Unfortunately, with a vibrant industrial base, the issues
of pollution from that industry arise. Pollution can take many
forms, but is normally classified into land, air, and water.
Pollution emissions are regulated by either the Environment Agency
or the council dependent on the type of industrial
installation.
Industrial Land
Contamination
One of the legacies of an industrial past
is historic land contamination. It is dealt with principally under
Contaminated Land Legislation, although
certain current industrial sites are required to have regard to
their potential for contamination of land within permits issued
to them under the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and
Wales) Regulations 2000 (as amended) (PPC).
These sites are primarily those controlled by
Part A1 and Part A2 regulation.
These permits essentially concentrate on preventing further
contamination. The law requires a site to be remediated back to the
level of contamination found when the permit commenced if the site
is closed. In most cases this means that land will only be
remediated back to standard set in 2004.
Further remediation of industrial contaminated land after
compliance with the permit conditions would be via the
Contaminated Land regime or through the
normal planning consent installation.
Industrial Air Pollution
Air Pollution from industry
falls into three main categories:
- Industry regulated by permits.
- Industry subject to Clean Air legislation.
- Industry subject to Air Quality guidelines.
1. Industry regulated by permits
Industry
that may cause a serious pollution risk is regulated by a permit
issued under the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and
Wales) Regulations 2000 (as amended). These industries are further
subdivided into three separate areas:
- Part A1 multi-media regulation* (Environment Agency
regulated).
- Part A2 multi-media regulation* (Council regulated).
- Part B Air Pollution only (Council Regulated).
Part A1 and
Part A2 industries are regulated in
similar ways. Each is issued with a permit specifically controlling
the way it operates and controlling emissions to the environment.
These include emissions to air, water, land, energy efficiency,
waste, noise etc. and are normally referred to as *multi-media
permits. Telford currently has four companies regulated as A1
installations, and 10 companies regulated as A2 installations.
Part B industries are
inherently lower risk polluters and are regulated for emissions to
air only. Telford currently has over 50 companies regulated as Part
B installations.
Public registers
Both A2 and Part B installations are required to submit information
on their emissions to the council. These emissions are normally
monitored by independent companies that sample emissions and
effluents and determine compliance with the statutory targets
placed in the permits. At the moment this information is not
available online. The results of this monitoring, along with copies
of permits, copies of applications, notices served, and enforcement
action taken, are available for public inspection free of charge
at our offices.
A1 public registers are kept by the Environment Agency.
Copies of these are kept at the council offices.
2. Industry subject to Clean Air
legislation
Industry that is not controlled by PPC
permitting is subject to the provisions of
Clean Air Act 1993. All commercial and
industrial premises are required to ensure that emissions from
chimneys do not emit smoke. Owners of industrial and commercial
boilers and furnaces are required by the same Act to ensure that
the dispersal of pollutants is satisfactory. Sections 14, 15 &
16 of the Act require the chimney height of the furnace to be
approved by the local authority. A
chimney height approval application form is
available.
3. Industry subject to Air Quality
guidelines
All industrial and commercial premises in
the borough are subject to the requirements of air quality. If a
permitted installation were to be responsible for a breach of
Air Quality Objectives, then it would
require additional controls to be placed onto the permit over
and above the norm. If a non permitted installation were in a
similar position, separate regulation would be necessary to
resolve the problem.
Industrial Water Pollution
With the exception of companies
regulated as A1 or A2 Pollution Prevention and Control
installations which is regulated by the permit, industrial water
pollution is regulated by agencies external to council.
The Environment Agency regulate all effluent emissions to
controlled waters, (lakes, rivers, streams, aquifers, etc.) either
via a discharge consent document (which limits the emissions to in
the same manner as a licence), or by relying on prosecution of
offending companies for polluting. For more information on the
Environment Agency role please contact:
Environment Agency,
Hafren House,
Welshpool Road,
Shrewsbury,
Shropshire,
SY3 8BB
The Environment Agency control emissions into controlled waters,
the sewerage undertakers (like Severn Trent) control effluent
emissions to sewer. Like the Environment Agency, the sewerage
undertaker, can licence emissions to sewer, normally charging a fee
to do so, but they can also prosecute for illegal discharges to the
sewer system. Unlike with the Environment Agency, it is possible to
have an A1 or A2 installation regulated by a permit, and still have
a discharge consent to sewer from Severn Trent. The main reason for
this is that the discharge consent is a means of charging the
operator for the pollutant emissions which Severn Trent then treat
at the sewage treatment works, rather than as a pollution control
function. Severn Trent can be contacted at:
Severn Trent Water
Trade Effluent Section,
2297 Coventry Road,
Sheldon,
Birmingham.
B26
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