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| Date post: | 18-Dec-2015 |
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Nationally: What the Government are sayingEric Pickles issued new guidelines stating that local communities should have a greater say in planning
decisions
“We need to ensure that protecting the local environment is properly considered alongside the broader
issues of protecting the global environment”
“Meeting Britain’s energy needs should not be used to justify the wrong development in the wrong location.”
What we will cover
• What is Anaerobic Digestion? • Is this really ‘Green’?• Overview of what is proposed?• What are the local implications?
What we will cover
• What is Anaerobic Digestion? • Is this really ‘Green’?• Overview of what is proposed?• What are the local implications?
Anaerobic digestion is the natural breakdown of organic materials into
methane, carbon dioxide gas and fertiliser
What is Anaerobic Digestion?
This has green credentials and, on the surface, the proposed technology has
benefits.However, in practice, all is not good… especially given the close proximity of
housing.
Anaerobic Digester installation at Milton Heights
• What is Anaerobic Digestion? • Is this really ‘Green’?• Overview of what is proposed?• What are the local implications?
Is this really Green?
Converting any Waste into Energy
is a great idea
IN THE RIGHT PLACE
Is this really Green?
Growing crops specifically to feed an AD?
This is not ‘WASTE’•This is only financially viable because of subsidies•It takes land which could be used to produce Human and Animal feedstock•It leads to increased imports of food•Because this is not a true “on farm” AD proposal, the increase in traffic movements NEGATES environmental savings
Anaerobic Digester installation at Milton Heights
• What is Anaerobic Digestion? • Is this really ‘Green’?• Overview of what is proposed?• What are the local implications?
Milton Heights ProposalConsisting of
Technical building – 20 x 12 x 5.5m high6 x tanks 3.5 x 10m high2 x 6m gas flare towers
2 x 38m wide x 8m high storage tanks4 x 70m x 25m x 5m high open silage dumps
4 x covered warehouses 15mx 10m3x Biogas upgrading containers 12 x 3 m
WeighbridgeUnderground propane gas tanks 16m x 5 m
Milton AD Waste
• 22000 tonnes of maize, grass and silage• 4000 tonnes of chicken manure• 4000 tonnes of food waste • 2000 tonnes of glycerine• 18000 tonnes of other waste from London 50,000 tonnes of product shipped in = 45,000 tonnes shipped out
Milton Heights Residential Area
• 74 people live or work within 250 m of proposed site• 100’s within half a mile• 48 properties will be right opposite the entrance to the AD site• 350m upwind of St Blaise schoolAD plant, Rothwell Northants, is at least 700m from the village
but residents reported smells as a risk to residents health
Anaerobic Digester installation at Milton Heights
• What is Anaerobic Digestion? • Is this really ‘Green’?• Overview of what is proposed?• What are the local implications?
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What are the local issues? Smell• Residents in a Somerset village have
said more needs to be done to tackle a “sewage-like smell” coming from an AD waste plant.
• Cannington Bio Energys anaerobic digestion plant deals with food waste. - Locals have described the odour as a mixture of “dogs muck and burnt plastic”.
Jeremy Jacobs, Technical Director , Renewable Energy Association
“Odour is a critical factor affecting the viable operation of all biodegradable waste management facilities.” “The level of odour incidences at permitted sites are at an all-time high with the Environment Agency deeming this to be by far the most significant issue in our sector.”
2013 No. of odour reportsJAN 66FEB 42MAR 33APR 87MAY 56JUN 76JUL 129AUG 202SEPT 39OCT 105EA November 2013 Resident Newsletter
Odour complaints continue at Cannock AD
What are the other local issues?
Construction•This is a massive industrial engineering project
Traffic Movements
•Massive influx of HGVs ,tractor/trailers•HGVs/Tractors use diesel – NOT VERY GREEN
Holsworthy Biogas Plant
• This was the first AD plant in the UK, completed in 2002, and has had local opposition from the Holsworthy Biogas Protest Group, which said there has been a history of problems with odours and traffic associated with the plant. A local councillor said “The amount of damage that the plant has been causing to the roads in the locality has been horrendous…”
TRAFFIC MOVEMENTS• Potash Lane country lane - 60 mph • Failed to take into account increased traffic
from HFT development and Tesco.com• 10 HGVs per hour during peak times –or is it?• Scheduling of arrival of HGV every 6 minutes?• School buses pick up and drop off opposite
proposed entrance
Planning Application error
• 45000 tonnes of digestate, not 9500 tonnes• This means number of HGVs movements per
hour are woefully underestimated
RISKS- Environment Agency …“AD is not a low-risk activity and operators needed to recognise the risks associated with running an AD facility”.“You are dealing with an aggressive working environment, anybody that deals with an explosive gas/biogas runs the risk of catastrophic issues. Loss of containment can wipe out an ecosystem, so it’s not low risk and you need to understand the risk at whatever scale.”
Harper Adams Facility Disaster• January 2013 • 8 million litres of smelly digestate started to leak out• Surrounding bund (enclosing wall) failed, allowing it to
flood adjacent fields and enter the watercourses. • The EA were brought in to cope as it continued to leak,
working through a second night trying to protect the watercourses and counteract the high levels of ammonia.
“Large-scale environment incident” -Environment Agency
Biogas-info.com, Official portal for AD.
”Anaerobic digestion can be regarded as a chemical process with all the associated risks: flammable atmospheres, fire and explosion, toxic gases, confined spaces, asphyxiation,
pressure systems, COSHH, etc. In addition, it also incorporates gas handling and gas
storage.”
“…activities must not be carried out within 250 metres of any off-site building used by the public, including dwelling houses…. or workplace”
Environment Agency….
Environment Agency ….
“In the event of a major process failure, we are concerned that immediate neighbours may be in acute danger from episodic releases or explosion risks”.Comment on an UK AD planning application. Feb 2013
What are the other Local Implications?
• Importing of bottled methane for injection into network
• Machinery and pumps operating all day and night
• Potential health risks – Bioaerosols
• Increase in vermin and flies, air and light pollution
• Danger to motorists, cyclists, horses/riders, pedestrians and school children
• The spoiling of a peaceful, rural environment
• Devaluation of homes
• Likely ruin of a highly successful Pick Your Own and commercial fruit farm business and office facility at the Core resulting in job losses.
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Summary
• Anaerobic digestion of waste is great idea….…in the right place• This is not digesting ‘Waste’ and is not the right place• Only the subsidies make it viable• Will lead to huge influx of HGVs• This is NOT a small scale facility• This is a major industrial site.
Why do we need to act now?
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Once an AD plant is built, if it is causing problems then local residents have very little power in protecting their homes.
As the proposed site in Milton would be immediately adjacent to homes it is clearly not a suitable location.
