Simon Storage expands waste handling capability for north sea markets
Simon Storage has announced new waste storage and handling capabilities at its Immingham terminal complex on the south bank of the River Humber. Having recently been granted an Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR) Part A permit for the handling of hazardous and non-hazardous bulk liquid wastes, Immingham now holds the necessary Radioactive Substance Regulations (RSR) permits to handle NORM products, Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material, typically originating from the North Sea.
Simon Storage has a long history of handling bulk liquid wastes under permit at its East Coast terminals at Seal Sands on Teesside and at Velva Liquids on Tyneside. Now that Immingham is also licensed to store and handle NORM products, Simon’s strategically located facilities can offer companies a comprehensive range of storage solutions and disposal routes for hazardous wastes. These include NORM contaminated liquid wastes from offshore oil and gas installations, including NORM waste streams emerging from the North Sea decommissioning programme, to chemical wastes and recovered product from a wide range of industrial processes and activities, including such products as mono ethylene glycol as well as drilling fluids.
The permission regime for storing hazardous bulk liquid wastes is stringent and, under the EPR Part A permit, process wastes must be stored in tanks with impermeable bunding and managed under strict stock management systems and reporting regimes. Outfall consents are also subject to regular monitoring and reporting to ensure compliance within consented limits. Another prerequisite is competent staff training, both to meet permitting requirements and also to uphold Simon’s commitment to personal and process safety. Simon now has WAMITAB (formerly the Waste Management Industry Training & Advisory Board) qualified staff located at each of Simon’s East Coast terminals, and where NORM products are located staff also hold an approved Radiation Protection Supervisor’s (RPS) qualification.
In addition to permission for the receipt, storage and redelivery of hazardous and non-hazardous bulk liquid wastes, Simon Storage has also been permitted to carry out water separation activities and the recovery of the separated hazardous and non-hazardous waste. In 2010 Simon Storage invested in new water treatment facilities, and will now be permitted to use this plant for the disposal of the separated waste water. The above activities cover a wide range of permitted EWC (European Waste Catalogue) codes.
Simon Storage has longstanding experience of handling hazardous products, including fuels and chemicals, as well as gases. The company’s ongoing investment in specialist facilities and qualified teams reflects growing demand for competitive and innovative waste management solutions from the domestic and wider European market. Summing up, Paul Oseland, Commercial Director, says: “Simon is taking a proactive approach to fast-developing environmental and commercial trends in the waste storage and recycling sector. With the capacity, approvals and expertise to store many types of liquid waste streams as well as recovered product, our East Coast terminals are among the leading waste handling facilities in the UK.”
