Integrated Pollution Control 4 Radioactive Substances Act 6 Air Quality • 7
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!W vk mW Midlands Environmental Reference Book 1995/96 Contents Introduction 3 Integrated Pollution Control 4 Radioactive Substances Act 6 Air Quality • 7 NO 2 Graphs 14 SO2 Graphs 107 Waste 152 Water Quality 157 GQA Charts 162 Midlands Environment Report Introduction This report draws together information on pollution levels and environmental quality in the Environment Agency's Midlands region for April 1995 to March 1996. As such it represents the baseline data at the Agency’s inception. Whilst some of the information is from the Agency predecessors (the National Rivers Authority, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution and the Waste Regulatory Authorities) much information is from other sources. Most notable are the Local Authorities in the region who have provided air quality information for their areas. The assis tance of the Local Authorities in providing the data for this report is gratefully acknowledged. Some of this information is routinely passed on to the Department of the Environment for publication in various reference books 0A1A5). Operational Statistics This was the final twelve months of operations for the Agency's predecessor organisations. They will independently publish their own annual reports (‘-7). The information in the following section illustrates the activities undertaken before Vesting Day on 1 April 1996. E n v ir o n m e n t Ag e n c y NATIONAL LIBRARY & INFORMATION SERVICE MIDLANDS REGION Olion Court. 10 Warwick Road Olton, Solihull B92 7HX ENVIRONMENT AGENCY Midlands Environment Report 084597 Integrated Pollution Control Integrated Pollution Control Operational Figures for 1995/96 Authorisations A u th o risa tio n s fo r IPC No ______ Com m ent This was the last year where existing Applications for Authorisation 70 industrial processes were brought under Integrated Pollution Control Substantial Variations 10 (IPC). Following the statutory phased introduction, the non-ferrous metals Minor Variations 112 industry and a number of other small industry groups such as paper making C o m plian ce and timber treatment were authorised during 1995/96. Since all prescribed Planned Inspections 356 processes are now under the regime, a number of operators have sought to Visits to discuss applications 371 alter their manufacturing techniques. Where this has significant impact on Reactive Inspections 325 Response to information the environment the law requires a from members of the substantial variation and consultation public and company with other statutory bodies and the staff public. Other less significant matters are dealt with as minor variations. Complaints, Enforcement and P ro secu tio n s No Com m ent Another feature of IPC seen during the year has been the first four yearly Complaints from members of the reviews of authorisations. public 502 All authorised processes will receive Enforcement notices served where these in due course. companies have contravened conditions of authorisation C o m p lian ce documents 7 Or were likely to contravene conditions of Inspections to ensure compliance with an authorisation the detailed conditions imposed upon operators have progressed with the Prohibitions notices served where the introduction of a system to assess inspector was of the opinion that the environmental risk and operator operation o f the process was causing performance. It is hoped that this imminent risk of serious pollution of system of assessment will enable the the environment 2 Or were likely to cause Agency to target resources at those imminent risk of serious factories where most attention is pollution of the required to protect the environment. environment Prosecutions Includes 2 prosecutions taken under previous legislation (Health and Safety at Work Act 1974) Midlands Environment Report Description of Industrial Processes subject to Integrated Process Type________________ No Com ment Pollution Control are prescribed by Gasification processes 7 Includes Natural gas processes regulations. They must also release substances that are prescribed in the Carbonisation Processes 7 Includes coking and other coal same regulations: The Environmental related processes Protection (Prescribed Processes and Combustion Processes 38 Includes electricity generation Substances) Regulations, Statutory and industrial process heating Instrument 472 (1 991) (as amended). Petroleum Processes 7 Iron and steelmaking 6 Non ferrous metals 40 Cement and lime manufacture 15 Includes 6 cement processes Asbestos processes 1 Manufacture of asbestos materials Glass and enamel frit manufacture 3 Petrochemical Processes 6 The manufacture and use of 65 organic chemicals Acid processes 19 Processes involving fluorine, 15 chlorine, bromine or iodine Inorganic chemical processes 40 Chemical fertilizer production 1 Pesticide production 1 # Pharmaceutical production 1 Incineration of municipal waste 8 Includes two at Tyseley Waste Disposal and others in last stages of closure Incineration of chemical waste 3 Incineration of clinical waste 3 Incineration of sewage sludge 2 Oil and solvent recovery 4 Paper and pulp manufacture 2 Di-isocyanate processes 9 Tar and bitumen processes 1 Boatyard anti-fouling treatment 1 Manufacture of inks and dyestuffs 1 Timber treatment processes 7 Midlands Environment Report Radioactive Substances Act Inspections Premises and Inspections No Inspectors made 40 visits to the 105 Premises Authorised to accumulate premises accumulating and disposing and dispose of Radioactive Waste 105 of radioactive waste during the year. In addition, 81 visits were made to the Premises Registered to hold premises where radioactive materials Radioactive materials 622 are used. Mobile Radioactive sources registered 165 Enforcement and Prosecution No Com m ent Enforcement notices served 5 Or were likely to contravene where companies have conditions of an authorisation contravened conditions of authorising or registering documents Prohibitions notices served 1 where the inspector was of the opinion that the carrying on of an activity was causing imminent risk of serious p ollution of the environment/or harm to human health Prosecutions 1 Midlands Environment Report quality The Government, recognising that the quality of air that Automatic Air Quality Monitoring we breathe is critical to us all, established a new framework for improving air quality in the Environment Act 1995. The The Department of the Environment has established a National Air Quality Strategy addresses the contribution to national network of monitoring stations covering both be made by industry, transport and local government to urban and rural sites. Annual reports are published by the that improvement. D epartm ent, the most recent of which was "Air Pollution in the UK: 1 994(')B. A summary of the information for the Under Section 80 of the Environment Act 1995, the Secretary Midlands region sites is included in this report. The of State has form ulated a strategy for the assessment and information contained within this report is for continuously management of the quality of air. This has required measured levels of: consultation with the Agency and other bodies which appear to him to represent the interests of local government, O zone industry, and any other bodies who he thinks appropriate. Oxides of nitrogen Carbon monoxide The Agency has to have regard to the strategy in Sulphur dioxide discharging its pollution prevention and control functions. PM to particulate matter, Benzene and 1,3 Butadiene Every Local Authority has to review present air quality, and compare this with standards and objectives laid out in the (N ot all sites measure all of these pollutants). strategy. These are set out in Appendix 1. The netw ork of m onitoring sites is growing rapidly during Where there are difficulties in complying with the standards, 1996 due to additional Department of the Environment Local Authorities shall by order designate an air quality funding. T he Midlands region had four sites in the urban m anagem ent area in that part of its area where the problem network (including affiliated sites funded by Local exists. An action plan will then be prepared to manage the Authorities) and tw o rural sites in 1994. It is anticipated pollution levels down to the required level. Where processes that this w ill have grown to 11 urban sites by the end of under Integrated Pollution Control are implicated in the air 1996. The sites in the Midlands region are shown on the quality problems the Agency will assist the Local Authority table opposite. to achieve the desired air quality standard by reviewing the relevant conditions of the authorisation. This will of course Additional information is available from Local Authorities be done in consultation with the operators of such factories. in the region operating different continuous monitoring equipm ent such as the OPSIS system measuring pollutants The region's inspectors are already assisting Local Authorities along a lo n g path length. This system is operated by both in establishing inventories of the pollution releases into their Coventry City Council and Stroud District Council in the areas. This includes releases from processes regulated by Midlands region. the Agency, those regulated by the Local Authorities them selves and from other sources such as diffuse domestic and commercial and of course roads. Air pollution levels are m onitored by both Local Authorities and by the Department of the Environment. Several approaches are used which yield different information. This report includes some information