Secondary Containment Tool and Guide

Secondary Containment Tool and Guide

ADBA’s Training, Safety and Environment (T, S & E) working group have published a risk assessment tool and accompanying guide to help AD operators and developers to determine the secondary containment provisions that should be in place at their site. The guide and tool are based on the principles established in CIRIA 736; it is recommended that this is referred to while using the guide and tool.

It is also strongly advised that all those developing AD plants liaise with their environmental regulator (i.e. the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Northern Ireland EA or Scottish Environment Protection Agency) during the design and planning phase to understand the requirements for the specific project.

Click on the following links to access the documents:

Secondary Containment for AD plants: An Industry Guide

ADBA PROjEN AD Containment Classification Tool

You can download CIRIA 736 guidance from the CIRIA website.

You can view the slides from a presentation delivered by Dave Auty (Capita PROjEN) at the launch of the tool here.

Secondary containment (such as a bund) can prevent potentially-polluting materials from reaching the environment in the event that there is a failure of primary containment (such as a tank). It is important that the secondary containment arrangements at an AD plant are appropriate and fit for purpose. The group recommends that secondary containment is considered at the earliest stage of the project and that the developer keeps in touch with the environmental regulator throughout the design, planning and construction process. This allows the developer to factor in the likely capital expenditure associated with secondary containment at the start of the project.

This advice is echoed by the Environment Agency’s Darren Legge, who said ‘The Environment Agency welcomes the development this industry led guidance and risk assessment tool for ‎secondary containment. As outlined within the guide, early discussion with the Environment Agency is strongly recommended to ensure that both the location and design of your plant and secondary containment is suitable.’

Let us know what you think

Any feedback can be directed to ADBA's Environment and Regulation Manager, Jess Allan, at Jessica.Allan@adbioresources.org and will be passed to the working group for consideration.