The Environment Agency (EA) has issued its new Regulatory Position Statement 128 – The short term storage of refuse derived fuel at a dockside. This new RPS will be withdrawn on 30th April 2015.
After the 30th April 2015, those who were operating under this RPS will need to prove one of the following:
- They have an appropriate permit in place;
- They have applied for an appropriate permit, either Standard Rules permit or bespoke permit;
- They have cleared the site of any waste previously covered by this RPS.
For those operators choosing to apply for an environmental permit to continue operating, from 1st May 2015 it will be a requirement for all newly permitted sites storing combustible materials (waste wood, tyres, RDF etc) to have a Fire Prevention Plan, approved by the EA before the permit is issued.
It is expected that this Fire Prevention Plan will meet the new standard set ‘Regulatory Standard – Fire Prevention Plan’ to be issued by the EA by the end of February, as a minimum.
For those operators who previously benefited from RPS128, the EA has prepared a ‘Frequently asked questions – Standard Permit Consultation – Fire Prevention’ document to explain the options and the newly implemented standards.
If this change to RPS128 is likely to affect your operations, please do not hesitate to contact Wiser Environment on 01480 462 232 or at info@wisergroup.co.uk to discuss how we may be able to assist you.