Pollution Control - Don't get caught by COP
According to the Environment Agency there are more than 5,000 oil incidents reported every year. In 2000, one sixth of all pollution incidents affecting the environment involved oil: most incidents were caused by oil leaking from tanks either during storage or delivery. DEFRA has stated that inadequate fluid storage is five times more likely to be involved in a pollution incident than storage that is adequate.
Pollution Solution
Whether you look at the heavy engineering manufacturers, pharmaceutical, petro-chemical, or continuous process industries, copious volumes of dust and fumes are generated. These fumes and dusts have to be processed before they can be vented to atmosphere, or disposed of by waste disposal. Similarly, the refurbishment, renewal, upgrade or decontamination of surplus plant and machinery require equally careful handling.
Process Optimisation - A framework that can't be overlooked
By 2007/8, some 4,500 installations regulated by the Environment Agency under the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) regime brought in by the EU IPPC Directive should finally have completed the permitting process. The listed activities in the directive include energy production, the processing of metals, minerals; chemicals; waste management; pulp and paper; textiles treatment; tanning; food production and intensive farming.Latest available figures (to February 2004) show that approximately 450 permits had been issued for Part A(1) processes. Part A(1) installations are regulated by the Environment Agency and usually relate to the largest, potentially most polluting operations.
Environment for change
In 1952, the Great Smog of London caused nearly 2,000 deaths above the norm for that period. This resulted in the Clean Air Act of 1956, which marked the beginning of effective environmental legislation in Britain.
Babies and bathwater
Plant, equipment, instrumentation and the regulatory frameworks have all been evolving to meet the challenges of pollution and climate change. Brian Tinham examines the issues
Absorbing practice
Staying on the right side of the law might mean paying more attention to absorbents, spill kits and the professional services around them to prevent problems. Brian Wall reports
Carbon capture
The UK is to finance the construction of a 300-400MW coal-fired power station with full carbon capture, and intends to work with China on developing and implementing the technology globally. Why? 'Because coal is still the cheapest and most readily available source of energy,' said Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, at a meeting organised by the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Institute of Biology.
The wrong mix
Since The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) Regulations 2001 came into effect, much debate has ensued regarding oil storage, and the challenges of avoiding water contamination in particular. But what are the real ins and outs of oil storage? Firstly, let us examine the Regulations. These apply to all commercial, industrial and institutional installations where more than 200 litres of oil are stored above ground (in one or more containers) as well as larger domestic installations. All types of oil are covered by these regulations, including petrol, diesel, vegetable, synthetic and mineral oil. The exception is waste oil, which is covered by the Waste Management Licensing Regulations. Storage tanks have to be bunded, plus there are also specific requirements for fitting additional equipment - especially where diesel is being used in vehicles and plants.
What lies beneath
Presentations at a recent seminar revealed the enormity of the tasks to be addressed if carbon capture and sequestration is ever to become a reality.