The Environment Agency has appointed a new environment and business director who has expressed his desire to cut the regulatory burden. Ed Mitchell replaces Tricia Henton and will lead the agency’s regulation programmes on water, waste, climate change, sustainable development, land and the natural environment.
He said: “We know that it’s been a tough time for business, and we want to make it as easy and efficient as possible for businesses to comply with their environmental obligations. I want to cut red tape so that they can concentrate on their bottom line while performing well environmentally. We’ll make it less burdensome for the majority of responsible businesses, concentrate our efforts on persistent polluters, and take robust action against businesses that flout the law.” The majority of Mitchell’s career has been in the private sector at RWE Thames Water and GlaxoSmithKline.
