Environment Agency - Experts & Thought Leaders

UK Landfill Service and Fill Service operator uses a data-driven approach to workplace safety. Pioneering landfill and waste resource management company, Enovert, uses Blackline Safety data analytics to enhance gas detection and exposure prevention. The Challenge Preventing gas exposure and protecting workers Enovert is one of UK's pioneering providers of waste management services managing over 2.3 million tons of waste per year. Their operations include seven operational landfill sites, two composting facilities, and three waste transfer stations. In addition to providing safe and efficient disposal of waste, they also produce renewable energy by extracting gas from landfill sites. Enovert's landfill sites produce methane-rich gas The company needed a solution to keep their workers safe from hazardous gas exposure Enovert's landfill sites produce methane-rich gas, which is formed as organic material buried in the landfill decomposes. It is then safely extracted and used to generate electricity that is exported to the National Grid.  The company needed a solution to keep their workers safe from hazardous gas exposure and provide greater visibility of potential risks across all their sites. Data collection and analysis "Data collection and analysis is the present and future of the industrial sector. With the data we’re able to collect, track and analyze, we can respond and adapt quickly if there is a risk of gas exposure, and also look back to take steps to mitigate that risk in the future." "Data is a driving force in keeping our people safe and supporting our commitment to the environment," Mark Silvester, CEO of Enovert. The Solution Real-time insights help mitigate risk and enhance worker confidence To protect its workforce from exposure, Enovert has invested in G7c personal gas detectors to ensure workers are notified of any potential hazards. Additionally, the company took a more macro approach to its safety program by drawing upon data collected from Blackline devices in order to enhance its visibility of methane gas hazard levels across its sites. Enovert has funded G7c personal gas detectors to secure workers are told of any hazards Using the Blackline Live online portal, Enovert has access to real-time and historical data to investigate opportunities and threats on its worksites, helping uncover trends such as where and when gas exposure threats are most present within a certain timeframe. Through this approach, Enovert is able to make continual adjustments to day-to-day operations as well as larger changes to work practices. The Results The data-driven approach creates a safer, more sustainable future In addition to worker safety, this data-centric approach to gas detection also supports Enovert’s sustainability goals. In line with the UK’s initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Enovert uses its gas detector data proactively to track and increase its gas capture rate across all sites. These pioneering practices ensure operations remain safe and exceed compliance standards. Data collected regularly contributes to Enovert’s sustainability studies and also plays a key role in its reporting to the Environment Agency. As a result of using gas detector-derived data to inform and empower decision-making, Enovert’s landfill sites operate to the highest standards of safety and environmental compliance. These practices ensure the safe and secure disposal of waste and the generation of essential electricity to power 75,000 homes across the UK responsibly.

A fire that broke out at an industrial estate near Rotherham is still issuing toxic smoke from burning waste eight weeks later. The warehouse at Kiveton Park Industrial Estate, which stores a mixture of domestic and industrial waste, caught fire in the early hours of 21 September 2022. However, it appears that fire crews are still struggling to completely extinguish hotspots within the waste piles, mainly due to the amount of waste that has been stored there.  fire suppression When the fire first broke out, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue (SYFR) sent six fire appliances, an aerial appliance, and a high-volume pump to the scene. Although the blaze was extinguished the following day, SYFR confirmed that waste was continuing to “burn/smolder” and additional fire crews were called in during the week to deal with “several seats of fire”. A spokesperson for SYFR said, “These fires tend to burn for a long time just by the fact there is so much waste, and often the seat of the fire can be very deep. We continue to monitor the area.” Cause of fire  UKHSA, and South Yorkshire Police, EA have been assisting local fire crews to tackle plastic crust According to ITV News, around 200,000 tonnes of waste have been alight since September, and the operation has turned into a multi-agency effort. In addition to Rotherham Council, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and South Yorkshire Police, the Environment Agency (EA) has been assisting local fire crews for several weeks to tackle the layer of “plastic crust” on top of the waste, which is preventing water from the fire hoses penetrating through. Updates on active fire  Geoff Craig, the Area Environment Manager, explained, "We are very slowly taking smoldering waste from a big waste pile, soaking it in water, and moving it elsewhere on the site to make sure it doesn't reignite.” On 12 November, John Curtin, Executive Director of Operations at the EA, shared updates on the enduring waste fire on his Twitter page, “Much has improved since then, but the fire is still active in the abandoned waste pile.” Additional challenges The warehouse stretches over 130 meters and is 12 meters high. Curtain added that two-thirds of the burning waste has been safely dealt with but there is some way to go. Additional challenges have been the limited amount of space in which to operate, with large machinery required to move the piles of waste safely. “It’s worth reflecting when you look at the waste [that] this could come from any of our homes,” Curtain posted. external monitoring unit After installing an external monitoring unit close to the site, the EA has also been monitoring the air quality It is thought that the burning material is “made up of baled waste and is stored at an illegal waste site”, with the EA also considering whether a prosecution should be brought to the owners of the site. Unsurprisingly, residents living near the industrial estate have been complaining of blackened windows and being kept up at night because of the “strong and intolerable” stench of the fumes. After installing an external monitoring unit close to the site, the EA has also been monitoring the air quality of the nearby area, but found that particulate concentrations are low and “within air quality objectives”. safety advice According to Workshop Guardian, the safety advice issued to nearby residents by SYFR includes the following, “Any smoke can be an irritant and as such, if people need to be outdoors, they are advised to avoid outside areas affected by any smoke or ash or to limit the time that they spend in them. Motorists needing to travel through the smoke should keep windows closed, turn off air conditioning and keep their air vents closed." Side-effects of the smoke  “Residents in areas affected by smoke should stay indoors, keep their doors and windows closed, and follow South Yorkshire Fire Service updates for further advice and information. Some substances present in smoke can irritate the lining of the air passages, the skin, and the eyes. Respiratory symptoms include coughing and wheezing, breathlessness, sputum (phlegm) production, and chest pain." “Chemicals in the smoke can worsen existing health problems like asthma. People with asthma should carry their inhalers. So far, there have been no reports of any people experiencing ill effects from this fire. However, if symptoms occur, people should seek medical advice or call NHS 111.”

In May 2022, the Environment Agency’s Waste Industry Regulatory Services and Chemical Compliance Team (EA) advised the Fire Industry Association (FIA) that they are applying a restriction on persistent organic pollutants entering sewerage systems and the water environment. This group of chemicals is known to have adverse long-term effects on the environment and human health, and can be found in some fire extinguishers. Chemicals in fire extinguishers The chemicals, often known as POPs, PFAS, C6 and/or PFHxA, are sometimes given the moniker forever-chemicals, because they do not degrade. The Environment Agency’s message directly affects water-based fire extinguishers, which have a ‘B-class’ fire rating and contain the chemicals mentioned. Almost entirely, these are Foam and Wet Chemical extinguishers. High-temperature incineration for effective disposal The contents of these extinguishers need to go to high-temperature incineration for disposal The contents of these extinguishers need to go to high-temperature incineration for disposal, instead of the extinguisher technician discharging it to the sewer via sinks/toilets. There is no alternative treatment or regime to prevent PFAS from entering sewerage systems. For most foam installations, alternative extinguisher types, which do not contain these chemicals, are available and will be suggested. Wet Chemical is the only option for cooking oil/fat. What next? Chubb’s recommended approach is a two-phased one. Firstly, to rein in the installation of new extinguishers, which contain these harmful chemicals. Secondly, a prudent phased approach to remove already-installed extinguishers from service. In consideration of pulling back on the volume of new foam extinguishers, which contain the chemicals being provided, so as to deliver general coverage to employers’ premises. The action is straightforward. Simply equip new or refurbished buildings with pollutant-free extinguishers e.g., the Chubb Hydrospray extinguisher. Powder or CO2 perform better on spills than foam Where an employer has provided foam extinguishers to deal with flammable liquid spills, they should note that either powder or CO2 perform better on spills than foam. In fact, a 2 kg CO2 extinguisher will deal with a spill over 3 liters, so it is more than adequate for most workplaces. While the chemicals are inside an extinguisher, they do not harm either purse or the environment It is recognized that specific industrial applications still require foam. In consideration of the latter, a sensible balance can be struck between financial and environmental costs. The chemicals are not banned and they just cannot be discharged into the sewer. While the chemicals are inside an extinguisher, they do not harm either purse or the environment. Switching to a pollutant-free option Therefore, the recommended course of action is to replace the extinguisher with a pollutant-free option, when the foam extinguisher requires any remedial attention beyond its basic annual service. There are three occasions when this situation arises, when extinguishers are: Damaged or unserviceable. Require to be discharged as part of the five-yearly BS5306-3 Extended Service (which cannot now be completed). Have been used and require to be refilled. Unless the extinguisher is empty. Pollutant-free extinguishers All three moments present an ideal time to change to a pollutant-free extinguisher. which can be discharged and refilled in the future. To help, Chubb will have two new pollutant-free extinguishers in its range by the end of 2022. The benefits of this environmental switch are reducing Persistent Organic Pollutants in our land and oceans, preventing forever-chemicals entering the food chain and a healthy legacy for future generations. For employers with ISO 14001 certification aspirations, this is a big tick in the box, especially while retaining fire-fighting capability. Efficient, phased Switch to pollutant-free extinguishers In summary, to protect the environment from further harm, pollutants from extinguishers must be incinerated, instead of being discharged into sewers. Chubb recommends an efficient, phased movement to pollutant-free extinguishers.

A 2015 survey found that globally firefighters are the most trusted profession worldwide. The fire service provides a vital role during flood events, rescuing members of the public, who may be trapped in their homes, pumping out flooded properties, and recovering stranded vehicles. However, many would not require this assistance, if they had been better prepared prior to a flood. And such preparation could help free up emergency services resources for others. Extreme rainfall and flooding More frequent Extreme rainfall and flooding events are now occurring with increasing regularity and severity, as the impacts of climate change become more apparent. Due to the growing frequency of devastating flood events, there is now much greater acknowledgement and appreciation of the increasing risks. There is also more urgency and willingness from individuals, businesses, and within both the public and private sector, to take greater responsibility for understanding and managing flood risk. Improvement in flood risk mapping and warnings Many home and business owners are unaware that they may be at the risk of flooding The flood risk sector has come a long way, within the last 15-20 years, with improvements in flood risk mapping, warnings, and flood risk management schemes. However, there is still room for improvement. Many home and business owners are unaware that they may be at the risk of flooding. This lack of awareness means that thousands of homes and properties are not prepared for flooding. It is, typically, these individuals that are at the greatest danger, during a flood and are more likely to require assistance from the emergency services, for evacuation, rescue, or recovery. A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade said, “Last year, I attended an incident, where a car had driven into a flooded underpass. We had to rescue all the occupants from their vehicle. This could have easily been avoided, if they had just chosen to find another route.” Increase in flood awareness Flood awareness is increasing, but to continue this trend, there is a need for a collective effort from all parties across the flood risk sector, including the emergency services. A particular area of weakness within the sector is leadership. The Pitt Review, released following the 2007 floods, endeavored to create greater clarity around response to flooding. Although, many aspects have improved considerably, there still remains ambiguity about, which agency has responsibility for the co-ordination of flood response. Assessing and managing flood risk Responsibilities for assessing and managing flood risk are split between the Environment Agency (EA) and local council authorities, referred to as Lead Local Flood Authorities, depending on the size of a water course and the nature of the flooding. Alongside this, responsibility is split further, as sewer flooding is managed by the local water authorities. This can obviously become confusing for those outside of the profession, who are seeking guidance and advice, so as to better understand their flood risks, and to protect themselves and their property. Importance of informing the public on flood risks As well as clearer sign-posting to the relevant authority, all professions that deal with and manage flood risk need to be using interactions with the public, as an opportunity to inform and educate. While the ABI (Association of British Insurers) states that any flood surveyors should be Chartered Surveyors or Civil Engineers, this is not enforced and nor is there an easily accessible register, in order to find such professionals. There is a distinct lack of ‘trusted voices’ within the sector. Protecting people and property The fire service can have a crucial role in advising home and business owners, about their flood risks Given the absence of clear guidance and leadership, across the flood risk sector, the fire service can have a crucial role in advising home and business owners, about their flood risks. Ultimately, the objective for all the emergency services personnel is the same, as every flood risk professional, which is to protect people and property. The trust that is rightly afforded to the fire service provides an ideal opportunity to offer reliable guidance and advice, ensuring that people and property can be protected from the impacts of flooding. Sufficient staffing of fire and rescue services As a result of government cuts, 11,000 firefighter posts have been lost in the United Kingdom, since 2010. While firefighters have always rescued people from floods, the services need to be properly resourced with sufficient staff, so as to deal with increasing flood risk. As a trusted voice, we believe this should include sufficient funding, so as to help raise awareness of flood risk to the public. Currently, 67% of people do not know their flood risk.