Environmental Statement
The
installation is located at
The
installation is located within the industrialised area of Cardiff Docks, and is
situated directly adjacent to Roath Dock.
Access to the site is directly off
Seaport Environmental
Ltd operates a hazardous waste treatment facility at the installation. The operations undertaken at the installation
comprise the treatment and disposal of liquids, sludges, and solids
contaminated with hydrocarbons and organic substances. The wastes include liquids and solids
generated from a variety of industrial sources.
SSSI’s /European
sites nearby
The Severn Estuary is located approximately 800m to the south of
the installation at its nearest point.
The Estuary comprises an intertidal zone of mudflats, sandbanks, rocky
platforms and saltmarsh on both its English and Welsh coastlines, and is one of
largest the most important such areas in
We recognise that our operations have the potential to cause harm to the environment and biodiversity, to threaten water quality (surface and groundwater), air quality and harm public health. We understand that pollution incidents can have an effect beyond the facility boundary and that the operators may have direct, indirect and short term effects on the environment.
In recognition of these issues Seaport Environmental Ltd takes a proactive approach to minimise its environmental impacts.
Raw materials and waste
streams
The following waste materials arose from the treatment process. Seaport Environmental Ltd
Filter cake. Contains metal hydroxides, classified as non hazardous following guidance from the Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC2). – 1626 tonnes
§ Effluent is discharged to sewer under discharge consent conditions 20988m3
§ General waste, packaging etc - 53 tonnes
§ Wood for recycling – 13 tonnes
§ Metal scrap -14 tonnes
Material consumption
Water: consists of process and domestic usage was 52m3
Electricity: 22.2 MWh
Diesel 6810 litres (used for site mobile plant)
Propane Gas 90 kgs (used to run the thermal oxidiser).
Emissions to air
The major issue and causes for complaints has been emissions of odour from the facility while treating ‘Merox’, a petrochemical waste. This Merox contains highly odiferous mercaptans.
Seaport Environmental Ltd previously operated under a Waste Management Licence, was granted a permit to operate under PPC Regulations 2000 in September 2006. Seaport Environmental Ltd has recently applied for two variations, one to widen the waste types accepted on site, and the second covers the installation of a wet scrubbing system to supplement the Thermal Oxidiser, used to incinerate all vapours generated during handling, storage and treatment.
Environmental Performance.
The major activity involves the sending filter cake to landfill, and an investigation carried out to determine whether it was possible to reduce the volume of filter cake being produced. By installing pH meters to closely monitor the pH values at certain key stages of the process, it has been possible to reduce cake by approximately fifty percent. This will save the company some £60000 pa.
A number of new staff have been recruited, and investments made in the Laboratory area. This has led to closer control of the process, all incoming material is routinely analysed for metal content, in particular, nickel, chromium, copper, zinc and lead.
Water issues are continually being addressed, waste steams, especially whether collected rainwater is can be use to clean down the Processing Area, rather than commercial water. Seaport Environmental Ltd treats all waste water on site.
Other objectives include increasing the effectiveness of existing management systems. As part of the PPC permitting process Seaport Environmental Ltd was given seventeen improvement conditions (ICs). As of September 2007 there are only three outstanding items for completion. The majority of the ICs were to produce written procedures, covering the process, pollution prevention and management systems.
Throughout this Seaport Environmental Ltd is committed to prevent and minimise risks of environmental impacts.
It is the intention of the company to achieve the Green Dragon Level 3 standard by Christmas 2007. The company operates an environment management system but there is a need for external auditing by an independent company.
The company subscribes to the Arena Network and is used to update new legislation as well as for training staff in environmental issues.
Transport
The company run two fork trucks and one skid loader to transport raw materials and waste products. The impact of transport usage on the environment is considered to be low.
Summary
The company has made a commitment to operate in an environmentally friendly and sensitive manner, reducing wherever practicable, its environmental impacts and helping to maintain and enhance biodiversity. This statement demonstrates our success so far, sets out new objectives and clarifies the companies’ intention to continuously improve its environmental performance.
Approved By ____________________________________ Managing Director
Date ___28/2/2007__