Innovational adaptation in the UK water and wastewater industry: a case study of introducing DTA

Others have asserted the need for wastewater quality guidelines that are en vironmentally relevant. Many companies within the UK may have to adapt thei r structure or function in response to the new, toxicity based consents tha t will be implemented by the Environment Agency in 1999. However, there has been little evidence from wastewater treatment research that UK industries are preparing for a change in effluent guidelines. Indeed, evidence sugges ts that some effluent dischargers have only a limited idea of what the intr oduction of toxicity-based consents could mean for them. This paper investi gates the key factors identified by UK industrialists of importance to them in adapting to legislative change. The characteristic differences between those companies that consider themselves most at risk from the evolving leg islation and those companies involved in the protection of the aquatic envi ronment are presented to show how they may address the transition from chem ical specific discharge consents to toxicity based consents as smoothly as possible, (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.