Supporting Information
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Yorkshire Water Services Limited Blackburn Meadows Sludge Treatment Facility (STF) Application for Environmental Permit Variation March 2021 Permit Reference: EPR/CP3897LT/V005 Yorkshire Water Services Limited Blackburn Meadows Sludge Treatment Facility (STF) Application for Environmental Permit Variation March 2021 Permit Reference: EPR/CP3897LT/V005 Document Structure Non-technical Summary Section I: Environmental Permit Application Forms Part A Part C2 Part C3 Part F1 (including letter of authorisation) Section II: Technical Description Section III: Supporting Information Section IV: Figures Figure 1: Site Location Plan Figure 2: Installation Layout Figure 3: Principal Emission Points Figure 4: Drainage Plan Section V: Appendices Appendix 1: Relevant Offences Appendix 2: Technical Competence Appendix 3: ISO14001 certificate Appendix 4: Quality and Environmental Policy Appendix 5: Site Condition Report Appendix 6: BAT Assessment Appendix 7: Review of Air Quality Risk Assessment Appendix 8: Odour Impact Assessment Appendix 9: Noise Impact Assessment Appendix 10: Odour Management Plan Appendix 11: Secondary Containment Risk Assessment Application for Environmental Permit Variation Blackburn Meadows STF Sign-off Sheet Yorkshire Water Services Ltd Sign-off Sheet Project Name Environmental Permitting Support Project No 41527729 0301 Report Reference 41527729 0301 - 01 Revision Date Description Author Check Review 01 31/03/2021 FINAL E. Stewart P. Smith P. Duncan Disclaimer This document entitled Blackburn Meadows Sludge Treatment Facility (STF) Application for Environmental Permit Variation was prepared by Stantec for the account of Yorkshire Water (the “Client”). Any reliance on this document by any third party is strictly prohibited. The material in it reflects Stantec’s professional judgment considering the scope, schedule and other limitations stated in the document and in the contract between Stantec and the Client. The opinions in the document are based on conditions and information existing at the time the document was published and do not take into account any subsequent changes. In preparing the document, Stantec did not verify information supplied to it by others. Any use which a third party makes of this document is the responsibility of such third party. Such third party agrees that Stantec shall not be responsible for costs or damages of any kind, if any, suffered by it or any other third party as a result of decisions made or actions taken based on this document. Application for Environmental Permit Variation Blackburn Meadows STF Non-technical Summary Yorkshire Water Services Ltd Non-technical Summary This application is being made due to changes to the Environment Agency (EA) interpretation of the environmental permitting exclusion for Urban Wastewater Activities (under Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 (EPR) Schedule 1, Part 2, Chapter 5, Section 5.4). The EA interpretation now requires that anaerobic digestion (AD) plants treating over 100 tonnes/day (t/d) are classified as installations for the purposes of EPR. Furthermore, it has been determined that, in calculating digestor capacity, there should be no distinction between imported or indigenous sludges. The Yorkshire Water (YW) Blackburn Meadows (BBM) Sludge Treatment Facility (STF), which forms part of the wider BBM wastewater treatment works (WwTW), exceeds the 100t/d throughput limit and it has therefore been agreed that a variation to an existing installation permit (reference number EPR/CP3897LT) is required to add Schedule 5.4 Part A(1)b(i) for AD treatment activities. Note that this existing permit already includes sludge conditioning, biogas storage and treatment (including biogas storage, CHP, boilers and flare) and associated activities. YW is making no changes to the processes within the installation, which is being permitted on the basis of how it is currently operated. Summary of activities This permit variation application is to remove the former sludge conditioning processes which used to be carried out at the site, which including blending of sludges with green waste and some Directly Associated Activities (DAAs). In its place, the current sludge treatment process will be added to the permit; this uses AD to safely and effectively treat sewage sludge. Several DAAs related to the AD activity will also be brought into the permit. The revised permit installation will comprise the following: Figure 1 Installation schematic NTS-1 Application for Environmental Permit Variation Blackburn Meadows STF Non-technical Summary Yorkshire Water Services Ltd Overview of activities The BBM STF treats indigenous sewage sludges arising from sewage treatment processes operated within the wider BBM WwTW as well as sewage sludges generated by smaller YW ‘satellite’ sewage works. The principal activities undertaken within the installation includes: Sludge reception and screening, Raw sludge thickening, Anaerobic digestion, Biogas collection and storage (including flaring if operationally necessary), Use of biogas (a renewable energy source) to fuel combined heat and power (CHP) and/or boilers, generating electricity and / or heat to support the AD process, Digested sludge dewatering, Storage and maturation of digested sludge prior to transfer off site for landspreading as an agricultural soil conditioning agent, Collection and treatment of potentially odorous gases from the process, Raw material storage and use, Surface water and process liquor collection and transfer to BBM WwTW for treatment, and Waste storage and transfer off site. Figure NTS-1 Illustration showing main activity areas NTS-2 Application for Environmental Permit Variation Blackburn Meadows STF Non-technical Summary Yorkshire Water Services Ltd Impact assessment A detailed assessment of emissions from the process and their potential effects on the environment, including local human and ecological sensitive receptors has been carried out. This is reported in this variation application and concludes that there are no significant negative environmental impacts predicted to arise as a result of activities covered within the scope of this permit variation application. An odour impact assessment has been undertaken. This assessment has concluded that the majority of sensitive receptors are exposed to either a negligible or slight adverse odour effect. One of the fourteen sensitive receptors is assessed as being exposed to a moderately adverse effect. As this is an existing receptor with no history of odour complaints associated with current operations, it is considered that the potential odour exposure at this receptor is unlikely to be significant. However, it is recognised that there is a residual risk arising from odour from any STF process, therefore YW has developed an Odour Management Plan (OMP), which is submitted with this application. A noise impact assessment has been undertaken. The risk of noise and vibration at nearby sensitive receptors is predicted to be low; more detailed assessment and further mitigation is not required, nor is a specific noise management plan. Noise will continue to be managed through operational controls and good practice. A fugitive emissions/bioaerosol risk assessment has been undertaken. This has concluded that more detailed assessment and mitigation is not required at BBM STF. A detailed air quality impact assessment (AQIA) to consider the effects of emissions to air from the CHP and boiler plant has not been undertaken as part of this variation application as these activities are already permitted and no changes are required. A detailed AQIA was undertaken in 2013 to support the application to add the CHP and boilers to the permit. The AQIA has been reviewed and it has been concluded that it remains an appropriate assessment of the potential effects on air quality. A secondary containment risk assessment has been undertaken to assess whether measures to protect the environment in the event of a failure of containment of primary storage tanks are adequate. Whilst the overall risk assessment indicates that the installation presents an acceptable risk, recommendations are made to consider enhancements to containment in several discrete areas. Site operational controls The BBM STF installation is operated in accordance with an Environmental Management System (EMS), which includes controls to minimise point source and fugitive emissions to air, water and land. The YW EMS is certified to ISO14001 and a planned maintenance and inspection programme is in place to optimise the operation of plant. A leak detection and repair plan is in place to minimise fugitive emissions to air. An accident management plan has been prepared to assess risks and identify controls associated with accidents and other unplanned events. NTS-3 Application for Environmental Permit Variation Blackburn Meadows STF Section I: Application Forms Yorkshire Water Services Ltd Section I: Application Forms Application for Environmental Permit Variation Blackburn Meadows STF Section I: Application Forms Yorkshire Water Services Ltd Form A Application for Environmental Permit Variation Blackburn Meadows STF Section I: Application Forms Yorkshire Water Services Ltd Form C2 Application for Environmental Permit Variation Blackburn Meadows STF Section I: Application Forms Yorkshire Water Services Ltd Form C3 Application for Environmental Permit Variation Blackburn Meadows STF Section I: Application Forms Yorkshire Water Services Ltd Form F1 (including letter of authorisation)