Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations 2018: ​Proposed Standard Conditions for Registration level activities

Standard conditions

Below is the list of core and activity-specific standard conditions for the incineration of biomass in incineration or co-incineration plant with a capacity of more than 50kg per hour and equal to or less than 3,000kg per hour.

1. All reasonable steps must be taken to minimise emissions during start-up and shut-down of the process.
    
2. Biomass must not be incinerated during periods of start-up.
    
3. Bottom ash must be stored in enclosed containers and handled in a way that prevents, or where that is not practicable, minimise the escape of dust.
    
4. All biomass must undergo complete combustion.
    
5. Only the waste types listed in Table 1 can be incinerated, subject to the restrictions set out in column 3 of Table 1.
    
6. Post-segregation of mixed waste wood streams from civic amenity sites or skip hire operators must not be carried out.
    

   Table 1: Waste codes for authorised waste types that can be incinerated

   Waste Codes	Authorised Wastes	Restriction
   02 01 03 02 01 07	Plant tissue waste from agriculture, horticulture and forestry.	N/A
   03 01 01	Waste bark and cork from wood processing and the production of panels and furniture.	Waste must not have been chemically treated
   03 01 05	Sawdust, shavings, cuttings, wood, particle board and veneer that is fixed to the board, other than those mentioned in 03 01 04.	Waste must not have been chemically treated
   03 03 01	Waste bark and wood from pulp, paper and cardboard production and processing.	Waste must not have been chemically treated
   15 01 03	Wooden packaging.	Only visibly clean wooden packaging, including pallets, where no chemical treatments have been applied.
   19 12 07	Wood other than wood containing hazardous substances (19 12 06) from waste management facilities.	Only source-segregated, visibly clean, single waste wood streams such as pallets, where no chemical treatments have been applied.

   
    
7. Emissions to air from the authorised activities must only be made from the biomass incinerator.
    
8. Any biomass incineration or co-incineration plant stack height must be:
   
   a. greater than or equal to 3 metres above the roof ridge height of the building on which it is located; or,
   
   b. greater than or equal to 3 metres above the ground if it is located separate to any building; and
   
   c. greater than or equal to the height of any part of a building which is located within a distance of 5 times the uncorrected stack height.
    
9. Emissions of substance(s) to the air from the biomass incinerator must not exceed the relevant emission limit value specified in Table 2.
    
10. Air must not be added to dilute emissions to achieve the emission limit values specified in Table 2.
     
11. The emission of any other substance, not specified in Table 2, from the authorised activities must not cause environmental harm.
     

    Table 2: Emission limit values from biomass incinerators

    Substance	Applicability	Emission Limit Value (mg/m3)
    Dust	All biomass incinerator	60
    Carbon monoxide (CO)	Biomass incinerator less than 1 megawatt rated thermal input (MWth)	250
    Carbon monoxide (CO)	Biomass incinerator greater than 1 megawatt rated thermal input (MWth)	150
    Oxides of nitrogen (NOx)	All processes	400
    Total volatile organic compounds	All processes	20
    Hydrogen cyanide	For melamine-faced biomass waste	5
    Formaldehyde	For plywood, chipboard, fibreboard and similar fuels	5

    
     
12. Monitoring must be undertaken at the biomass incinerator at the sample port, frequency and using the monitoring standard as specified in Table 3.
     
13. Sample points must be installed, maintained and appropriately identified so that representative samples may be safely obtained.
     
14. Monitoring must be undertaken:
    
    a. during normal operation;
    
    b. under stable conditions; and
    
    c. at a representative, even load.
     
15. The first monitoring of emissions must be undertaken within four months of the start of operation
     

    Table 3. Monitoring requirements

    Substance	Sample Port	Monitoring Frequency	Monitoring Standard
    Dust	Sample port in determined accordance with BS EN 15259	Manufacturers guarantee Or   Annually	BS EN 13284-1
    Carbon monoxide (CO)	Sample port in determined accordance with BS EN 15259	Annually	BS EN 15058
    Oxides of nitrogen (NOx)	Sample port in determined accordance with BS EN 15259	On commissioning of new plant	BS EN 14792
    Total Volatile organic compounds	Sample port in determined accordance with BS EN 15259	Annually	BS EN 12619
    Hydrogen cyanide	Sample port in determined accordance with BS EN 15259	Annually	US EPA OTM29
    Formaldehyde	Sample port in determined accordance with BS EN 15259	Annually	CENTS 17638

    
     
16. Measures must be taken to prevent, or where that is not practicable, minimise:
    
    a. dust; and
    
    b. odour
    
    from the authorised activities.
     
17. Dust from the authorised activities, which has a significant impact on the environment, people or property, must not be emitted beyond the boundary of the Authorised Place.
     
18. Offensive odours from the authorised activities as perceived by a SEPA officer must not be emitted beyond the boundary of the Authorised Place.
     
19. SEPA must be notified via its pollution hotline contact telephone number as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any case within 24 hours of identification of an event, of any of the following:
    
    a. an event that has caused or could cause adverse impact to the environment or harm to human health;
    
    b. an event that results, or could result, in an emission to the environment that is not authorised; and
    
    c. an event that has caused a breach of a condition of this authorisation.
    
    In this condition, the meaning of ‘event’ is as defined in the Interpretation of Terms of this authorisation.
     
20. All measures that are reasonably practicable must be taken to stop an event and to minimise its effect on the environment.
     
21. Within 14 days of an event a report must be submitted to SEPA detailing:
    
    a. the reason(s) for the event;
    
    b. the action(s) taken to stop the event and minimise the impacts; and
    
    c. the action(s) taken to prevent the event from reoccurring.
     
22. All information recorded, kept or submitted to SEPA in accordance with a condition of this authorisation must be:
    
    a. true and accurate; and
    
    b. kept for a minimum of six years; and
    
    c. provided to SEPA upon request.
     
23. Records must be kept of the following:
    
    a. all monitoring results and verification of compliance with the emission limit values specified in Table 2; and
    
    b. waste transfer notes.
     
24. The results of the monitoring of emissions, as described in condition 12 must be submitted to SEPA within eight weeks of the date the monitoring took place via email to registry@sepa.org.uk.
     
25. For each calendar year the information detailed in Appendix 1 must be submitted to SEPA on or before 28 January in the following year.
     
26. The information detailed in Appendix 1 must be submitted to SEPA via email, in the excel spreadsheet supplied by SEPA, to waste.data@sepa.org.uk.