A New Pig UK White Paper

Absorb the environmental risks of oils, chemicals & everyday liquids.

Part 1

Everyday liquid and chemical spills can be just as damaging to the environment as oil spills. Learn ways to protect your company and the environment from non oil spill damage.

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Absorb the environmental risks of oils, chemicals & everyday liquids.

Oil spills lead to environmental damage. But did you know that by properly storing and cleaning up oil, you are only addressing 25% of the potential risks? Chemical spills and other non oil-based liquid spillages can lead to environmental pollution, fines, prosecution, expensive clean up costs, and damage to a companys reputation. Everyday liquid and chemical spills can be just as damaging to the environment as oil spills. This paper details the hazards that non oil-based liquid spills can pose to the environment and the steps you can take as a good neighbour to protect our natural resources.

It is likely to be of special interest if you hold any of the following positions: Environmental Health and Safety Manager Waste Manager Facilities Manager Site Manager Maintenance Manager Warehouse Manager Operations or Production Manager Technical Specialist Engineer Purchasing Officer Stores Manager Laboratory Technician Transport & Logistics Manager

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Oil spills in water dont mix.

Oil spills are a very common and highly visible form of environmental pollution. In fact, oil spills account for 25% of all pollution incidents with over 6,000 such occurrences in the UK each year.1 And of course, we all know how devastating the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill was to ecosystems, the economy and the livelihood of thousands of people across the region and the world. Human life, aquatic life and other animals are endangered with oil spill pollution accidents. Businesses will face heavy fines, clean up costs, risk of prosecution and a damaged reputation from insufficient storage and cleanup. If you work with oil, you should already know the oil storage regulations that exist in the UK. By law, you are obliged to ensure that you eliminate or minimise the risk of contaminating water and causing environmental damage by storing oils properly. As a reminder, you can find information on the regulations you need to comply with by referring to:
The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 20012 The Water Environment (Oil Storage) (Scotland) Regulations 2006 3 Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 4

Oil spills are damaging and are the cause of 25% of all pollution incidents.1

By law, you are obliged to ensure that you eliminate or minimise the risk of contaminating water and causing environmental damage by storing oils properly.

75% of your pollution risks may not be from oil.

Oil spills are damaging and are the cause of 25% of all pollution incidents.1 And with the oil storage regulations in place and enforced, all of us have clear guidelines to follow and help protect our environment. But what about the 75% of water pollution incidents that arent caused by oil? There are more liquids to think about than just oil. Out with the oil storage regulations, there are no liquidspecific regulations to guide us to do the right thing except our conscience. This lack of guidance may lead to a greater risk of causing pollution if we dont identify and assess all of the liquids in our workplace. Everyday non oil-based liquids pose a threat to the environment if not properly stored, transported and dispensed. Liquids such as trade effluent, wash waters, milk, food additives and acids & caustics can be just as harmful to the environment as oil.

But what about the 75% of water pollution incidents that arent caused by oil?

There are more liquids to think about than just oil.

CASE STUDY: The Health and Safety Executive prosecuted a chemical company 150,000 after a tank collapsed, releasing a large amount of waste solvents and water at a chemical plant in Rye, East Sussex. A steel tank which had been damaged by internal corrosion collapsed onto the retaining wall. This led to around 340 tonnes of solvent and contaminated waste water being released into the surrounding area, which was potentially hazardous and highly flammable. At the same time, a valve was knocked off an adjoining tank, which in turn released approximately 90 tonnes of contaminated waste water on to the site and neighbouring property. Due to the potentially hazardous nature of the incident, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service took the precaution of placing a 300-metre cordon around the site for two days. HSEs Inspector Trevor Jones said: The consequences of not operating a plant in accordance with accepted international standards can be catastrophic both to people and the environment. It was only timing that prevented this incident being more than a significant disruption to local residents and businesses. If the company had put in place suitable and effective measures to manage the tank inspection programme, according to its contents and use, then this incident would have been prevented. 5

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Wake up to the causes of water pollution.

Water pollution occurs when one or more substances have been allowed to enter the water environment that can cause harm to animals and humans. All of us want to help protect our natural resources. So, it is important to know your liquids & the processes they are used in throughout your facility. This will enable you to put the proper preventative measures in place to protect the environment. The key causes of water pollution, other than oil, to consider when assessing the risk in your workplace include:

The Health and Safety Executive prosecuted a chemical company 150,000 after a tank collapsed, releasing a large amount of waste solvents and water at a chemical plant in Rye, East Sussex.5

Spills from chemical containers Spills of food products e.g. dairy products and fruit juices Wash waters and waste products Run-off containing fertilisers and pesticides into surface waters Silt and soil from construction sites Trade effluent entering surface water drains instead of foul water drains Hot water releases

Milk does the environment no good.

The effect that everyday liquids and processes can have on the environment is often not recognised. However, in the event of a pollution incident, it becomes clear that the consequences can be disastrous to aquatic life, animals, humans and businesses. Take milk for example.

Fish re-stocking can cost thousands of pounds and serious groundwater pollution can cost over a million pounds.6

CASE STUDY: Consider the consequences that a UK company faced when they contaminated Grimsby Towns Croft Drain with milk and vegetable waste from their premises. They were fined a total of 30,000 and ordered to pay 1,710 costs for breaching the Water Resources Act. It appeared that the management of wastes at the companys premises was poor and they had allowed yard surfaces to become contaminated with food waste, including the most highly polluting of all foods, milk. A large number of dead invertebrates were found downstream of the discharge and fish had been affected. 6 In fact, milk can be as much as 400 times more polluting than untreated domestic sewage. Naturally occurring bacteria break down milk entering a watercourse, using up oxygen in the water more quickly than it can be replaced. As a result of falling oxygen levels, fish and other aquatic life can suffocate. The high fat content of milk causes physical problems within drainage systems that can cause overflows and possible pollution.7

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In the previous case study, aquatic life was destroyed and the company paid fines. However, there are additional consequences that may occur when non oil-based liquids are not carefully stored and managed. These include:

1. Risk of prosecution

It is an offence if you dont take all practical steps to prevent damage. You should report the details to the Environment Agency if the threat remains or you could end up being prosecuted as well as fined.

3. Increased insurance premiums

If a claim for pollution cleanup is made, insurance premiums are likely to rise significantly for your company.

4. Danger to human life

2. Cleanup costs

Costs can be significant as the polluter has to pay cleanup and court costs, in addition to fines. Even if a case doesnt go to court, the cost of repairing the damage still has to be met. Fish re-stocking can cost thousands of pounds and serious groundwater pollution can cost over a million pounds.6

Harm can be caused to human health as rivers are used as a source for public drinking water.

5. Damaged reputation & loss of business

Bad publicity is inevitable following an environmental spill. If its widely publicised, the good reputation you have can be damaged. Plus, your companys profitability will be affected by loss of business.

Identify & re-evaluate potential liquid hazards.

Throughout your workplace a variety of everyday liquids will be stored and used in various processes. These include: Anti-freeze Coolants Cleaning detergents Emission reduction solutions Screen wash fluids Food and drink milk, fruit juice, beer, wine, food additives and food waste that decomposes and breaks down into a liquid Polish and body care liquids Specific areas in your workplace will pose more risk than others, but it is important to determine the different processes cleaning, production and testing, and the liquids that are used. Areas of your facility to review include: Drum storage Chemical storage Vehicle maintenance Food production Wash down locations Warehouses Stock rooms Offices Canteens Bathrooms Janitorial cupboards

Specific areas in your workplace will pose more risk than others, but it is important to determine the different processes cleaning, production and testing, and the liquids that are used.

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Here are five steps you can take to identify and evaluate liquids at your facility.
1. Identify the nature of your liquids

Establish the largest amount of liquid that could be spilled from a single container or holding tank in each area where liquids are used in your premises. Make sure that you have absorbents and spill cleanup materials on hand to soak up that volume.

It is essential that you determine all the liquids stored on site. Material Safety Data Sheets and COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) assessment forms are good resources for identifying and determining chemical hazards.

4. Re-assess the liquids in your process

Establish the largest amount of liquid that could be spilled from a single container or holding tank in each area where liquids are used in your premises. Make sure that you have absorbents and spill cleanup materials on hand to soak up that volume.

2. Determine the volume of your liquids

For liquids that are harmful to human health, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advise you to try and prevent exposure at the source. Ask yourself, can you avoid using a hazardous substance? Can you substitute hazardous liquid for something safer? Can you use a solid rather than a liquid to avoid splashes and spills? Can you use a dry powder in place of a liquid? 5

5. Determine minimum quantities needed

3. Know the location of your liquids

Consider the surrounding environment when choosing the location to store your liquids. Reduce the risk of waterway pollution by storing liquids as far as logistically possible from watercourses, open drains, sinks, gullies and un-surfaced areas. Many pollution incidents are a result of poor security so ensure the location is secure to protect from vandalism or theft.

If you can not substitute liquids in your processes, re-evaluate the amount you need to store on site and how it is transferred within your facility. Consider storing the minimum amount of liquids as possible to reduce your chances of a spill that can lead to environmental pollution. Please review your workflow procedures to limit movement of liquids throughout the facility.

Consider storing the minimum amount of liquids as possible to reduce your chances of a spill that can lead to environmental pollution.

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Summary of findings.
In this White Paper, you have learned that whilst oil spills can lead to significant environmental damage, oil spills only represent 25% of the potential risks of spilled liquid in your facility. 1 Non oil-based liquids such as coolants, detergents, milk and food additive, anti-freeze and other chemicals account for 75% of the water pollution incidents.1 Unless properly identified and addressed in risk assessments, non oil-based liquids can cause environmental damage and pose financial consequences to your business such as a risk of prosecution, considerable cleanup costs, increased insurance premiums and a damaged reputation. In part 2 of New Pig UKs White Paper Absorbing the environmental risks of oils, chemicals & everyday liquids, youll continue to discover techniques on how you can protect the environment and safely store, handle, transport and dispense non oil-based liquids in your workplace

In 2008, companies paid over 3 million in fines for serious pollution incidents, with around a quarter of these awarded for water pollution offences.6

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Communicate relevant legislation and response plans to employees and re-visit them periodically with training sessions.

References:
Oil Bank Line Department for Environmental & Rural Affairs 3 Scottish Environment Protection Agency 4 Northern Ireland Environment Agency 5 Health and Safety Executive 6 Environment Agency 7 Department of Environment
1 2

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