Environmental Standards Thermal Treatment and Incineration Design and Operation

Environ nvi ronmental mental Standa Standards rds Thermal Trea Treatm tment ent and and Incin Inc inera erati tion on Desi Design gn and Operatio Operation n

KSA

Presidency of Meteorology and Environment

PME Reference

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia National Environmental Standard Thermal Treatment and Inc ineration – Design and Operation

Art ic le I – Pr eli mi nar y

1)

Definitions “ APCDs” refers to air pollution control devices. refers to the “ Authorisation Process” determination of all applications for the development of a new thermal treatment facility by the Competent Agency up to the point where permission is granted to proceed with the development.

“Fluidised Bed Combustion” is a combustion technology system in which a sand bed (or similar inert material) is fluidised by air jets, heated to temperatures high enough to support combustion, combustible wastes are then added. “Fly Ash” is the fine dust that is removed from the flue gas in the flue gas cleaning process of thermal treatment operations.

“ Bottom Ash” is ash that collects at the bottom of a combustion chamber. It is the unburned and nonburnable materials discharged from the combustor at the end of the burning cycle.

“Gasification” is the process whereby carbon based wastes are heated in the presence of air or steam to produce a solid, low in carbon, and a gas.

“Bunds” are systems which contain waste in an embankment or secondary container to prevent the waste from travelling or escaping.

“Generator” is a commercial or industrial organisation which produces or stores trackable waste and arranges for this waste to be sent for storage, recycling, treatment or disposal at another location via an authorised transporter.

“CQA” refers to construction quality assurance. “ Char/Slag” is the material remaining following partial or complete combustion, or other thermal treatment process such as Pyrolysis and Gasification. “Competent Agency” where referenced, refers to the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment or its designated representative. “Construction Quality Assurance Plan” (CQA) refers to the documentation to be provided outlining the successful construction of the facility and providing evidence that all design performance specifications have been met. “Disposal” is all operations of incineration; landfill; precipitation; or intentional or unintentional, direct or indirect, discharge of any wastes or hazardous, toxic or radioactive substances, either in gaseous, liquid or solid forms, into the environment. "Emission" means the direct or indirect release of substances, vibrations, heat or noise from individual or diffuse sources in the plant into the air, water or soil. "Emission limit values" means the mass, expressed in terms of certain specific parameters, concentration and/or level of an emission, which may not be exceeded during one or more periods of time. “Feedstock” refers to the raw material required for the process.

“ GER” refers to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s General Environmental Regulations 2001. “ Hazardous Waste” is a waste with properties that make it dangerous or capable of having a harmful effect on human health and the environment. “Incineration” is the controlled thermal treatment of waste by burning, either to reduce its volume or toxicity. Energy recovery from incineration can be made by utilising the calorific value of the waste to produce heat and/or power. "Incineration plant" means any stationary or mobile technical unit and equipment dedicated to the thermal treatment of wastes with or without recovery of the combustion heat generated. This includes the incineration by oxidation of waste as well as other thermal treatment processes such as pyrolysis and gasification insofar as the substances resulting from the treatment are subsequently incinerated. This definition covers the site and the entire incineration plant including all incineration lines, waste reception, storage, on site pre-treatment facilities, waste-fuel and air-supply systems, boiler, facilities for the treatment of exhaust gases, on-site facilities for treatment or storage of residues and waste water, stack, devices and systems for controlling incineration operations, recording and monitoring incineration conditions. “KSA” refers to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

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“Landfill” is any facility, other than a ground treatment facility or a storage pool, where wastes are disposed of in an environmentally safe manner either by placing them on the ground or burying them underground.

PME Reference

“ Thermal Treatment” includes incineration and other treatments, such as gasification and pyrolysis insofar as the substances resulting from the treatment are subsequently incinerated; the thermal treatment must result in the change to the chemical structure of the original waste, and the change is not reversible.

“ Moving Grate System” is the most common type of grate mechanism in energy from waste plants, designed to carry the feedstock through the furnace. It is composed of interlocking bars to facilitate movement.

“Transporter” means a person engaged in the offsite transportation of waste by air, rail, highway or water and is anyone who transports the trackable waste from its place of production or storage to another location.

“ Non-Hazardous Waste” refers to waste which in its current state, does not pose an immediate danger to human health or the environment.

“ Treatment” is any means or technique of altering the physical, chemical or biological properties of wastes used to neutralise such wastes; utilise substances or energy contained therein or released by them; and transform the hazardous wastes into wastes that are non-hazardous, less hazardous or safer when transported, stored, disposed of, prepared for storage, or reduced in volume.

“ Parameter” shall refer to a chemical, physical or biological measurement factor as listed. “PME” refers to the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment who are designated as the responsible authority for the protection of the environment and the development of environmental protection standards in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“ TSD Facility” refers to a treatment, storage and/or a disposal facility.

“POPs” refers to persistent organic pollutants. “Vitrification” is a process that uses high temperatures to melt hazardous waste into molten glass. Subsequent cooling of molten glass material results in solid blocks of material which are resistant to leaching hazardous constituents.

“Pyrolysis” is the thermal degradation of waste in the absence of air to produce gas (often termed syngas), liquid (pyrolysis oil) or solid (char, mainly ash and carbon). The solid fraction may be subsequently fed into a gasification process. “ Quarantine Area” refers to a location within the site which is set aside for the temporary storage of potentially unacceptable waste materials pending final confirmation.

“WAC” refers to Waste Acceptance Criteria.

"Residue" means any liquid or solid material (including bottom ash and slag, fly ash and boiler dust, solid reaction products from gas treatment, spent catalysts and spent activated carbon), classified as waste in the Waste Classification Standard, which is generated by the incineration process, the exhaust gas or other processes within the incineration plant.

“Waste Handler” is a generator, transporter and receiver of waste who has waste responsibilities.

“ Waste Facility” is a site for recycling, storing, treating or disposing of waste.

“ Waste Receiver” is any person operating a facility to whom waste is transported for recycling, storage, treatment or disposal. “Working Plan” is the operational plan developed prior to the acceptance of waste which sets out the operational methods to be used on site and demonstrates how environmental and human health impacts will be managed and controlled.

“Risk Assessment” is the process of identifying and quantifying a risk and assessing the significance of that risk in relation to other risks. “Site Identification Number” means the number assigned by the Competent Agency to each TSD facility operator of hazardous waste.

2)

a) This document may be cited as the National Thermal Treatment and Incineration Design and Operation Standard for KSA. This standard revises the current General Standards for the Environment (specifically document number 1409-01) issued by the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME).

“Storage” means all operations intended to keep or contain wastes and other hazardous, toxic or radioactive substances for the purpose of treatment, transportation or disposal. “Syngas” is the term used to refer to 'Synthetic gas' produced by the thermal decomposition of organic based materials through pyrolysis and gasification processes. The gas is rich in methane, hydrogen and carbon monoxide and may be used as a fuel or directly combusted to generate electricity.

Citation

3)

Timescales f or implementation

. a) The effective date of this standard is 01/05/1433H corresponds to 24/03/2012G.


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4)


Purpose

6)

a) The Standard for Thermal Treatment and Incineration Design and Operations has effect for purposes connected with the regulation of waste and hazardous waste, and in particular for the purposes of the: i)

ii)

Design of new incineration plants which accept waste from across the KSA whether a material or substance is inert, non-hazardous or a hazardous waste, as the case may be. Operation of incineration plants to ensure that the sites are managed in a manner which will have least possible impact upon the neighbouring environment or human health;.

b) The Thermal Treatment and Incineration Design and Operation Standard shall be recognised and used accordingly for those the purposes stated in 13-a. c) This Standard guides those developing and operating thermal treatment and incineration facilities to: i)

understand the best practice requirements with respect to thermal treatment and incineration design and operation;

ii)

develop new incineration plants with due regard to international best practice;

iii)

understand the necessary site development requirements for incineration plants dealing with different waste types; and

iv)

provide for future site closure and after care requirements on completion of the site operations.

d) The Standard is intended for use as a default position for thermal treatment and incineration design, operation and site closure. 5)

Scope

PME Reference

Exemptions a) Specific exemptions may be specified within this standard at any point where relevant to the Article that they are common to.

7)

Powers of Authority a) Within the scope of Competent Agency may:

these

standards

the

i)

prescribe specific requirements at any time as to other characteristics of waste;

ii)

authorise such relaxations or departures from, the waste standards and make any such authorisation subject to the prescribed conditions, and to modify or revoke any such authorisation or condition; and

iii)

authorise a local Concerned Agency to exercise any power conferred by these regulations by paragraphs i) - iii) above.

b) The Competent Agency may, for the purposes of this Standard, appoint persons to act on their behalf as technical assessors and monitors in relation to the powers and duties conferred on him by this standard and/or its subsequent amendments. c) In addition to the responsibilities conferred by other sections contained within this standard, it shall be the duty of a relevant party; i) to give the Competent Agency all such assistance; and ii) to provide the Competent Agency with all such information, as that may reasonably be required for the purpose of carrying out an investigation

d) The Competent Agency or appointed individual for the purpose of waste regulation may: i) Enter any premises for the purpose of carrying out any investigation.

a) The Standard applies to all new incineration plant pre-development. However, existing incineration plant operators must, as far as practicable, implement the relevant best practice measures contained within this Standard. b) This Standard sets out the design parameters and operational requirements through to site closure for non-mobile thermal treatment and incineration processes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. b) This Standard applies to mass burn incineration techniques, waste to energy facilities and the advanced thermal treatment processes of pyrolysis and gasification.

ii) carry out such inspections, measurements and tests on premises entered, articles or records found on any such premises, and take away such samples of waste or articles, as may be considered appropriate for the purpose of enabling such investigation; or iii) at any reasonable time require any relevant party to supply him with copies of, or of extracts from, any records kept for the purpose of demonstrating compliance with waste standards.


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e) This standard enables the issue of regulations and technical memoranda which are enforceable by the Competent Agency who hold delegated authority under the General Environmental Regulations.

8)

1)

Enforcement procedur es b) A broad classification may be made between mass burn incineration and other types which require different levels of detailed design depending upon their potential to impact on human health or the wider environment. c) The provisions of this Standard apply to the following classification of the varying types of thermal treatment processes:

b) It is anticipated that the requirements of this standard will be enforced nationally with inspections taking place to verify their implementation at a regional and local level.

Penalty fines a) Maximum fines that may be imposed for exceeding the applicable standard, breach of permit and failure to comply with an abatement notice are set out in the General Environmental Regulations. 2)

10)

i)

mass burn incineration with no energy recovery;

ii)

energy from waste facilities including moving grate plants, fluidised bed technology and other kilns; and

iii)

advanced thermal treatment processes, specifically pyrolysis and gasification.

Mass Burn Incineration

Appeals a) Mass burn incineration is the large-scale incineration of municipal solid waste in a single-stage chamber unit in which complete combustion or o oxidation occurs at temperatures above 850 C. Typical throughputs of waste are between 10 and 50 tonnes per hour.

a) A right of appeal exists for any organisation or individual who is required to take action as a consequence of the implementation of the revised standard. b) The right of appeal against conviction or sentence is available through the appropriate judicial system as set out in the General Environmental Regulations.

11)

General classif ication a) The classification of incineration and thermal treatment processes is based upon a variety of criteria including their capacity, the nature of the waste to be combusted and the type of system.

a) Failure to comply with the requirements of these standards may lead to prosecution by the Competent Agency and those convicted of such failure may be subject to fines or periods of imprisonment as laid out in the General Environmental Regulations.

9)

PME Reference

3)

Other Incineration Processes

and

Energy

from

Waste

c) All appeals should be fully supported with a documented case containing as a minimum, the information required under the appeals process of the General Environmental Regulations.

a) Other types of incineration processes involve smaller scale throughputs of between 1 and 2 tonnes per hour for wastes including medical waste, sewage sludge and hazardous waste.

Periodic review

b) Typical examples of such systems and energy from waste processes include:

a) As a minimum, the Competent Agency shall undertake a periodic review of this standard every 5 years. b) Where new information suggests that adjustments are required to this standard, all changes will be subject to the appropriate consultation and will be notified to facilities by the Competent Agency. Appropriate implementation time will be allowed.

Art ic le II – Clas si fi cat io n of Ther mal Treat ment and Incineration Processes

i)

fluidised bed incinerators – used for a wide variety of wastes including municipal waste, sewage sludge, hazardous waste, liquid and gaseous wastes, and wastes with difficult combustion properties;

ii)

starved air incinerators – starved air or pyrolytic incinerators used for medical waste incineration and for some industrial wastes;

iii)

rotary kiln incinerators – used for the treatment of hazardous, medical and industrial wastes;

iv)

cement kiln incinerators – used for the disposal of municipal waste, industrial waste, tyres and hazardous wastes;


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2) v)

vi)

4)

small scale thermal treatments include moving grate systems of less than 100,000 tonnes of waste per annum and rotating/oscillating kilns, as well as other proprietary combustion processes; and

Site Locatio n a) When locating an incineration plant consideration must be given to the following: i)

distance from the site boundary to sensitive receptors such as residential properties, recreation areas, coastal water resources and agricultural areas;

ii)

presence of groundwater, surface water, coastal water or nature conservation zones;

iii)

geological and hydrogeological conditions underlying the site; and

iv)

other undetermined local factors which could be impacted by a proposed thermal treatment and/or incineration facility which will be identified at the local level during the Environmental Assessment.

liquid and gaseous waste incinerators.

Advanced Thermal Treatment Processes a) Pyrolysis and gasification processes are classified as advanced thermal treatment processes. b) During pyrolysis organic waste is heated in the absence of air to produce a mixture of gaseous and liquid fuels and a solid inert residue (mainly carbon). Pyrolysis usually takes place between 400-1000°C. Pyrolysis generally requires a consistent waste stream such as tyres or plastics to produce a usable fuel product.

b) Consideration must always be given to utilising not only the electricity from a thermal treatment and/or incineration plant but also the waste heat. As a result specific plant should look to be sited close to where its’ electrical and thermal outputs can be used.

c) Gasification takes place at higher temperatures than pyrolysis (1,000-1,400°C) in a controlled amount of oxygen. The majority of the carbon content in the waste is converted into a gaseous form (syngas). d) Depending on the technology, waste can be processed to produce storable end products such as gas, oil or char which can be used for energy production or petrochemical uses.

3)

Site Specific Design Consideration s a) Site considerations are also important throughout the design stage as no two facilities will be identical even though they may be developed for the same type of process.

Art ic le III – Gen eral Pro vi si on s

1)

PME Reference

a) The provisions in this Standard are generic for all thermal treatment and incineration processes detailed in Part II of this Standard, unless otherwise stated.

b) All thermal treatment and incineration facilities must be designed with the desire for the least possible local impact and where possible they must blend in with the local surroundings.

b) Where risk assessments and investigations identify that a specific provision or requirement is required then this justification will be taken into account during the Authorisation Process. The minimum information required for authorisation purposes is outlined in Appendix A in the Pre-Design Report Requirements for Authorisation.

c) Site factors which affect thermal treatment and incineration design include (but are not limited to): i)

topography;

ii)

size and shape of the property area;

iii)

subsurface geological hydrogeological conditions;

iv)

surrounding land use;

v)

local ecological aspects;

vi)

seismic considerations; and

vii)

access and ease of transport to the site.

Environm ental Assessm ent a) An Environmental Assessment will be required prior to the development of an incineration plant. This will be necessary to gain a thorough understanding of the environment where the facility is to be sited in order to design the facility to minimise impacts on the environment. b) As a minimum requirement the Environmental Assessment should include the items outlined in Appendix B.

and

d) A detailed pre-construction plan must be provided to the Competent Agency. Details of the requirements for this plan are provided in Appendix A in the Pre-Design Report Requirements for Authorisation.


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e) A new thermal treatment or incineration facility must not be established by any person, nor an increase in the volume at an existing facility be exercised, unless a written report has been prepared in accordance with Appendix A. 4)

b) The preferred transportation route to the incineration plant from the source of the waste or other TSD Facility must minimise the transport of waste through residential and other sensitive areas. This consideration may influence the placement of the entrance to the facility.

Site Layout

c) Access to the site will form a mixture of permanent and temporary roads from the main highway. Consideration must be given to the facility’s requirements for permanent roads within the site boundary, especially on larger sites.

a) Thermal treatment and incineration facilities must be designed to: i)

minimise potential environmental impacts;

ii)

minimise health and safety risks operators and the public;

iii)

encourage waste recovery; and

iv)

use onsite resources efficiently.

d) Permanent roads must be designed with due regard to the estimated volume of traffic. Where possible, two lane traffic (minimum total road width of 7.5 metres) should be provided to allow efficient entrance and exit from the site.

for

e) Permanent roads and yard areas must be constructed of ground supported reinforced concrete to a specification and depth capable of withstanding the rigors of large goods vehicle traffic over a prolonged period, being easily cleaned to reduce mud and debris and coping with surface water arisings.

b) To assist in meeting these requirements a detailed site layout plan must be provided to the Competent Agency as part of the initial Authorisation Process prior to the development of the facility to provide evidence that key concerns have been considered and addressed prior to the development works.

f) Impermeable pavements must be provided in relation to the waste reception and storage areas to provide containment of any drainage or liquids generated within those areas.

c) On large incineration plants for the treatment or disposal of solid waste, a gatehouse is to be provided at the entrance to the site or at a suitable point which cannot be by-passed by waste transporters when travelling to the facility. Waste transporters must verify their waste deliveries in line with the Waste Tracking requirements as set out in the Waste Regulatory Control and Compliance Standard.

g) Specifications for the design and construction of these areas must ensure that the surface provides an impermeable, durable and easily maintained surface capable of preventing the transmission of any fluids through the pavement, or any joints within the pavement and ensuring the collection of any fluids into the sealed drainage system (where required).

d) A number of facilities should be provided at the gatehouse to provide the attendant with the best practicable opportunity to confirm the acceptability of incoming wastes including: i)

a viewing platform which allows a view of the contents of incoming lorries; and/or

ii)

elevated mirrors or CCTV cameras which can be used to scrutinise incoming loads.

h) The surfaces must be inspected at monthly intervals throughout the operational life of the facility and a record kept of the results of each inspection. i) In the event that action becomes necessary to maintain the cleanliness of these areas, the surface must be cleaned by any manual or mechanical means available to the site management. Cleaning may include, but not be limited to; hosing down, manually sweeping or shovelling, or mechanical sweepers.

e) A weighbridge must be installed at facilities treating or disposing of solid wastes to facilitate accurate record keeping for all necessary administrative and regulatory purposes. The weighbridge should be calibrated at least annually to confirm the accuracy of records.

j) All necessary repairs will be made to any defects in the surface to ensure that it remains even, does not become rutted or subject to differential settlement and remains free draining and free from standing water.

Art ic le IV – Si te In fr ast ru ct ur e Requ ir emen ts 1)

Roads and Internal Pavements a) Local infrastructure must be able to sustain the operation of an incineration plant. The capacity of the road network to cope safely with any increased traffic load and with a minimum of disturbance to the local community must be examined as part of the predevelopment requirements.

PME Reference

k) The external roads and paved yard areas will be constructed to provide an even surface that slopes to ensure that drainage is directed towards the surface water drainage systems.

2)

Surf ace Water Drainage


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a) Surface water caused by run off of entrained water from the waste mass or by storm water events must be adequately controlled through the construction of interlinked drainage channels across the site between the operating areas and the surrounding areas of the site.

c) Surface water drainage must be discharged via an interceptor into a runoff water attenuation lagoon.

e) The drainage systems must be inspected at annual intervals throughout the operational life of the facility to ensure their integrity.

5)

sanitation facilities visitors;

iii)

storage space for site equipment and for maintenance purposes; and

iv)

first Aid area, fully stocked for minor accidents.

for

site

staff

4)

Fencing and Security a) A fence must be constructed around the perimeter of the incineration plant to: i)

reduce onsite trespass;

ii)

provide a screen for the facility;

c) A paved surface area of 10 metres by 10 metres minimum must be provided, with its own linked drainage collection system. All drainage from this part of the site must be collected and held in segregation until laboratory testing proves that it is suitable for discharge into the onsite s urface drainage system. Where unsuitable, the wash water must be tankered off for offsite treatment at a suitable water treatment facility.

and

c) All structures must be located in a suitable area of the site to allow control of day to day activities whilst also taking account of health and safety aspects.

Unacceptable Load Quarantine Area

b) This area must be clearly marked with reference to its required purpose to ensure that there is no inadvertent mixing of waste materials.

b) As a minimum, temporary structures must be located on site providing accommodation to on site personnel. Such structures must be designed to provide:

ii)

provide a control for litter blow.

a) An area of the site must be made available to allow for the temporary segregation of suspect, burning or unacceptable waste loads which enter the site. This area should be located away from the main areas frequented by personnel. Water must be available in case of burning waste loads.

a) Electricity, water, sanitation and communications facilities must be provided at all incineration plants to ensure the health and safety of on-site personnel, and to enable control of operations on site (such as dust control, vehicle washing and fire fighting).

office space for general site management duties and records storage;

iv)

d) Permanent repairs to the fencing and gates must be completed within seven working days and a note will be made in the site diary to this effect.

Utilit ies and Facilities

i)

delineate the property lines; and

c) Maintenance and inspection of the site fencing and gates along the site boundary must be undertaken on a routine basis and temporary repairs will be implemented either upon identification during the inspection or by the end of the day that the defect is found. A note of the inspection and repairs will be kept on site and a record kept of the results of each inspection.

d) Any solids or oils collected in the interceptor must be removed at appropriate intervals to maintain the capacity of the solids interceptor.

3)

iii)

b) Fences must be a minimum of 2 metres tall around the entire perimeter of the site, with lockable gates provided at the site entrance. Appropriate signage to discourage trespassers must be erected at the site entrance.

b) The design of the drainage system must be taken into account pre-development.

f) The solids interceptor must be inspected at monthly intervals and will be subject to periodic maintenance to remove any accumulated silt and maintain capacity.

PME Reference

6)

Site Identific ation Board a) An identification board of durable material and approximate size 1 metre by 1 metre must be erected and maintained in a prominent position at the site entrance. The board must display the following information: i)

site name and address;

ii)

operator name;

iii)

waste management licence number;

iv)

site identification number, where relevant;

v)

emergency contact name and telephone number;


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PME Reference

i)

direct effect on landscape by removal of items such as trees or undertaking major earthworks;

UNAUTHORISED

ii)

site setting: is the site close to listed buildings, conservation areas or sensitive viewpoints;

Art ic le V – Ther mal Treat men t and Inc in erat io n Desi gn Requirements

iii)

existing large buildings and structures in the area;

iv)

the potential of a stack associated with some air clean-up systems for mixed waste processing operations may impact on visual intrusion;

v)

use of screening features such as trees, hedges and bank; and

vi)

the number of vehicles accessing the site and their frequency.

vi)

days and hours site is open to receive waste; and

vii)

the words TIPPING”.

“NO

a) The actual plant design and configuration of thermal treatment and incineration facilities will differ considerably between technology providers. However, incineration plant facilities will typically consist of the following key elements: i)

waste reception, treatment;

handling

ii)

thermal treatment reactor;

iii)

gas and (optional);

iv)

energy recovery plant (optional);

v)

air emissions clean-up; and

vi)

water emission controls.

residue

and

treatment

pre-

plant

d) Many incineration plants are housed in 'warehouse' type clad steel buildings, however use of good design techniques must be considered to help minimise visual intrusion. e) The visual impact of plant, buildings and storage areas must be reduced by grouping them together or, where possible, placing them in excavated areas or upon low-lying land. Appropriate external cladding and colour of equipment, together with regular maintenance, must also be applied.

b) Generic design considerations applicable to all incineration plants include the following:

1)

i)

visual impact;

ii)

plant size and land take;

iii)

building requirements;

iv)

construction quality assurance;

v)

emission controls; and

vi)

water controls.

2)

Plant Size and Land Take a) Table 1 details the land area required for the building footprint and also for the entire site (including supporting site infrastructure) for examples of thermal treatment and incineration facilities. b) The parameters detailed in Table 1 must be taken into consideration during the design stage of an incineration plant and in deciding site location and infrastructure requirements.

Visual Impact a) Intrusive features of an incineration plant can include weighbridges, chimney stacks, office accommodation, skip storage areas, fixed plant, operational and tipping areas and litter-trap fencing. Visual intrusion of these features must be substantially reduced by careful site design particularly by consideration of the effect of the development on the skyline.

Table 1: Thermal Treatment Size and Land Take Examples

b) Visual intrusion must also be reduced by taking account of existing natural screening features and local topography in the site design. c) Visual intrusion issues must be dealt with on a site specific basis and the following items must be considered:


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Thermal Treatment Process

Size, tonnes per annum

Buildings 2 Ar ea m

Total Land Take, Hectares

Indicative Stack Height

Mass Burn

90,000

5,850

1.7

65m

Mass Burn

250,000

6,600

4

70m

Pyrolysis

12,500

200

+ access

-

Pyrolysis

35,000

28,000 32,000

4

-

Other Thermal Treatment Processes

50,000

3,600

–

1–2

c) For the majority of pyrolysis and gasification plants, the scale of any individual buildings and process components are likely to be compatible with most small/medium sized industrial activities. Buildings will be typically 6–10 metres to the eaves and 10–15 metres to the ridge, whilst the stack height is determined by emission characteristics and air dispersion modelling.

3)

conveyors to assist in assurance of health and safety for on site personnel. g) The ceiling must be high enough to accommodate equipment specifications. Conveying lines, air classifiers, shredders, and other processing equipment can be as tall as 15 metres. h) Exhaust removal systems shall be installed in enclosed areas and operated to provide adequate ventilation within the facility.

4)

30 – 70m

Build ing Requirements a) Local building codes must be carefully followed when designing an incineration plant. Basics such as the number of bathrooms, minimal working space per employee, and other requirements may be specified. Working condition rules such as minimum and maximum temperatures, air changes, and required ventilation may also influence design. b) The outside walls of the building must be designed to allow safe and easy access for incoming and outgoing vehicles. It is important to design doors wide and high enough to accommodate vehicles unloading inside the building, and to minimise potential for open trucks backing out to cause s tructural damage. c) The number of doors provided for vehicular entrance into the facility must provide scope to accommodate the expected number of trucks at normal peak times. The same is true for loading areas where reclaimed materials will be loaded onto trailers for transport to markets. d) The building must have as few interior columns as possible to allow the maximum flexibility for placing equipment and accommodating future needs to rearrange the layout.

PME Reference

Constru ctio n Quality Assur ance (CQA) a) The technical specifications for all aspects of engineered containment and drainage must be derived from engineering and environmental risk assessments and will ensure all pollution prevention and control measures will be designed to meet with best practice. b) All aspects of the construction of engineered containment and drainage will be submitted to the Competent Agency for approval prior to commencing construction works. c) All aspects of the construction of engineered containment and drainage shall be subject to Construction Quality Assurance to ensure construction is compliant with the required technical specification as laid out in the Construction Quality Assurance Plan. d) The CQA plan must be able to verify: i)

that materials used comply with site specific specifications; and

ii)

that the method of construction and installation is appropriate and design requirements have been met.

c) The CQA plan must contain the: i)

material and construction specifications laid out for the proposed buildings and pavement areas;

ii)

testing methods compliance;

iii)

testing frequency.;

iv)

corrective action necessary; and

v)

appropriate documentation procedures which outline what has been done.

used

to

be

to

taken

confirm

where

d) The CQA must be provided for: e) The floor must be strong enough in all places to accommodate both vehicles and heavy, stationary processing equipment.

i)

f) The floor must also be designed to allow for the anchoring of equipment such as separation plant and


all elements of basal containment engineering, including internal floor slabs, external pavement areas and bunded areas; and

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ii)

surface water and management systems.

groundwater

e) The production of the CQA plan, and all testing and reporting must be completed under the control of a suitably qualified Chartered Engineer. On completion, a validation report must be produced and submitted to the Competent Agency which must include: i)

5)

demonstration of CQA compliance throughout the construction period;

ii)

justifications for any changes deviations from the agreed plan;

or

iii)

the results of all testing - this must include the records of any failed tests with a written explanation, and details of the remedial action taken, referenced to the appropriate secondary testing;

iv)

plans showing the location of all tests;

v)

"as-built" plans and sections of the works;

vi)

copies of the site engineer’s daily records;

vii)

records of any problems or noncompliances and the solution applied; and

viii)

any other site specific information considered relevant to proving the integrity of the facility construction.

Emissio n Control s and Clean-Up a) Thermal treatment processes must, where practicable, be designed to operate under negative pressure within buildings to minimise dust and odour problems. b) Proposals for new facilities must include detailed assessment of emissions to air, addressing: i)

air quality objectives; and

ii)

exposure to dioxins and furans effects on health and the environment.

c) The principal air emission components emitted from any thermal treatment process are:

PME Reference

d) Incineration traditional fuels (for example, fuel oil or gas) are only used during start-up, and therefore the majority of emissions from the incinerator plant are due to waste combustion. e) The assessment of emissions to air from incineration focuses on emissions through the incinerator waste gas stack. No assessment is made in this Standard of emissions created by the storage and processing of waste prior to incineration, nor of potential releases of ash to air. f) The design of incineration plants must be such that emission limits during operation are not exceeded. The respective emission limits for each key pollutant are shown in Table 2: Table 2: Emission Limits for Thermal Treatment Processes Substances Emission Limits Dust 10 Total organic carbon 10 Hydrogen chloride 10 Hydrogen fluoride 1 Sulphur oxides 50 Carbon monoxide 50 Nitrogen oxides 200 Metals Group 1: 0.05 Cadmium, thallium Metals Group 2: 0.05 Mercury Metals Group 3: 0.5 Antimony, arsenic, lead, chromium, cobalt, copper, manganese, nickel, vanadium Dioxins and furans 0.1 ng/m3 Notes: (a) All concentrations are given in units of milligrams per normal cubic metre of stack gas, corrected to 11% oxygen at 273K and 101.3KPa except dioxins, which are expressed in nanograms of international toxic equivalent (I-TEQ) per normal cubic metre of stack gas. (b) Values relate to 24 hour averages except metals which are 30 min – 8 hour and dioxins which are 6 hour – 8 hour averages.

g) To ensure that the facility decrease in the region’s air plants must be equipped with combustion air pollution control remove various pollutants prior stack.

will not result in a quality, incineration one or more postdevices (APCDs) to to release from the

i)

acid gases;

ii)

carbon dioxide;

iii)

dioxins and furans;

iv)

heavy metals; and

i)

electrostatic filters (precipitators;

v)

particulates.

ii)

fabric filters;

iii)

spray dry scrubbing systems;

h) The APCDs must achieve emission rates that do not exceed the emission limits detailed in Table 2. Types of APCDs that may be used to offset emissions include:


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PME Reference

a) A Site Specific Working Plan, required in accordance with the site specific waste management licence application must be developed and forwarded to the Competent Agency for review and agreement prior to operations commencing on the site.

iv)

dry sorbent injection systems;

v)

wet scrubbers; and

vi)

activated carbon injection technology. b) The Working Plan will constitute the documentary procedures which will be used to control all aspects of work on site. Issues to be considered and included within the Working Plan are outlined below in the following sections.

i) To assist the operator in the proper operation of the combustion process, incineration plants must be designed to include the provision of continuous emission control equipment, to monitor stack emissions and gas temperatures to control the scrubber process. 2)

Waste Handling

j) The clean-up required for flue gases from the combustion of syngas (and in some instances also the residual solid, if it has high carbon content) is dependent on the process from which they have been generated.

a) Waste delivered to the incineration plant by waste transporters must be managed in accordance with the requirements in the Waste Classification Standard, the Waste Handling and Storage Standard and the Waste Regulatory Control and Compliance Standard.

k) Entrained (fine) particles in the syngas must either be removed before or after combustion depending on the treatment process and combustion technology employed.

b) All labelling must be resilient enough to stay attached and legible throughout the whole time of storage at the installation.

l) A further solid residue produced is from abatement plant used to clean-up the flue gases from the combustion process. These solid residues are hazardous in nature and must be disposed of appropriately.

6)

c) A daily inspection of the condition of containers and pallets must be undertaken and written records kept of these inspections. If a container is found to be damaged, leaking or in a state of deterioration, it must immediately be over-drummed or the contents transferred to another container or processed.

Water Design Controls

d) Containers must be stored in such a manner that leaks and spillages could not escape over bunds/edge of the sealed drainage area.

a) Design proposals for new incineration plants must include anhydrous (i.e. dry or semi-dry) gas cleaning systems for flue gases which result in no emissions to water from air pollution abatement systems.

e) The operator of the incineration plant must take all necessary precautions concerning the delivery and reception of waste in order to prevent or to limit as far as practicable negative effects on the environment, in particular the pollution of air, soil, surface water and groundwater as well as odours and noise, and direct risks to human health.

b) The following considerations must be taken into account when designing an incineration plant to ensure protection of surface and groundwater resources: i)

impermeable hardstanding where waste is to be stored, handled or treated;

ii)

measures to control chemical spillage; and

iii)

diesel,

oil or

separate drainage systems for clean and dirty site run-off.

Art ic le VI - Op erat io ns a) The actual plant operation of thermal treatment and incineration facilities will differ between technology providers and the process employed. Provisions in this Standard relating to s pecific thermal treatment and incineration processes, must be met in addition to generic operational considerations which are applicable to all types of incineration plants. 1)

Working Plan

4)

Unacceptable Loads a) Loads which fail to meet with the waste tracking and licensing requirements, as set out in the Waste Regulatory Control and Compliance Standard, must be held within a dedicated quarantine area at the facility. As a minimum the following records must be held for each and every load:

i)

date of arrival;

ii)

details of the source of the waste and the company bringing the waste to the site;

iii)

a copy of the Waste Tracking Form (see the Waste Regulatory Control and Compliance Standard provisions); and

iv)

where relevant, the Hazardous Waste Code.


accompanying

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i)

monitor the combustion temperature, waste feed rate, and indicator of combustion gas velocity on a continuous basis;

ii)

monitor carbon monoxide on a continuous basis at a point downstream of the combustion zone and prior to release into the atmosphere;

iii)

sample and analyse the waste and exhaust emissions upon request of the Competent Agency to verify that the operating requirements established in the waste management licence achieve the performance standards.

iv)

conduct daily visual inspections of the incinerator and associated equipment.

v)

test the emergency waste feed cut-off system and associated alarms at least weekly unless otherwise directed by the Competent Agency – at a minimum operational testing must be conducted monthly; and

vi)

place monitoring and inspection data in the operating log.

b) All labelling must be resilient enough to stay attached and legible throughout the whole time of storage at the installation. c) A daily inspection of the condition of containers and pallets must be undertaken and written records kept of these inspections. If a container is found to be damaged, leaking or in a state of deterioration, it must immediately be over-drummed or the contents transferred to another container or processed. d) All spillages of hazardous wastes must be logged. Where spillages are greater than 200 litres the Competent Agency must be informed. e) Containers must be stored in such a manner that leaks and spillages could not escape over bunds/edge of the sealed drainage area (see the Waste Handling and Storage Standard).

5)

Maintenance and Monitor ing a) As a minimum, effective operational and maintenance systems must be employed on all aspects of the site where failure could impact on the environment. There must be: i)

PME Reference

documented

procedures to control operations that may have an adverse impact on the environment;

ii)

a defined procedure for identifying, reviewing and prioritising items of plant for which a preventative maintenance regime is appropriate;

iii)

documented procedures for monitoring emissions or impacts; and

iv)

a planned preventative maintenance programme covering all plant, whose failure could lead to impact on the environment.

6)

Competence and Training a) The Technical Competence and training of operatives involved in the incineration plant must be undertaken in accordance with the Waste Training and Assessment of Technical Competence of Operators Standard. b) Operator training is essential for the efficient and effective operation of the incineration plant. Operator training must be designed to ensure correct incineration plant operation in all circumstances, including during emergency situations or unexpected power supply problems. Adequate training will assist in preventing unacceptable environmental impacts.

b) Routine testing and monitoring of the incineration plant must be carried out in order to maintain highquality operation of the processes and prevent harmful emissions to the environment.

b) Additional training must be provided to all staff working within the confines of the incineration plant with respect to:

c) Routine inspections of the furnace and APCDs must be conducted to ensure system integrity and the proper performance of the incinerator and its components.

i)

health and Safety and the individual responsibilities that all have for the safety of others; and

ii)

understanding of the environmental impacts that their work could have and provision of instructions to assist in reducing these impacts.

d) High efficiency combustion must be facilitated by establishing a monitoring regime of key operating parameters, such as carbon monoxide, by the use of continuous emission monitoring equipment. e) The operator of an incineration plant handling hazardous waste must perform, as a minimum, the following functions:

7)

Accid ent Plans a) An Accident Plan must be in place (reviewed at least once every three years, or in the event of an accident) which identifies:


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i)

the likelihood accidents; and

and

consequence

of

ii)

actions to prevent accidents and mitigate any consequences.

ii)

traffic noise on the local road networks;

iii)

mechanical processing such as waste preparation;

iv)

air extraction systems;

v)

steam turbine units; and

vi)

air cooled condenser units.

b) The Accident Plan will:

8)

and

ventilation

identify the potential on-site accident hazards;

ii)

provide an assessment of the risks;

iii)

identify necessary measures;

management

b) Measures must be taken to minimise the nuisance arising from the incineration plant in relation to noise pollution.

iv)

specify the risk management measures that are used at the incineration plant;

c) Where noise issues are likely to be relevant, the Operator must provide information on the following:

v)

include contingency actions to be undertaken in the event of an accident to mitigate consequences; and

vi)

make provision for the hazards displayed by any hazardous wastes accepted at the incineration plant.

risk

Compliance Reporting

b) There must be written procedures for handling, investigating, communicating and reporting environmental complaints and implementation of appropriate actions. c) There must be written procedures for investigating incidents, (and near misses) including identifying suitable corrective action and follow up.

b) The gates of the incineration plant must be locked outside operating hours. c) Access to each facility must be controlled by systems to detect and discourage illegal dumping at the facility.

Noise a) The main contributors to noise associated with incineration plants are likely to be: i)

i)

the main sources of noise and vibration that will fall within the installation and also on infrequent sources of noise and vibration;

ii)

operating timescales of the incineration plant;

iii)

the nearest noise-sensitive sites;

iv)

conditions/limits regimes;

v)

the local noise environment;

vi)

any environmental noise measurement surveys, modelling or any other noise measurements; and

vii)

any specific local issues and proposals for improvements.

imposed

under

other

d) Where there are sensitive receptors present, a Noise Management Plan must be developed which provides details on how noise will be managed within the site and the measures to be adopted to reduce those noise impacts.

Site Security a) The incineration plant must be secured to prevent free access to the site.

11)

fans

i)

a) Written procedures must be in place for handling, investigating, communicating and reporting actual or potential non-compliance with operating procedures or emission limits.

10)

PME Reference

12)

Management of Residues a) Ash and particulate residue must be appropriately disposed of. Prior to disposal, chemical analysis of the waste is required to ensure that the content of substances which are environmentally hazardous is maintained below the acceptable level for disposal at the appropriate landfill site in accordance with the provisions in the Waste Acceptance Criteria Standard and the Waste Classification Standard. b) Bottom and fly ash from the incinerator must be properly handled, transported, and disposed of. Covered hauling and dedicated landfills are a common practice for managing these residues.

Vehicle movements/manoeuvring;


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c) If re-use of the residues, such as bottom ash, is contemplated, an evaluation of the unintentional persistent organic pollutants (POPs) content and potential environmental mobility must be carried out.

combustion air in the plant processes will destroy most odours. g) Dust and odour emissions must be minimised by performing all operations under controlled conditions indoors where practical, good working practices and effective management undertaken for dust suppression from vehicle movements.

d) APCD residuals including fly ash and scrubber sludges may contain relatively high concentrations of heavy metals, organic pollutants, chlorides and sulfides. Their method of disposal must therefore be strictly controlled. Wet scrubber systems in particular produce large quantities of acidic, contaminated liquid waste. Treatment methods that may be considered include the catalytic treatment of fabric filter dusts under conditions of low temperatures and lack of oxygen and the vitrification of fabric filter dusts.

13)

h) A regular odour impact assessment must be undertaken by the Operator. The impact assessment must cover a range of reasonably foreseeable odour generation and receptor exposure scenarios and the effect of different mitigation options. i) As part of the Working Plan an Odour Management Plan must be developed and maintained including:

Air-born e Nuisance Control s a) Measures must be put in place to minimise the nuisance arising from the incineration plant in relation to: i)

emissions of dust and odour;

ii)

wind-blown materials; and

iii)

the formation of aerosols.

b) Site operations must have due regard to the need to control dirt originating from the site being dispersed onto public roads and the surrounding land. c) All of the potential impacts of a biological treatment facility must be identified during conceptual model development and refined during the Authorisation Process. Detailed measures to mitigate the impacts must be included in the design of the facility and set out in the Working Plan. d) As a minimum, procedures must be in place to deal with particulate matter arising from: i)

the placement of wastes;

ii)

traffic on site roads;

iii)

site preparation activities;

iv)

surface emissions; and

v)

carriage of dust/mud onto the highway.

and

PME Reference

14)

i)

control measures to prevent or control odour;

ii)

demonstration/justification that there will not be an odour problem under normal conditions;

iii)

a description or copy of any conditions or limits put in place by the Competent Agency which relate to the prevention or minimisation of odour;

iv)

identification of the actions to be taken in the event of abnormal events or conditions which might lead to odour, or potential odour problems;

v)

an understanding of the impact in the event of abnormal events or conditions;

vi)

monitoring undertaken; and

vii)

communication with local residents if an odour problem arises or is likely to arise.

Control of Pests, Vermin and Birds a) Incineration plants are unlikely to attract pests, vermin and birds due to the majority of waste throughput and operations being conducted in enclosed buildings. However, during hot weather it is possible that flies could accumulate, especially if they have been brought in during delivery of the waste.

restoration

b) Insect infestations commonly arise from waste which has been awaiting collection for some time. Procedures must be put in place to prevent or limit the acceptance of such wastes. The Operator must reduce the risk of infestation by prompt treatment or incineration of such wastes.

e) Dust and odour emissions must be minimised by good building design and performing all operations under controlled conditions indoors, good working practices and effective management undertaken for dust suppression from vehicle movements. f) Thermal treatment processes must, where practicable, be operated under negative pressure within buildings to minimise dust and odour problems. Using air internal to the process building for

15)

Litter a) Any waste which contains plastics and paper is more likely to lead to litter problems. Litter problems can be minimised as long as good working practices


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16)


are adhered to, vehicles use covers and reception and processing are undertaken indoors.

within stored wastes or process products being ignited (potentially through vandalism).

Water Resour ces

b) Small fires may, if possible, be safely brought under control using fire-fighting equipment present on site.

a) Wastewater can be generated during operation at an incineration plant in various forms. These include tipping floor run-off system wash water, ash quench water and water from pollution control systems.

c) In the event of a fire that cannot be easily or safely brought under control then the site Fire Emergency Procedure will be put into action. This procedure will be developed with the local Fire Authority and will be in place prior to any wastes being treated at the site.

b) Incineration plants must also deal with sanitary wastewater disposal and surface-water run-off.

d) Fire fighting equipment of a suitable type shall be kept at appropriate locations as advised by the Company Health and Safety Department and/or the local Fire Authority.

c) Where possible, wastewater must be recycled in a closed-loop system. In these systems, water from floor drains, ash dewatering, water softener recharge, and other process wastewaters are collected and stored in a surge tank. This water must then be reused for ash quenching.

e) The locations of fire fighting equipment and materials will be detailed in the Fire Emergency Plan. f) All fire fighting equipment must be kept in good condition, unobstructed and maintained to a standard as required by the local Fire Authority.

d) Groundwater contamination at incineration plants is unlikely. Handling of surface waters and ash disposal must be properly managed to minimise any potential contamination to groundwater.

17)

PME Reference

g) Any fire arising on site must be reported to the Competent Agency as soon as possible, having due regard firstly to any steps necessary to tackle the fire and its immediate consequences. A record of the occurrence of a fire must also be maintained in the site diary, along with any actions taken.

Control of Leaks and Spillages a) Where spillages of dry wastes occur, these must be cleared by either manual or mechanical means, for example handpicking, sweeping or shovelling, depending on the size and location of the s pillage.

h) Following approval by the Fire Authority and/or site manager the residues from the fire will be disposed of accordingly at a suitable licensed waste management facility.

b) Minor spillages of liquid must be contained using spillage kits or any suitable readily available absorbent material. This material must be disposed of in a manner appropriate to the type of material absorbed.

i) Any contaminated water arising from fire fighting within the waste treatment building or bunded areas must be collected and disposed of to an appropriate facility.

c) A record must be maintained in the site diary of any spillages so treated. d) In the event of a major spillage the site drains must be sealed off where possible and a specialist contractor brought on site to clear the spillage.

Ar ti cl e VII – Reco rd Keep in g 1)

e) The Competent Agency must be informed of any major spillage event and a record made in the site diary.

a) A record of the types and quantities (in tonnes) of wastes received at the site, and wastes/process products removed from the site must be maintained and kept in the site office.

f) Spillage kits and other emergency equipment must be stored in the appropriate areas of the site. The Competent Agency must be informed of the location and content of this equipment prior to the commencement of waste treatment operations at the site.

18)

Fire Prevention and Control

b) A summary of the types and quantities of wastes deposited at the site and waste residues removed from the site must be provided to the Competent Agency at an agreed frequency and in an agreed format.

2)

a) All fires on site must be treated as a potential emergency and dealt with accordingly. Fires may occur due to plant failure or combustible material

Waste Movement Records

Records of Signifi cant Events a) The following significant events must be recorded, on site:


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i)

the start and finish of any construction and engineering works undertaken on site;

ii)

start and finish of waste management processes carried out on site;

iii)

maintenance;

iv)

breakdowns;

v)

emergencies;

vi)

problems with waste received and action taken;

vii)

site inspections;

viii)

attendance of technically management on site;

ix)

despatch of records to the Competent Agency;

x)

severe weather conditions;

xi)

complaints; and

xii)

pest or vermin incidents.

PME Reference

a) Copies of all records relating to wastes movements and product sales must be kept by the Site Manager for at least 2 years, before archiving.

competent

b) The Site Manager or nominated person must maintain a record of the above information in the site diary as required. c) The site diary must be kept in the site control office at all times and made available for inspection at all reasonable times by any officer of the Competent Agency.

3)

Format of Records a) The terms Record, Log Book and Site Diary may be kept as, but not limited to:

4)

i)

hand generated log;

ii)

computer generated hard copies.;

iii)

floppy disc; and/or

iv)

on an unalterable disk or similar format.

Security of Records a) To ensure the security of records they must be housed in either locked containers or kept in offices that shall be locked when not attended.

5)

Archiving of Records


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PME Reference

Appendi x A Pre-Design Report Requirements for Authorisation

The report must describe the design parameters of the incineration plant and must contain as a minimum details of the following: (i) (ii)

(iii) (iv) (v)

(vi)

(vii)

(viii)

(ix)

(x)

(xi)

(xii)

Legal details for ownership of the site An up to date plan and description of the site and the area within 500 metres of the site that covers: a. all property and property boundaries, b. all buildings, roads and utility corridors, c. land contours, surface water drainage, water bodies, rights-of-way and other easements, d. forested areas, e. land uses and land use designations, and f. property conditions not otherwise covered in subclauses (a) to (e) A plan and description of the incineration plant and process Details of the total waste disposal volume A full hydrogeological assessment of the suitability of the site that considers the geologic and hydrogeologic conditions of the site, the design of the site and the monitoring and contingency plans A detailed assessment of the potential impacts on surface water features that may be caused by the site or operations at the site Detailed plans, specifications and descriptions of the system for collecting, directing and discharging surface water, including details of any sediment control or other features and including construction, quality assurance and quality control procedures for the system components and system installation Detailed plans, specifications and descriptions of monitoring facilities for air emissions, ground water and surface water An assessment of potential noise impacts due to operations at the site and to local trucking related to operations at the site, including an evaluation of any proposed noise control measures An assessment of potential visual impacts on nearby properties due to the site and site operations Detailed plans, specifications and descriptions of the buffer area and ancillary facilities, including any screening, landscaping, fencing, weigh scales, buildings, structures, access roads, internal roads, holding areas for cover material, holding areas for rejected waste or materials for recycling, and other holding areas Detailed plans, specifications and descriptions of the contaminant attenuation zone, if one is necessary

(xiii)

(xiv)

(xv)

(xvi)


Details of any facilities intended to control or change the contaminating life span of the incineration plant Contingency plans that can be implemented to control and dispose of emissions produced in a quantity greater than expected or with a quality worse than expected, including specifications and descriptions in sufficient detail to demonstrate the feasibility of the plans A site closure plan, including details of the proposed end use of the site, the appearance of the site after closure, revegetation, landscaping, the construction of new facilities, and the removal of existing facilities to facilitate closure, post-closure care and site end use A summary of the main characteristics of the incineration plant, including the maximum daily quantity of waste that will be accepted for treatment, disposal or energy recovery, the estimated annual average quantity of waste that will be accepted for treatment, disposal or energy recovery, the area of the incineration plant and land take, the total waste volume, the estimated waste treatment or disposal capacity in tonnes, any subcategories of waste that are not expected to be received or that will not be accepted for treatment or disposal, and the estimated date of site closure.

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PME Reference

Ap pendi x B Environmental Assessment Requirements

An environmental assessment of the site proposed for an incineration plant is required to gain a thorough understanding of the existing environment at the site in order to develop a sound treatment design. This assessment must examine the impact of the proposed incineration plant on the air, groundwater, surface water and noise environments, and should be based on at least two to three years of data.

c. d. e.

stormwater diversion banks and/or cut-off drains and storage dams fire-fighting equipment and water supply wheel washes.

If, following an environmental assessment, the site is identified as unsuitable for an incineration plant the proposal should not proceed any further. For the purposes of siting an incineration plant, an environmental assessment should contain: (i)

(ii)

(iii)

Meteorological data, including monthly rainfall, monthly evaporation, seasonal wind strength and direction Hydrogeological assessment in accordance with EPA Publication Hydrogeological Assessments (Groundwater Quality), which includes: a. local and regional geology b. spatial distribution of groundwater (local and regional if watertable is artificially depressed) c. depth to groundwater (current and after any rebound if the watertable is artificially depressed) and watertable elevation d. groundwater gradient and flow direction e. description of groundwater interaction with f. local surface waters g. aquifer physical properties: i. permeability ii. aquifer thickness iii. saturated thickness iv. porosity. h. aquifer chemical properties: i. mineralogy ii. cation exchange and sorption capacity. i. groundwater quality (local and regional if aquifer is likely to have been impacted on by previous activities) j. beneficial uses of groundwater to be protected k. groundwater use in the surrounding area l. predicted extent and degree of impacts on groundwater quality during and after the thermal treatment operation m. verification that beneficial uses are not adversely impacted at the site, or at the boundary of an attenuation zone where designated. Water Management, including: a. water balance for the site and estimated volume of leachate to be generated b. leachate collection, storage facilities, treatment and disposal


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Environmental Standards Thermal Treatment and Incineration Design and Operation

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