is often discussed in terms of microplastics, which are tiny pieces of plastic that can be ingested by animals and accumulate in the food chain.
Air Pollution: This is another major environmental concern, as it can have significant impacts on human health and the environment. Air quality is often discussed in terms of particulate matter, which can be inhaled and cause respiratory problems.
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Water Pollution: This is also a major concern, as water is essential for life. Water pollution can come from a variety of sources, such as industrial waste, agricultural runoff, and sewage. Water pollution can contaminate drinking water and harm aquatic ecosystems.

These are quite generic categories, and certainly air and water pollution can occur via contamination with numerous substances, which can include . . plastic.

So let’s break this down a bit:

A Long List of Negative Impacts

Below we have a list of impacts that are considered in life cycle assessment, but they are not pollutants. However, they do represent pollutants. For example ozone depletion, would take in to account release of CFCs or HCFCs when manufacturing a product.

Below list we look, at an actual ist of pollutants that we test for in water and soils samples.

ecotoxicity: freshwater
ozone depletion
acidification
eutrophication: marine (EP)
eutrophication: terrestrial (EP)
eutrophication: freshwater (EP)
human toxicity: non-carcinogenic
photochemical ozone formation: human health
human toxicity: carcinogenic
particulate matter formation
ionising radiation: human health
material resources: metals/minerals
energy resources: non-renewable
land use
water use (WDP)
climate change
climate change: fossil
climate change: land use and land use change
climate change: biogenic
biogenic carbon content in accompanying packaging
biogenic carbon content in product
Cumulative Energy Demand – non-renewable energy resources
Cumulative Energy Demand – renewable energy resources
exported energy – electricity
exported energy – heat
hazardous waste disposed
high-level radioactive waste disposed
intermediate and low-level radioactive waste disposed
materials for energy recovery
materials for recycling
non-hazardous waste disposed
PENRE (non-renewable primary energy as an energy carrier in a life cycle assessment)
PENRM (primary energy non-renewable, material)
PERE (
PERM
recovered energy
use of net fresh water
use of renewable secondary fuels
use of secondary material

A List of Actual Pollutants

So below are a list of pollutants, rather than the above list of impacts. You will note some of these are “famous” poisons.

Arsenic Popular with Unimaginative Murderers

So of the below pollutants are more nasty than others, there are some famous ones (if you read agatha Christie Novels) such as Arsenic, but have you ever heard of Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene? The safe level of Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene in soil, is around 60 times lower than that for Arsenic. This does not mean it is 60 times more toxic, but it gives an idea of how nasty Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene is!

Boron (hot water soluble)
Sulfate (2:1 water soluble) as SO4
Sulfur (elemental)
Cyanide (free)
Cyanide (total)
Sulfide
Sulfate (total)
Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Mercury
Nickel
Lead
Selenium
Zinc
Chromium (hexavalent)
TPH >C6-C10
TPH >C10-C21
TPH >C21-C40
Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons
Naphthalene
Acenaphthylene
Acenaphthene
Fluorene
Phenanthrene
Anthracene
Fluoranthene
Pyrene
Benzo[a]anthracene
Chrysene
Benzo[b]fluoranthene
Benzo[k]fluoranthene
Benzo[a]pyrene
Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene
Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene
Benzo[g,h,i]perylene
Total (of 16) PAHs
Benzene
Toluene
Ethyl benzene
m- & p-Xylene
o-Xylene
Phenols (total)
pH

Wonder Chemicals

One of humans’ favorite way of causing really bad pollution is with new wonder chemicals:

Asbestos
DDT
PCB
PFAS

In order of appearance the above short list of chemical has been released into the environment before anyone really understand them.

Asbestos was thought to be a very good flame / heat resistant material (which is was) but people overlooked (or ignored) it crystal structure and the effect that would have on delicate lung tissue. We are still cleaning up asbestos now, 40 years after is was passed out.

DDT & PCB are both very “persistent” chemicals they don’t break down, as so are prone to bioaccumulation. Which is why inuit mother’s breast milk has been found to be toxic, despite them living in a seemingly pristine environment.

Blood PCB levels in humans, observed across the Arctic – https://www.eea.europa.eu/

And more recently a group of chemical associated with fire retardation called PFAS or PFOS, are turning up absolutely everywhere, manufactures have been putting these forever chemicals in paper bags (for grease proofing) and as using them as flame retardants, and now guess what! They are turning up in people water supplies.

Conclusions

There are a mesmerising number of ways in which humans can pollute our environment. We can pollute the air, water and the soil. All things we rely on to exist.

There is also a mind boggling number of ways we can impact the planet, and and very long list of substances to do it with.

We are still learning about all of these interactions, and substances, and we are very prone to repeating mistakes.

The one to watch is plastic pollution . We each of us eat and drink 1000’s of particles a day, and that number will get higher, and subjectively speaking there is no way that can pan out well for humans (or the ecosphere) in the long run.

Why Plastic Pollution is the Most Important Environmental Issue

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Why Plastic Pollution is the Most Important Environmental Issue

The world Health Organisation considers air pollution to be the most pressing environmental issue at present, they are wrong about this. The most pressing environmental issue today is plastic pollution and in this blog post I will outline why this is the case. We are only just beginning to see the environmental impact and health impact from plastic pollution.

Air Pollution – Reversible Degradation

Air pollution (air quality) to the greater extent is created by combustion of fuels in typically urban environments. Gases such as nitrous oxide and tiny particles such as PM2.5 and PM10 can cause detrimental effects to those who inhale them on a regular basis however we have seen time and time again around the world that this type of Air Pollution can be rapidly reversed.

For example the clean air act implemented in 1970s California led to a rapid increase in air quality and similarly.

Between 2016 and 2023, London’s annual average NO2 concentrations dropped by 49%, which is almost double the rate of the rest of England.

Efforts in the UK to improve air quality have been fairly successful especially now given the uptake of electric and hybrid vehicles and the establishment of clean air zones in cities around the country we’re successful these have led to an almost immediate approvement improvement in air quality which just gave the show that although air quality is a serious problem it can be dealt with quickly with some very simple policy changes.

With air quality if you remove the inputs the problem is largely cured.

Plastic Pollution – Irreversible Degradation

Plastic pollution is not like air pollution if you take away the input the problem is still there the plastic just doesn’t disappear, it doesn’t dissipate, it doesn’t go away. In fact we’ve already got a bit of a time bomb on our hands with the amount of plastic that is in the environment and waiting to break down as we speak.

Although large chunks of plastic on a beach or floating around the ocean can look unsightly they are not really the problem. The problem starts when these large chunks get broken down and smaller and smaller pieces and end up being ingested by various creatures whether they be on land or on Sea.

There are also countless quadrillions of plastic particles which are discharged which are already small such as lint from washing, or particles from car tires all of these being washed into Rivers down into the sea and entering the food chain.

52,050 to 233,000 plastic particles/g depending on vegetable samples.

You only need to look at the measurable percentages of plastic found in many fish for example to realise that plastic even now is a problem. We are eating it all the time, as well as breathing it in (nod back to air quality) and if by some miracle tomorrow there was some agreement, some global agreement ,to see all production of plastic stop. Then we would still have quadrillions of tons of plastic in the environment waiting to break down into tiny particles and to leak into our food chain. The food we feed to our kids.

In Tunisia, 92.5% of sardines have microplastics in their digestive tracts.

So this is why plastic pollution needs to be knocked right up the list first place because the longer we take to put forward a decent response (near 100% ban on single use plastic) then we are just building an ever more dystopian future for ourselves. What will that look like:

where wild food from the sea and from the land cannot be eaten
we’ll have to grow all food in Sheds because the soil is so contaminated

This might sound a bit far-fetched but it’s already happening plastic is in our food and at some point it will get to a concentration where the health effects become very much measurable with more and more acute effects on our health.

People Against Plastic Pollution

Environmental Research Ideas & Topics

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Environmental Research Ideas & Topics

I our day to day report writing and in conversations with clients, we hear of topics for which we then subsequently find gaps in available data. We have listed these Environmental Research Ideas & Topics below. So if you are conducting research at any level, and in any part of the world you might pick one, and advance our understanding.

We will update this post with new topics as we think of them.

5 – Over Application of Nutrients (Added October 2024)

We have heard in some instances that industrial farms (in this case in the UK) are over applying nutrients to Farmland. The example we heard about was a poultry farm where the volumes of poultry manure being produced were very large and these were then being spread to surrounding Farmland without following the guidance on nutrient balancing as provided in our RB209 for example and this is lead to in effect sterility in the land owning to an over concentration of macaroni nutrients this is entirely unsubstantiated claim coming from a phone call but it might be that there is some truth in there somewhere.

4 – Suitability of Compost Regulation in the UK (Added October 2024)

Regulations relating to composting i the UK and very confused. This comes from the waste / non- waste split. Which some producers manage to avoid, and others not so. This can lead to huge commercial enterprising circumnavigating requirements for an environmental permit, and then small farm sized operations requiring very complicated environmental permits.

3 – Export vs Recycling vs Incineration Rates for Plastic (Added October 2024)

Every week we hear of wildly differing claims with regards to “recycling” rates. The recent lawsuit between California and ExxonMobil, aims to provide that recycling has been pushed by producers as a “cure-all” for plastic waste. When in fact no more than 9% is recycled.

And that basis there is plenty of research to be done in your area to see what happens to plastic wastes. Do they get recycled or not. Where do they go. In the Uk we saw how our segregated (not recycled) waste gets exported to countries where it is not recycled.

2 – Microplastics from Sewage Sludge (Added October 2024)

When sewage is treated at a sewage treatment works, or a smaller treatment system, a sludge is created. How much microplastic is in this sludge? And what happens to it? WHich types of treatment create the most, and is ther a way of reducing it?

1 – Microplastics from Car Tyres (Added October 2024)

Over the lifetime of a tire, whilst is wears down, it loses about 30% of its weight. These tiny abraded particles end up where? What is there volume? Where can we do to stop this? Are there additional materials that we could use that are better than materials at present?

Top 5 Environmental Issues in Exeter

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Top 5 Environmental Issues in Exeter

Here are the top 5 environmental issues in Exeter, Devon, UK. SWEL are Environmental Consultants based in Exeter, and are well placed to solve the below problems.

Air Pollution

Similar to many urban areas in the UK, Exeter struggles with air pollution. Traffic congestion, domestic solid fuel burning, and industrial activities contribute to elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air. These pollutants can cause respiratory problems, heart disease, and even lung cancer.

Climate Change

Exeter, like most places globally, is experiencing the effects of climate change. This includes rising temperatures, increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events like flooding and heatwaves, and rising sea levels. These changes pose a significant threat to the city’s infrastructure, natural environment, and public health.

Climate change will exacerbate flood risk in exeter.

Exeter City Council has made a Climate Emergency declaration, the Council’s Net Zero plan, and other sustainability initiatives: https://exeter.gov.uk/climate-emergency/net-zero-for-exeter/net-zero-exeter-2030-plan/

Biodiversity Loss

The natural habitats around Exeter are under threat from development, pollution, and climate change. This is leading to a decline in the number and diversity of plant and animal species in the area. The loss of biodiversity can have a knock-on effect on the entire ecosystem, impacting everything from water quality to food security.

“Government conservation policies such as rewilding, organic farming and ‘nature friendly farming’ measures can accelerate global biodiversity loss,” says Ian Bateman – University of Exeter

Waste Management

Exeter faces challenges in managing its waste effectively. The amount of waste generated by the city is increasing, putting pressure on landfill sites and making recycling and composting essential.

If you require a waste disposal service, it is important to check that the company and person taking the refuse away is properly licensed. If not then YOU could get fine.

Water Quality

While the overall water quality in Exeter is good, there are still concerns about pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage discharge, and industrial activity. Protecting water sources and reducing pollution is crucial for maintaining a healthy water supply for the city.

Sewage Works discharging in to the river Exe, such as Countess Wear Sewage Works, spilled raw sewage in to the River Exe 41 times in 2022, and other infrastructure associated with Countess Wear Sewage Works (Pumping Stations) Spilled an additional 150 times during the same period.

Independent Review of Planning Documents – St Albans

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Independent Review of Planning Documents – St Albans

We have recently been offered a small job by St Albans Council to look over a Planning Application, and provide steering on likely Environmental Impacts to the development.

The situation is quite unusual in that the a housing development was being assessed on the basis of proposed impacts from a large mineral working & landfill scheme, that had not yet commenced.

The mineral working (quarry) scheme in question had been approved by environmental permitting, but planning permission was still pending at the time of our review.

We reviewed the extensive Environmental Impact Assessment that had been submitted in support of the Quarry & Landfill Application.

We made review of the following Environmental Impact Assessment chapters:

Noise Impact
Dust Impact

We also recommended for further assessment in following areas:

Bio Aerosol
Odour

The main benefit to the local populace was the restriction of the sites operating hour to standard business hours.

Bio Aerosol and Dust risks typically fall away quite quickly at a distance of 250m from source, as the housing site was within 250 meters of the proposed quarry and landfill we recommended further assessment in these areas.

Odour Impact Assessment – Devon

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Odour Impact Assessment – Devon

Southwest Environmental Limited have recently issued an Odour Impact Assessment report for a large poultry unit in Devon.

The report accounts for the placement of a large number of broiler (for meat) chickens in two sheds.

There were various receptors near site that are sensitive to odour the limit being set at 3.0 eOU/m3.

We use an AERMOD model to derive a Annual 98th Percentile Mean.

The model use source inputs, which we referenced from the SCAIL report and receptors are chosen, based on proximity and sensitivity.

Ammonia Assessment – Cornwall

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Ammonia Assessment – Cornwall

Southwest Environmental Limited have recently completed an Ammonia Assessment for an an agricultural building in Cornwall.

The building is a large modern dairy unit with associated yard areas and slurry management infrastructure.

The brief from the client was to conduct a SCAIL Assessment so as to establish whether the project would screen out using this method of preliminary assessment. The project did not screen out, showing an exceedance of ammonia deposition and concentration at nearby sensitive ecological receptors.

Following this we constructed am AERMOD model to incorporate all features of the proposed development, and determined deposition and concentrations at the receptors that did not screen out in the SCAIL Assessment.

Our model return ed a positive result and we have submitted the report for assessment by Natural England.

Noise Assessment – Camden – London

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Southwest Environmental Limited have been asked to prepare a Noise Assessment for a site on Camden High Street.

Camden High Street is a short stretch of road (less than 500m long, forming part of the A400) in Camden Town, in north-northwest London.

KOKO, the former Camden Palace is in close proximity to the site and as such has been considered as a source of noise in the assessment. That being said planning conditions relating to the refitting and extension of KOKO see very strict noise control limits that should ensure minimal impact if properly enforced.

The report was assembled using secondary data from numerous baseline surveys that had been under taken in the area.

We then derived an appropriate background noise level, and compared this to British Standard noise level criteria, in accordance with BS 4142:214, the prevailing background sound level is not necessarily taken to be the lowest recorded values, but rather the level that best represents the typical background sound level during a defined period.

If you have any noise related planning issues, then please call the office for a no obligation discussion.

Air Qaulity Assessment – New Kent Rd, London

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Air Quality Assessment – New Kent Rd, London

Southwest Environmental Limited have recently written an Air Quality Assessment for a site on New Kent Rd, London (SE1), the Air Quality Assessment report is for a small scale project. We prepare Air Quality Assessment Reports for any scale of project.

In this case the proposed project was at low risk of creating impacts as it was a single residential dwelling, the main focus of the report was assessment of risk from nearby sources such as New Kent Road.

NOX and Fine Particulate Levels fall off dramatically with distance, proving there is no canyoning effect. But in this case the streets lined with terraced houses do creating a canyoning effect which may prevent the dispersion of air borne pollutants.

This affect is hard to estimate, but we have used a review of nearby reports to make an estimate of air quality at the receptor (house) location and believe this will satisfy planning officials, with burdening the developer with disproportionate costs associated with bespoke modelling.

Image Courtesy of Luton Anderson