Current Status and Proposed Changes at Rivenhall Integrated Waste Management Facility
Gent Fairhead applied to vary their environmental permit at the Rivenhall IWMF, initially facing a refusal in 2016 but later receiving approval in 2017 for a taller stack design. They now seek to align permit and planning requirements by lowering the stack height and implementing advanced emission reduction systems. Essex County Council's decision on the variation is pending.
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Presentation Transcript
Rivenhall Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF) Our proposed decision on Gent Fairhead s application to vary its environmental permit for the IWMF
Location of Rivenhall IWMF Environmental Permit boundary
The background the first permit application Gent Fairhead & Co. first applied to us for an environmental permit for the IWMF in November 2015. The IWMF already had planning permission from Essex County Council but both planning and a permit are required before any operations can commence. We rejected the permit application in December 2016. We believe the company had not demonstrated that their proposals reduced emissions and the impact on the environment through the use of Best Available Techniques (BAT). In particular, we did not believe that the proposed incinerator design with a stack height of 35 metres (above surrounding ground level) could be considered BAT. Even though we rejected the application, we did not believe that any human health or air quality thresholds would be exceeded with the proposed design. However, we recognised that a taller stack would result in a lower impact on local air quality. 5
When was the current permit issued? Gent Fairhead did not appeal our refusal decision but instead made a fresh application for an environmental permit in March 2017 The second permit application was the same as the first except for the following: - a taller stack of 58 metres (above ground level); and - a more stringent emission limit for nitrogen oxides (150mg/m3 compared to 200 mg/m3) With more stringent emission limits and a reduced impact on local air quality, we were satisfied that a stack height of 58 metres above surrounding ground levels (78 metres from the base) could now be considered BAT for the IWMF. A permit was therefore issued to Gent Fairhead in September 2017 6
Why are Gent Fairhead seeking to vary their permit? The current planning permission restricts the stack height to 35 metres (above ground level) but the current permit requires a stack of 58 metres. Gent Fairhead applied to us in October 2018 to vary its permit to lower the stack to 35 metres in order to align the planning and permitting requirements. The company also sought to change its planning permission to allow a higher stack but this was refused by Essex County Council in April 2019. In addition to lowering the stack height, the variation application requested the following changes: - Use of an advanced Selective Non Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) abatement system to further reduce the levels of nitrogen oxides; and - Applying a number of stricter emission limits for nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and a range of metals. 7
Who did we consult on the application? An advert was placed in the Braintree and Witham Times newspaper on 24 January 2019. The application was also advertised on our website. The application and all other documents were available to view on our Public Register at Environment Agency, Rivers House, Inworth Road, Feering CO5 9SE. A briefing note was sent to the Parish Councils and other interested parties and Parishes against the Incinerator . In addition to the public, we consulted the following: - Food Standards Agency - Local Planning Authority Essex County Council - Local Authority Environmental Health Colchester Borough Council - Health and Safety Executive - Director or Public Health - Public Health England Our consultation ran from 24 January 2019 to 21 February 2019 8
The reasons for our proposed decision After detailed consideration of the variation application, we are now proposing to accept the requested changes and issue a permit variation on the following basis: - Air quality impact assessment indicates that polluting emissions are not predicted to be significantly different compared to the current permit requirements; - Additional pollution control measures have been proposed by Gent Fairhead in order to meet the lower emissions limits for certain pollutants. These go beyond what is normally required to demonstrate BAT (Best Available Techniques); - The annual mass release of nitrogen oxides to the environment is reduced compared to the current permit conditions. We are satisfied that the impact of the variation proposals on human health and the local environment will be insignificant. Overall, the proposals will deliver an equivalent level of environmental protection to the standards previously accepted. The permit variation proposals can therefore still be considered BAT. 9
What happens now? We are now consulting the public on our intention to accept Gent Fairhead s proposed incinerator design/operational changes and to issue a permit variation. However, before making any final decision on the application, we will be considering all representations made by the public which are within our statutory remit. Our public consultation runs from 9th January to 6th February 2020 10
Where can I view the consultation and make comments? Consultation documents can be viewed: Online at GOV.UK (please see our information leaflets for the link); At the drop-in event today; At our Feering office (by appointment) Consultation responses can be made to us: Online (please see our information leaflets for the link); By email; By post Email: PSCpublicresponse@environment-agency.gov.uk Post: Environment Agency, Permitting & Support Centre, Land Team, Quadrant 2, 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield S9 4WF
Planning issues which we cannot consider as part of this consultation Visual impact of the incinerator stack; Local road network capacity, increased vehicle movements and vehicle emissions; Location of the incinerator; Need for the incinerator; Local waste management policy and importing of waste into the area; Impact on houses prices; The content of previous planning applications. 12
A summary Gent Fairhead submitted a permit variation application to us in October 2018. We consulted the public on the application from 24th January to 21st February 2019; Our technical assessment of the proposals primarily considered: - stack height; - air quality impact; - advanced abatement system; and - revised emission limits. We are now consulting the public on our intention to accept the requested changes and issue a permit variation. Our consultation runs from 9th January to 6th February 2020. We will consider all received representations before making a final decision. 13
