Environmental Permit Application – Hereford

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Environmental Permit Application – Hereford

SWEL were commissioned to undertake two permit applications for a Plastic Film Manufacturer based in Hereford.

One of the permits was for a trunking depot, so primarily categorised as a waste transfer operation, the other involved the treatment of wastes, and as such required a the inclusion of codes for treatment covered within the permit.

The Environment Agency are becoming increasingly concerned with the risk posed by fire and as such each of these application was requested to be accompanied by a fire prevention plan. This not only borrows from fire prevetion, but also mitigation of run-off impact during the extinguishing of a fire.

Both applications were accompanied by and Environmental Management System and a Site Condition Report.

Environmental Permit Application – Progress

At present SWEL are collating information required for the application including planning permission and completion of all requests set out by the Environment Agency during pre-application discussions.

Professional Planning Objection – Lichfield, Birmingham

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Professional Planning Objection – Lichfield, Birmingham – Into

A residents group from the village of Little Hay, Lichfield approach SWEL with concerns raised regrading the construction of a very large chicken factory, which was proposed to be within 500 meters of various residential and commercial properties.

Professional Planning Objection – Lichfield, Birmingham – Odour

Supporting documents submitted with the application showed that odour in particular was at very low levels, and would not affect surrounding properties, however remodelling of odour emissions by SWEL showed a very different picture.  

Professional Planning Objection – Lichfield, Birmingham – Dust

The dust impact assessment submitted with the application did not consider PM2.5 particulates, There is a wealth of evidence on the effects of short-term exposure to PM10 on respiratory health, but for mortality, and especially as a consequence of long-term exposure, PM2.5 is a stronger risk factor than the coarse part of PM10 (particles in the 2.5–10 μm range). All cause daily mortality is estimated to increase by 0.2–0.6% per 10 μg/m3 of PM10. Long-term exposure to PM2.5is associated with an increase in the long-term risk of cardiopulmonary mortality by 6–13% per 10 μg/m3 of PM2.5 [1].

 So it was felt important that the inadeqaucy of the assessment was brought to the attention o the planning authority.

 Professional Planning Objection – Lichfield, Birmingham – Pathogens

And so though out the application we saw the continued understatement of environmental impacts on a local level, and in some cases there were impacts that had not been considered at all.Such as risk from air bourne pathogens (figure 1).

[1] Pope CA III et al. Lung cancer, cardiopulmonary mortality, and long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution. Journal of the American Medical Association, 2002, 287(9): 1132–1141.

Ship Recycling Project Management Cornwall UK

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Ship Recycling Project Management – Intro

The Wayfarer was a motor fishing vessel which operated out of Newlyn Harbour that was built in 1959 approx. Sadly she has fell in to disrepair and Southwest Environmental Limited were commissioned as project managers for the environmentally compliant removal of the Wayfarer from Newlyn Harbour. This image courtesy of Simon Chapman, taken in 1999.

The actual removal of the vessel started after an incredible 18 months work of paper work most of which was generated as a requirement of an environmentally (legally) compliant removal. It is important to point out that although it would have been easier to break up the boat with an excavator, or sink her to create a reef, neither would have been legal.

Having previously managed the removal of the The Children’s Friend, we made a start on what was going to be a challenging project.

Ship Recycling Project Management – Process

The site team headed up by an experienced shipwright started work on the boat in situe, she was leaning heavily against the quay, and we needed to move the boat up to the landward end of the pier. In order to achieve this the the boat was lightened as far as practical with the winch gear being removed, and a good portion of the wheel house.

As we found her.
Removal of the heavier items.

After the heavier deck items had been removed we prepared to move up the boat to the land ward end of the quay. The boat was re-floated and pulled along to her final resting place. Having been neglected for close to a decade the boat had lots of leaks and the re floating took a number of tides before success was achieved.

Waste segregation took place on the qaut side, and as you would expect from a company call Southwest Environmental, the Environmental Compliance Side of of the project was given much attention. This included the generation of significant quantities of  paper work relating to duty of care.

Finally after weeks of preparation, stripping out internal structures, engines etc. the hull was ready to be cut in to sections.

Nearly Ready to cut in to Sections
The stern is cut free.

Once 1 or 2 section had been cut from the hull, arrangements were made to lift the sections from the harbour. At this point we could only guess at how much the sections would weigh, as they are very odd shapes it is hard to tell, and we did have a bit of a surprise when we found that some weighed 20 tons.

Crane ready to lift.

Ship sections on low loader.
Her final voyage!

This boat unlike the Children’s Friend  is not destined for landfill. The sections will be transported to Exeter Fabrications for compliant treatment and conversion in to ornamental structures. Give them a ring and buy a piece of maritime history.

Environmental Consultants

Traffic Impact Assessment – Essex

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Traffic Impact Assessment – Grays, Essex

A waste recycling firm are applying for planning permission for a change of use. The change of use triggers the requrement for a traffic impact assessment.

First off the baseline conditions must be considered which involves a through traffic count on the surrounding road network.

Traffic Impact – Lots of Data

This data is then used to calculate likely percentage increases from the development.

The Traffic Impact assessment includes commentary on the modal split of traffic in the area and the trip generation associated with the proposed development.

Traffic Impact Assessment – Most counts are now automated.

When considering the different modes of transport it is important to consider that  a small number of HGVs are likely to represent a higher percentage increase, as opposed to a small number of cars the affect of which is diluted within the often high numbers of trips that are generated by cars on most roads on a day to day basis.

Traffic Impact Assessment

Odour Impact Assessment & Odour Management Plan – Tiverton

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Odour Impact Assessment  & Odour Management Plan – Tiverton

SWEL were engaged to provide supporting planning documents for a broiler breeder chicken shed near Tiverton, Devon. An odour impact assessment uses an atmospheric model to gauge the diffusion of an odour plume, plotting modelled odour concentrations on a grid, this grid is then used to create contours.

An odour impact assessment was required to assess odour impacts from the proposed shed which was to house 36,000 chickens. This may seem a large number but by today’s standards this s a relatively small shed, sheds of 300,000 chickens are not uncommon.

Typically it is necessary to statistically manipulate results and give a US 95 or US 99 value for odour concentration derived balancing of model out puts and wind direction etc. but in this instance it was not necessary, worst case scenarios were modelled and found to be within accepted limits.

An odour management plan was also produced,  this is an operational document and is to be used by the site operator during the operational phase of the broiler breeder sheds. Odour control in large scale chicken sheds involves controlling  diet, watering and ventilation rates amongst other things.

Odour Impact Assessment

Odour Management Plan

Flood Risk Assessment – Exmouth

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Flood Risk Assessment – Exmouth

If you find out that your site is in Flood Zone 3a this does not mean that you will not be able to build on / develop the site. There will be more paper work, and you may have to wait some time for the Environment agency to decide whether your site is in fact suitable, but in 90% of cases Zone 3a will not pose as an insurmountable barrier.

Such was the case with a site in Exmouth, near Exeter, Devon where an infill building plot, was partially within flood zone 3a. It was quickly established that a variance in ground elevation was the cause of this  incursion, and that likely ground raising associated with the proposed develop would effectively place the proposed dwelling above flood water levels.

Flood Risk

Sunlight & Daylight Assessment – Hackney (N1)

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Sunlight & Daylight Assessment – Hackney

SWEl have just sucessfull completed a sunlight & daylight assessment for an unusual retrofit project in Cazenove (Hackney) London.

The project invloves the install of a further two stories on top of an existing building the design is modern and well considered to reduce daylighting impacts, with a tiered design with width decreasing upwards.

The surrounding buildings were subject to considerable overshadowing prior to the development, and as such only minimal reductions in enjoyed light were acceptable.

Sunlight & Daylight reduction post project were within limits set in the relavent guidance, and as such the project with minor alterations was recommended to proceed.

Sunlight and Daylight Assessment

Ship Recycling Project Management Cornwall UK – The Children’s Friend

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Ship Recycling Project Management Cornwall UK – Intro

After 100 years or more of service a typical motor fishing vessel is coated in hazardous chemicals and has many types of oil driven systems, engines and fuels stored within it. To dismantle a motor fishing vessel in situ requires a project management strategy that puts protection of the environment at the forefront.

Ship Recycling Project Management Cornwall UK – The Ship

Wooden fishing vessels have a low scrap value, and as such are prone to being left to rot in harbours and estuaries across the UK.
A Fine Boat in her Day – Now a Liability

Ship Recycling Project Management Cornwall UK – The Method

Obviously to explain the method in detail here would be rather long winded. But care was taken through out that the marine environment should be protected at all stages. As with all waste management activities the key is to segregate the maximum percentage of arising wastes so as to retrieve recyclable scrap, and minimize wastes to landfill.
Arising wastes consisted mostly of wood, concrete, iron and steel.
Cutting – Part of the Process
Southwest Environmental Limited  maintain an on site present during critical stages of the salvage operation, to ensure that the ship recycling project is managed effectively.
Welcome to our Office – Maintaining Coms. & Records whilst on site

Ship Recycling Project Management Cornwall UK – The Result

With the ship now removed from the harbour all stakeholders are happy. The harbour is at a lower risk from pollution incidents relating to the derelict boats, there is more room, and a maximum percentage of waste was diverted from land fill.

On the Road – Her Final Journey

 Environmental Consultants

Sequential Test for Planning Application – Catterick, North Yorkshire

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Sequential Test for Planning Application – Catterick, North Yorkshire

It can be the case that planning authorities will take exception to a particular project and make requests for all kinds of extra information, to support the application, at a level of detial that would not normally be required.

Southwest Environmental were approached by a developer who was building a number of residential units in a Flood Zone 3. An initial flood risk assessment had been undertaken previously by a consultant and appeared to be of sufficient detail, however the local planning authority required extra clarification with regards to the sequential test.

SWEL have an well proven method for carrying out sequential test, and this was applied once more in this instance.

The project was well considered with regards to flood risk, the buildings design and choice of materials were  well chosen.

Sequential Test Consultants

Air Quality Assessment – Brent, London (NW6)

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Air Quality Assessment – Brent, London (NW6)

Acting on instructions from a client in Brent, London Southwest Environmental are to undertake a detailed indoor air quality assessment.

A resident approached Southwest Environmental Limited with concerns over the quality of air within their living space. It was thought that air quality might be lowered owing to the neighbouring property uses.

A passive monitoring scheme is being undertaken over a 30 days period so as to establish indoor air quality. A very wide spectrum of common air borne determinants are to be tested for including a range of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and nicotine.

Monitored levels will then be compared with known safe levels as published by the WHO, and HSE.

If you have any requirements for indoor air quality monitoring and subsequent interpretive anlaysis then pleas egt in touch we would be happy to discuss your needs.

Air Quality Consultants