Fortnightly Bulletin – 8th April 2024
8 April 2024
Guidance
Post-Combustion Carbon Dioxide Capture: Emerging Techniques
The guidance on how to prevent or minimise environmental impacts of post-combustion carbon dioxide capture has been updated in several sections to reflect feedback from stakeholders. For example, the title ‘best available techniques’ has been changed to ‘emerging techniques’, and content that relates directly to carbon capture at energy from waste plants has been added.
Source: Gov.uk
For the full article, click here
Environmental Permitting: Air Dispersion Modelling Report
The Environment Agency has added more information on what they expect from applicants conducting dispersion modelling assessments with emissions from emerging technologies, such as the carbon capture and storage industry. Other updates have also been made to bring the guidance in line with current air dispersion modelling requirements.
Source: Gov.uk
For the full guidance, click here
Collecting and Storing Mixed Fuel from Misfuelled Vehicles: RPS 9
The date which the Environment Agency will withdraw this regulatory position statement on when you can collect and store mixed fuel from misfuelled vehicles without an environmental permit has been extended to 1st July 2024.
Source: Gov.uk
For the full guidance, click here
Hydrogen Production by Electrolysis of Water: Emerging Techniques
The Environment Agency has published guidance for the production of hydrogen by electrolysis of water. The guidance will help businesses when designing and operating their plants and preparing their application for an environmental permit.
Source: Gov.uk
For the full guidance, click here
Articles of Interest
UN: Increased Recycling Efforts Failing to Keep Pace with Boom in E-waste
A record 62 million tonnes of e-waste was produced in 2022, an 82% increase since records began in 2010. E-waste generation rates are exceeding the rates of growth to recycling capacity fivefold. The UN has warned that e-waste recycling is “inadequate” in most areas. Almost 10% of e-waste generated in 2022 was exported from wealthier nations to less wealthy ones. E-waste that is not processed properly poses numerous risks to both public health and the environment.
Source: edie.net
For the full article, click here
Veolia Calls for 26% Increase in Plastic Packaging Tax
In its ‘Resource the Future’ report, Veolia has called for the minimum amount of recycled material to increase from 30% to 35% this year and the tax to increase from £217.85 to £275 per tonne. Veolia said the tax , introduced in April 2022 on plastics that do not contain sufficient recycled materials, was not achieving its aims. An investigation by WRAP found that just over a fifth of the 2.2 million tonnes entering the UK market each year comes from recycled sources.
Source: mrw.co.uk
For the full article, click here
Prosecutions and Fines
As a reminder, the Environment Agency (EA) will prosecute large organisations, as well as small-scale organisations, that do not adhere to environmental legislation. Below is a historical prosecution that highlights the need for environmental impacts to be considered at the planning phase of construction projects.
House Building Company fined for Polluting Water Course
A house building company was fined £120,000 for illegally polluting a watercourse from activities on a construction site. Silt-contaminated water from the site entered a nearby watercourse causing significant impact on water quality up to three kilometres further downstream. The concentration of suspended solids in the water from some samples showed there to be nearly 35,000 milligrams of suspended solids per litre. A healthy water course is expected to have a concentration lower than 30 milligrams per litre.
The company was also ordered to pay £8,706.71 in legal costs and a £120 victim surcharge.
Mark West, environment management team leader at the Environment Agency, said:
“Construction companies should consider the potential environmental impact of developments they undertake at the initial planning stage and must adhere to environmental permitting rules and invest in appropriate management systems to prevent their activities from affecting the local environment.”
Source: Environment Agency
For the full article, click here
Events
Legal Update: Suez vs Environment Agency
10th April 2024 12:00 – 13:00
This webinar will focus on the requirements for Compliance Assessment Report (CAR) forms in relation to sites governed by Environmental Permits as well as the challenges in relation to CAR forms.
Source: IEMA
