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A company is involved in the manufacture of cellulose acetate fibre and is registered under the EPA Part A s4.2 The manufacture and use of Organic Chemicals. Services provided We have been working with the company for over six years aiding in the monitoring/ measurement of various determinands released into water and which are an integral part of the consent to operate the process. We have been asked to monitor Biological Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Flow (in various channels), methanol, ethyl acetate, methylene chloride and benzene, metals in water discharges and in soil/effluent pit samples, total phosphorus in effluent samples and dissolved solids. The aim of the ongoing work is to confirm compliance with the conditions attached in the process authorisation. The secondary aim is to aid in improving the balance of emission to any of air, land, or water by having knowledge of baseline chemical mass balances. In some cases conditions are deliberately set up to deliver worst case results. By using these techniques, we can not only achieve compliance, but work towards best practice. We
have taken a total of 1750 samples to date and spent over 350 days
on this project; regular weekly visits are made to site to complete
the routine sampling and to undertake any special projects. We are
in some cases required to work under permit to work conditions.
Site access can only be gained after undertaking awareness training
and passing a test to an approved standard to verify knowledge;
updates must be gained on an annual basis in order to retain permission
to work in all areas of the site. Help was provided to a company to identify a non-return to sewer. The company was being charged as though all the mains water metered in was sent back to the effluent drains system/sewer, however it was proven that 66% was lost through evaporation in the cooling tower system. The company saved £6,000 on the invoicing of water per annum as a result. Services Provided Monitoring of all effluent drains and foul sewers was undertaken over an agreed time period to establish the quantities by volume of effluent/sewerage leaving the factory system. Where the pathway for the effluent was not totally clear (100%) tracing dyes were used to ensure the exact routing was known particularly between effluent and foul sewers. It was established that the quantities of effluent/sewerage leaving the factory did not coincide with those metered in; there was a major difference that required further investigation. It
was proven, to the satisfaction of North West Water, that water
was being lost in the cooling towers through evaporation, thus the
water bill could be substantially reduced (see above). A North West
Water Authority representative visited the site to see the ‘set
up’ and to verify the figures provided by our monitoring. Aid
was provided to the company in completing the relevant forms and
paperwork. Background Etching
of tungsten wire wound around a molybdenum mandrel was undertaken
using Services Provided A study of the performance of the scrubber unit was undertaken to evaluate the following parameters: i)
Optimisation of the concentration of the scrubbing agent; Prior to the start of the practical work activity full research was undertaken so as to gain knowledge of what had already been researched in this technology area. The
outcome of the work was to achieve a reduction in the release of
gas to atmosphere to well below previously achieved performance
( nominal was about 1000 p.p.m.). The new resulting normal level
of gas release was now less than 200 p.p.m.. This release concentration
to atmosphere was below expectations and had never been achieved
previously on a continual basis. A company largely working in the nuclear industry had achieved BS EN ISO9001:1994 certification, had some environmental management systems in place, although they were not totally implemented and some evidence of the performance of risk assessments for a variety of work operations. The company became aware that this methodology left a number of significant gaps in its overall control systems, particularly in the light of the proposed changes to ISO9000 series on quality. The company expressed a wish to compile an integrated management system which met all the requirements of the following three standards: BS EN ISO9001:2000, BS EN ISO 14001 and BS 18001. Services Provided Initial effort concentrated on the definition of the key activities of the company (these are the processes as defined in the standard). The decision reached was that there were three main activities a) Project Management, b) Assurance Services (to be the QSHEW - quality, safety, health, environment and welfare), c) other ancillary activities and support functions such as administration. A flow chart was constructed of all key links, activities and communications. This flow chart facilitated choices as to how the procedures were to be placed into groups. Each procedure was to be accompanied by an appropriate flow chart to facilitate a change over to the new format at some future date (the procedures themselves would become defunct in time as staff became used to using new format material. Over a period of eighteen months the manual was rewritten, formatted against the clauses of ISO14001, the procedures were rewritten and a project plan generated for the company head office. All
external audits have successfully concluded that the system meets
the requirements of all three standards. A company supplying polyvinyl chloride products to the automotive market requested that we aid their organisation to gain BS EN ISO14001 certification due to supply chain pressure within that industry. Services Provided Help was provided to the company to develop its register of effects, to score each effect under varying conditions (incident and emergency) and to place each one in traceable format in the system. This part of the system development was regarded as the ‘rate determining step’ since the organisation had a number of differing and complex processes on site (as examples printing, compounding and spreading). Other key aspects of the system such as compiling a register of applicable law, an operations manual, a policy statement, identifying objectives targets and programmes were specifically linked in to the aspects, as seen fit, particularly those that were termed significant. A full set of procedures were drawn up to reflect the daily working practices of the company (this included some documents identified as work instructions). The whole system has been subjected to external assessment and has been proved to be meeting the requirements of the standard. Ongoing
help has been provided with regard to internal auditor training
and awareness, as well as the upkeep of the legal register. Background A waste compound that was used to store a wide range of potentially toxic chemicals was situated close to a controlled water (a beck). Although the compound was fully enclosed (bunded) it was possible during periods of heavy rain for an interceptor to overflow and causing possible pollution to the beck. The pollution could cause harm that would be an offence under s85 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, if proven. It was also possible for adjoining land to be contaminated. Water that collected in the compound could only be disposed of as special waste, since it was contaminated with potentially harmful chemicals. A holding tank was in place to allow a waste management contractor to collect this waste water on a regular basis and dispose of it in an approved manner. The annual management cost of the disposal of the waste water was about £12,000 per annum. Services Provided Advice
was given to the company on ways in which to reduce the risk of
pollution and at the same time save money. A design was drawn up
to incorporate best practice, for example, secure bunding, secure
flooring to avoid land contamination, incorporation of a roof to
eliminate the need to dispose of waste water and removal of the
site to one well away from the beck. In addition new rules were
drawn up for the improved management of the materials held in the
compound. |
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