Have your say on ‘proposals’ to reduce chemical contamination from Angus Fire Ltd site in North Yorkshire town
Angus Fire Limited has applied to the Environment Agency to vary its environmental permit to reduce chemical contamination on its site at High Bentham.
The operator has applied to vary the permit to introduce an effluent treatment plant.
Previously, Angus Fire manufactured and tested firefighting foam.
This foam is known to have contained per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
These PFAS chemicals are transferred into rainwater when it falls on to key areas of the site.
Angus Fire has been collecting this rainwater so it can be treated to reduce the PFAS substances.
The application is for an effluent treatment plant to reduce the PFAS in both the collected rainwater and the future rainwater that falls onto the site.
The operator no longer manufacturers firefighting foam at its High Bentham site.
The application is for treating rainwater to reduce PFAS chemicals from the site's previous manufacturing processes.
The Environment Agency is now seeking views from the local community and interested groups on the application.
The consultation has already started and will run until Thursday, August 21.
It is live on the Environment Agency’s Citizen Space website at https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/psc/la2-7na-angus-fire-limited/
John Neville, area environment manager at the Environment Agency, said: “Our regulatory controls are in place to protect people and the environment and we will carry out a detailed and robust assessment of Angus Fire’s permit variation application.
“We welcome comments from the public and interested groups on local environmental factors that people feel are important.”
Once treated at the effluent plant, the rainwater would be discharged to the River Wenning.
The proposed level of PFAS remaining in the treated rainwater discharged into the river would be in line with levels currently accepted as best practice for PFAS treatment processes.
The Environment Agency may only refuse a permit application if it does not meet one or more of the legal requirements under environmental legislation.
If the application shows that the site can operate in a way that meets all current environmental regulations and will provide a high level of protection of the environment and human health, the Environment Agency is legally obliged to issue a permit.
People can respond to the consultation directly on the website or alternatively by email to [email protected].