CASE STUDY
OUR INDUSTRY’S RISING STARS
ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND AWARDS
‘FUEL WAS WASHING OUT OF THE WALLS’
The unpredictability of a spill, the impact it can have on the environment, and on the responsible party’s business, calls for a prudent approach to regularly reassess potential risks and their consequences, and to apply commensurate levels of risk mitigation. But navigating through oil spill preparedness and response can be daunting.
With over 30 years of experience in oil spill response and preparedness globally, Oil Spill Response Ltd. provides peace of mind and expert support through every phase of preparedness from planning, training and exercising, to identifying oil spill equipment requirements and response services. Managing oil spill risk and meeting regulatory requirements can be left in our expert hands.
Strategically positioned in ten locations on six continents, OSRL offers an end-to-end oil spill service and integrated solutions for all of your preparedness and response needs.
We’re ready to assist anytime, anywhere. In the event of an incident, OSRL members have access to five oil spill
response experts for five days, with one call, ensuring coordination when it’s most crucial.
OSRL Membership provides expert guidance and support across all tiers of preparedness:
• Training of personnel
• Range of contingency planning, consultancy and advice
• Fully maintained response equipment
• Exercises
www.oilspillresponse.com
INTRODUCTION AND WELCOME
INDUSTRY NEWS
MEMBERS NEWS
OUR NEW BOARD
ISAS UPDATE
AUTUMN CONFERENCE, AWARDS & LOOK FORWARD
OUR RISING STARS
CASE STUDY - FUEL WAS WASHING OUT OF THE WALLS - LCM ENVIRONMENTAL
CASE STUDY - NITRATE SELECTIVE RESIN IS USED TO TREAT AMMONIA IMPACTED SURFACE WATERS - RSK RAW
SUSTAINABILITY IN SPILL RESPONSE - AN INTRODUCTION
SUSTAINABILITY IN ACTION: VIKOMA CASE STUDY
REGIONAL NETWORKING EVENT – 29 MARCH 2023 – CROWNE PLAZA BELFAST
SPRING CONFERENCE - CHEM UK EXPO 2023 - 11 MAY 2023 - NEC BIRMINGHAM
CASE STUDY: TORQUAY MARINA SUPER YACHT FIRE – ADLER AND ALLAN
RESPONDER SPILL RESPONDER TRAINING BY DARCY & COMPASS
UK AND IRELAND SPILL ASSOCIATION WORKING GROUPS REPORT
UK AND IRELAND SPILL ASSOCIATION 2023 EVENT PLAN SPONSORED BY OAMPS AND OAMPS
Cover Picture: Rennaissance on fire at Torquay Marina - May 22 see page 27
Spill Alert is the official magazine of the UK and Ireland Spill Association. It is published by the Association whose Registered Office is; 39 Chapel Road, West End, Southampton, SO30 3FG. The views in the magazine may not represent the views of the Association if the authors are not employees of it and are therefore individual views. No article may be reproduced without the permission of the Association whose contact details are below
© UK and Ireland Spill Association Ltd - 2023
All enquiries for membership of the Association, editorial, advertising or attendance at events should be made to: Mark J Orr, Executive Director, UK and Ireland Spill Association Ltd info@ukirespill.org
Tel: 0333 444 1890
Mob: +44 7864 707408 www.ukirespill.org
All enquiries for marine, shoreline and inland accreditation should be made to: Neil Marson, Executive Director, International Spill Accreditation Scheme Ltd info@isasaccreditation.org
Tel: 0333 444 1891
Mob: +44 7889 714828
www.isasaccreditation.org
Even in Aberdeen the spring is starting slowly to arrive and daylight hours are creeping up. It is a busy time for this oil and gas port with plenty of activity despite the apparent transition to net zero! Indeed in the short term there seems a surge in activity and new projects starting. One wonders when as opposed to sucking it all out of the ground we will be pushing carbon into the ground!
I have to thank our past Board and Lee Barber, our past Chairman, for handing over the Association in such good shape with plenty of activity and progress being made in so many areas. Thank you to all outgoing Board members who gave their time so willingly and to the members of our current board who have committed to the Association’s continuing journey.
I am enjoying the Sustainability Series, thanks to the contributors for a great kick off. This topic seem to be top of most businesses agenda and there is no doubt that we can all do our bit. Someone said to me why bother when there is a war in Ukraine, oil and gas price fluctuations like we have not seen since the Gulf Wars in the last century, earthquakes in Turkey and Syria and famines in Africa. There is no easy answer to
this. We have been taking more out of the world’s resources than the world can produce and so we are in deficit and the only way to address that is to act more sustainably. Personally my family is doing its bit in the way we live, buy and travel. My business is purchasing with sustainability in mind and we are look continually to deliver our operations in more sustainable ways that we have ever done. We will get there in lots of little step changes and if we all do that we will see progress globally.
There are a lot of face to face events coming up and I hope to get to some of them. It great that members are meeting together as that networking does bring so much more than a Zoom/Teams meeting. The events plan is pretty business, so do support what you can!
at
Behind the scenes NOAA has been working to model the possible effects of a spillage from the vessel, either as a result of a structural failure or when offloading. In July 2020, OR&R began providing technical support for an environmental and humanitarian threat in the Middle East—the floating storage and offloading facility (FSO) Safer (pronounced “saffer”). The decaying supertanker had been converted in 1987 to an FSO for oil, and is linked by pipeline to land-based oilfields. FSO Safer is moored about 4.8 nautical miles off the Red Sea coast of Yemen and holds an estimated 1.14 million barrels of light crude oil. Production, offloading, and maintenance operations on the Safer were suspended in 2015 because of the country’s civil war. As a result, the Safer’s structural integrity has significantly deteriorated and there is a risk that it could break apart, combust, or explode.
The UN announced in November that the operation to unload the ‘FSO Safer’ of its 1.1m barrels of oil should begin in early 2023, and that the operation could take a total of 18 months.
The Saudi-backed Yemeni government and Iran-backed Houthi militias will later agree on the fate of the tanker after unloading it. The two sides will also agree on how to sell the crude oil on board.
The agreement to solve the problem of the FSO Safer and its oil, which has run since 2015, was achieved when it was agreed that the oil would be shifted to another, less decrepit, vessel, without any change to possession and ownership. The vessel is currently under the control of the Houthi rebel movement.
Emptying the supertanker is what primarily concerns the Maritime Affairs Authority and other concerned government agencies, such as the Public Authority for Environmental Protection. Clearing out the tanker will take place in the first few months of 2023.
The documents issued by the UN outline a proposal for the appointment of an international coordinator to oversee the unloading of the tanker. The process will depend on the success of the technical and safety measures for the workers that will carry out the operation.
The UN plan also highlights the importance of making sure that no elements of the armed conflict taking place in Yemen will pose a threat to those carrying out the operation.
However, the UN documents fail to mention the fate of the oil within the FSO Safer and how much of it will be sold after the operation is completed. It also fails to mention what will become of the dilapidated tanker.
The first step of the unloading plan will centre around evaluation, inspection, and the establishment of a safe working environment. After this, the oil cargo will be transferred onto another vessel.
The UN plan also outlines the need to seal off the tanker’s pipeline valves in order to prevent a spill during the transfer process, which will involve professionally hired divers. Once the transfer is complete, the oil is expected to remain – at least temporarily – on the new vessel.
There will be no immediate need to determine “whether owners will agree to relinquish their rights so that the oil can be sold.” The FSO Safer is owned by the Yemeni Safer Exploration & Production Operation Company (SEPOC), which was nationalized in 2005 after the expiration of its production sharing agreement with the US-based HUNT oil company.
Within the international response community, many models have been run and reports written, including use of OR&R’s GNOME suite of spill trajectory and weathering tools—however, an important contribution to the mitigation effort was the analysis and interpretation of those results and reports.
OR&R staff supported the analysis of the threat posed by the Safer by interpreting the science behind the modeling, so that decision-makers could thoroughly understand the risks described in those reports. Staff provided a review and briefing on the FSO Safer modeling products, which was shared with the Department of State FSO Safer Working Group, the Yemen Affairs Unit, the United Nations, the Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and bilaterally with the Netherlands and United Kingdom. OR&R’s support to the Department of State in synthesizing the risk reports into meaningful decisionmaking information for the international committees was a critical component to prevent an environmental and humanitarian catastrophe.
Holding four times the amount of oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez—enough to make it the fifth largest oil spill from a tanker in history—a catastrophe with the Safer could have a devastating effect on marine life and marine-based economy in Yemen and nearby shores.
expose millions of people to highly polluted air, disrupt Yemen’s Red Sea fisheries, threaten the clean-water supply by contaminating the desalination plants that line the coast, and cut off food, fuel, and other life-saving supplies to Yemen, where 17 million people already need aid. Other countries bordering the Red Sea would also incur the burden of the spill with port closures and disruptions to desalination plants.
Mode details on NOAA support are available at:
https://blog.response.restoration.noaa. gov/acting-prevent-catastrophic-oilspill-red-sea?utm_medium=email&utm_ source=GovDelivery
UK GOVERNMENT BANS SINGLE-USE PLASTIC CUTLERY AND PLATES IN ENGLAND
The operation to remove the wreck of the OS 35 bulk carrier from Gibraltar waters is set to kick with the arrival of equipment from South America.
Gibraltar’s Captain of the Port confirmed that the anchor handling tug Koole 42 and a barge are scheduled to arrive in Gibraltar this week. After that crews will gather and work can commence. The Caption of the Port has given the owners and insurers of the vessel until the end of May to complete the removal work.
OS 35 was outbound from Gibraltar Port with a load of steel bars when it collided with the unladen LNG carrier Adam LNG in the Bay of Gibraltar on August 29 2022.
For more information:
https://gcaptain.com/os-35-wreck-removalset-to-kick-off-in-gibraltar/?subscriber =true&goal=0_f50174ef03-cba6199a34170283262&mc_cid=cba6199a34&mc_ eid=9028f94f58
Single use items like plastic cutlery, plates and polystyrene trays will be banned in England, the Government have confirmed.
It is not clear when the ban will come into effect but England follows prior regulation in Scotland and Wales.
Government figures suggest 1.1 billion single use plates and more than 4 billion pieces of plastic cutlery are used in England every year.
Whilst this ban is long overdue the Government has been slow to act and needs to go much further to stem the increasing tide of plastic use.
Greenpeace UK described this as:’ We are dealing with a plastic flood, this is like reaching for a mop instead of turning off the tap.’
The Government does need to focus on a meaningful strategy to reduce plastic use, which should issue stringent targets for its reduction, reuse and refill schemes and the introduction of deposit return schemes. The government has no plastic strategy for England and is making only slow steps to introduces extended producer responsibility with the first stage of this started on 1 Jan 2022.
More details from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ business-64205460
A Panama-flagged vehicle carrier carrying more than 4,500 cars and 1,300 tons of oil from South Korea to Singapore caught fire and is now drifting in the waters off Vung Tau, Vietnam.
The fire is believed to have started on Friday, February 3, on board the AH SHIN before spreading across multiple decks of 21,000-ton vessel.
There were 21 Russian crew members on board and all of them are reported safe.
The fire was reported under control by Sunday night, but the vessel was still emitting a strong burning smell.
The amount of damage to cars on board is unclear.
The MV AH SHIN is a vehicle carrier built in 1999 and measures 200 meters long and 32 meters wide. It is managed by DORIKO Ltd of South Korea.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. This seems a similar case to the MV FELICITY ACE that eventually burned completely out and then capsized close to the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean in late 2022.
The US Coast Guard issued guidance in March 2022 (Safety Alert 01-22) to highlight where improperly discarded Lithium-Ion batteries caught fire in a container while en route to the Port of Virginia, where it was set to be loaded onto
a ship. The container’s bill of lading listed the contents as “computer parts,” not lithium batteries.
The carriage of electric vehicles containing Lithium-Ion batteries presents new challenges to maritime transportationand firefighting.
In this latest safety alert, the Coast Guard strongly recommends that vessels, ports, shippers, and regulators:
Conduct a comprehensive review of the vehicle shipping requirements found in both the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR) and the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code. All lithium batteries are hazardous materials regulated by the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). As such, they are required to comply with the Lithium Battery Guide for Shippers.
Conduct review of additional requirements for shipping damaged lithium ion batteries located in the PHMSA Safety Advisory Notice for the Disposal and Recycling of Lithium Batteries in Commercial Transportation. Due to the large size of EV batteries, the packaging requirements to comply with damaged shipment regulations are inadequate. As such, IMDG special provision 376 specifically requires approval from the competent authority (PHMSA or US Coast Guard) prior to shipment of damaged lithium batteries.
Remain vigilant and ensure damaged lithium-ion vehicle batteries are not loaded onto vessels for shipment, placed within port facilities, or enclosed in containers.
This all sound easier said than done. We have noted previously the pressure of ports to process containers for loading means that shipper declarations on bills of lading are taken as fact. Checks on individual containers are rarely done unless there is some suspicion on the documentation.
The IMO Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC 8), 8th session, on 14-23 September, 2022 discussed a proposal to replace IMDG Code special provisions (SP) 961 and 962 with a new special provision in response to recent fire incidents occurring on vehicle carriers. In light of continued reports of serious incidents caused by fires originating from vehicles, and as a matter of priority, the Sub-Committee established a Correspondence Group on the Review of Transport Provisions for Vehicles to: continue consideration of amendments to transport provisions for vehicles; develop and prepare suitable measures to address the hazards arising from shipments of vehicles in the provisions of the IMDG Code; and submit a report to CCC 9.
The ONE Apus was underway from China to Long Beach, California when it lost an estimated 1,816 containers overboard in heavy weather approximately 1,600 nautical miles northwest of Hawaii on November 30 2020
The IMO Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC 8), 8th session, on 14-23 September, 2022 agreed draft new requirements for mandatory reporting of lost freight containers at sea.
Containers lost overboard can be a serious hazard to navigation and safety at sea in general, in particular to recreational sailing vessels, fishing vessels and other small craft, as well as to the marine environment. The work of the Sub-Committee on detection and reporting of lost containers is also relevant to the Organization’s work on addressing marine litter.
The Sub-Committee agreed draft amendments to the SOLAS and MARPOL treaties.
The draft amendments to SOLAS chapter V, on safety of navigation,
will be submitted to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), with a view to approval by MSC 107 (spring 2023) and subsequent adoption by MSC 108 (autumn 2023). The draft amendments add new paragraphs to SOLAS chapter V Regulation 31 on Danger messages. They would require the master of every ship involved in the loss of freight container(s), shall communicate the particulars of such an incident by appropriate means without delay and to the fullest extent possible to ships in the vicinity, to the nearest coastal State, and also to the flag State. The flag State would be required to report the loss of freight containers to IMO.
More details at:
https://www.imo.org/en/ MediaCentre/MeetingSummaries/ Pages/CCC-Default.aspx
Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) has announced the appointment of Vania de Stefani as its new CEO, effective from 1st April. Vania brings over 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, with a strong background in engineering, operations and process safety.
Vania began her career at Imperial College, where she led the scientific team responsible for developing fire and explosion models. She later joined BP, where she held various executive positions and most recently served as the Vice President of Operations for Mauritania and Senegal.
In this role, she led geographically and culturally diverse teams and played a key role in the response to the Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico. Vania has also led operational crises in other regions, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Vania holds a Masters degree in Process Engineering from the University of Padua and a PhD in Thermophysics from Ecole Nationale Superieure de Mines de Paris. Her technical expertise and leadership skills make her an excellent fit for OSRL.
“I am thrilled to welcome Vania as our new CEO and look forward to working closely with her to ensure a smooth transition and to continue driving OSRL’s mission forward,” said Robert Limb, the outgoing CEO of Oil Spill Response Limited. “Her extensive experience and expertise in the oil and gas industry will be invaluable as OSRL navigate the evolving landscape of oil spill response and preparedness.”
am
join the team at OSRL and lead this organisation that plays a critical role in protecting the environment and responding to oil spills,”
“I look forward to working with our employees, customers, and stakeholders to advance OSRL’s mission and continue to provide world-class oil spill response services.”
Vania’s appointment comes at an exciting time for OSRL, as the organisation looks to build on its strong foundation and expand its services to meet the growing demand for oil spill response and preparedness.
- Vania De Stefani
“I
excited to
“We are delighted to have Vania join us as our new CEO,”
Said Astrid Sorensen, Chair of OSRL’s Board of Directors.
“Her deep experience in the oil and gas industry, as well as her proven track record of leadership and technical expertise, will be invaluable as we continue to expand our services and support our Members’ and customers’ needs.”
After more than 26 years as CEO of DESMI, Henrik Sørensen has made the personal decision to step back and hand over the responsibility for the daily operation and further strategic development of DESMI to Humphrey Lau who has become CEO, effective December 1, 2022.
Humphrey Lau’s global experience, strong results, leadership qualities and values allied to his strong profile and global mindset from many years of international experience were all factors in his appointment. All requirements to fulfil the further growth planned for DESMI, organically supported by acquisitions.
Lau worked with Novo Nordisk and Novozymes for 16 years and with Grundfos for 14 years where he most recently held the position of Group Senior Vice President, Global Industry Business. Among his global experience, he established Novo Nordisk in China from green field in 1994, at Novozymes he was in charge of several global business units and responsible for the biofuel’s development in 2005, and in various roles with Grundfos, including CEO of Grundfos China and Regional Managing Director of Western Europe Grundfos. He grew the business significantly by building organisations with strong customer orientation.
Henrik Sørensen and the Board of Directors are very pleased that Humphrey has accepted the CEO role and see it as an
opportunity to accelerate the growth of the business where more acquisitions are foreseen.
Henrik Sørensen, 65, has been CEO at DESMI since October 1, 1996, and a shareholder since 2003. “It has been an amazing journey leading this company for more than 26 years, and I am proud to hand over the keys to Humphrey as the company is in good shape and has considerable potential. I am looking forward to continuing this journey as a shareholder and member of the Board of Directors,” said Henrik Sørensen.
“OEP is extremely pleased to partner with Humphrey as he is an experienced executive with an established reputation having served in leadership roles of two well-respected Danish multinationals. We also thank Henrik for his many years of service to DESMI
and look forward to his important role on the Board and as a shareholder,” said Marc Lindhorst, Principal at One Equity Partners, which entered into agreements to acquire a majority stake in DESMI earlier this year.
“I am super excited and humble about this opportunity to be able to work together with a world class team at DESMI. Over the years I have followed the impressive development of DESMI under the strong and competent leadership of Henrik Sørensen. Together with the high performing global organization and support from a very professional owner like OEP, I am confident we can further develop and take DESMI to new heights.” said Humphrey Lau.
More details at:
https://www.desmi.com/news/humphreylau-named-as-ceo-of-desmi/
Following the closure of Doncaster Airport, Oil Spill Response Ltd (OSRL), in conjunction with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, have made some changes primarily to timelines and the base for the Boeing 727 Wide Area Dispersant Application Service.
The UKCS Aerial Surveillance and the Boeing 727 Wide Area Dispersant Application Services transferred to new bases in mid November.
The UKCS surveillance aircraft have transferred to Humberside, and this remains an interim solution. The Boeing 727 will now transfer to Teesside. This also remains an interim solution.
These moved will not affect response readiness. OSRL is maintaining our response readiness with its internal project team in place, focused on ensuring response readiness.
More details at:
https://www.oilspillresponse.com/news-media/news/aviation-resources-update/
Adler and Allan, has acquired Aqua Consultants which provides professional services to the water, energy and environment sectors, to enhance its strategic offering and its position in the industry.
Aqua Consultants provides a wide range of consultative asset management, engineering, and commercial services to its clients, helping them to understand and optimise their assets with strategic support around capital projects, business plans and investment, delivering value from asset creation through to operation.
Ben Shearer, Managing Director, Aqua Consultants, said: “We are excited to be joining the Adler and Allan Group. The services Adler and Allan offers, and their established position in the utilities and environmental markets, allows us to offer our expert strategic services into more companies, providing a full turnkey package of asset maintenance consultancy and solutions.”
This acquisition positions Adler and Allan as a turnkey strategic partner to the utilities and environment sectors with services from initial investment planning
consultancy, through asset maintenance, environmental monitoring, and emergency pollution response.
Henrik Pedersen, Chief Executive Officer, Adler and Allan, said: “This is our third acquisition in the utilities sector, and fifth in the last 18 months. It is a further step in the Group’s ambitious growth plans to support customers with more of their environmental challenges. With this latest acquisition, we are cementing our position as a strategic
Balaena have had successful trials at Ohmsett one of which tested their innovative technology in its ability to recover plastic pellets.
The trials tested 3mm plastic pellets followed by 0.031mm (31 micron) pellets. In both cases there was 100% collection.
Baleana are back at Ohmsett in March and will file a report then.
More details at: https://balaenainc.com
partner to expertly support water companies to maintain their assets through the full lifecycle.”
This acquisition follows the previous announcement that drainage solutions specialists Jet Aire Services joined the Adler and Allan Group in November 2021.
More details at:
https://www.adlerandallan.co.uk/ knowledge/adler-and-allan-acquire-aquaconsultants/
SureClean are excited to announce a new landmark in the company’s growth as we rebrand back to our legacy company.
As we enter a new and exciting chapter for our company, we want to reassure our loyal customers that Sureclean continues to be the UK’s number 1 experts in engineered industrial cleaning solutions, from assets to spills, and emergency response within the global energy industry.
Taking the helm in this new venture will be Mark Kelly as Managing Director and Simon Gibb who is Executive Chairman withMark Shepherd continuing as Director of Operations.
Read more about Sureclean here: www.sureclean.com
Each year, usually in November, the Association holds its Annual Members Meeting where the members can ask whatever they wish of those that are responsible for the efficient running of the Association and in effect, hold then to account.
An important part of this meeting is to confirm the appointment of the Board Members who will remain in place for the following year.
Each Board Member has to work for a company that is a Corporate Member or is an ISAS Accredited member. They therefore bring their practical and commercial experience to the benefit of the Board when it meets formally at least four times each year. Board Members can serve up to three years and will have specific areas of responsibility within the membership of the Board eg; Consultancy, Accreditation,
Marine and Inland Response. In addition, the Chair and Vice Chair meet with the Executive Director at least monthly and generally fortnightly.
The Executive Director is the only Board Member who receives remuneration for his work.. The rate of this is voted annually at the Annual Members Meeting and is within the affordability of the Association.
Traditionally the Vice Chair will succeed the Chair at the end of his term which is usually two years. This ensure continuity and provides a degree of resilience to the organisation in the event of people moving abroad on new roles with their companies or ill health or pressure of work forcing a premature retirement from their role. Yes, it happens!
We are fortunate in having an active board with all members involved in one or more of the Working Groups and all Board Members
assist the Executive Director in networking, speaking at conference and supporting webinars within their area of expertise.
On occasion we have co-opted members with specialist or technical knowledge onto the board for a fixed duration where there is a particular topic that needs the Board attention to work through; an example maybe the implementation of the Employment Opportunities Working Group reform of training and professional development that we shall be dealing with this year.
If you are interested in becoming a Board Member do contact the Executive Director on info@ukeirespill.org
More details are at: https://ukeirespill.org/about-us/aimsobjectives/
Having entered the start of a New Year, we can reflect upon 2022, our Audit Team were back on the road conducting audits to both existing and new members, following the end of COVID-19 restrictions. As a result of COVID-19 working ISAS have had to develop a different approach to conducting accreditation audits, this was achieved by splitting the process into two sections, (a) An online assessment using a question set designed for each of the 1-8 categories within the scheme, (b) undertaking a site visit to confirm the findings within stage (a) and also to obverse a relevant operational exercise, following the completion of stage (b) the accreditation process is finalised and appropriate certification awarded.
up through to tanker-rollover and maritime spills, companies can apply for accreditation in any of these categories, which would support their mode of operations. (further details can be found on ISAS website – www.isasaccreditation.org).
The Audit Team were instrumental in making that happen for both Marine and Inland members and were able to present the updated audit process which is designed to ensure standardisation of audits, whilst raising of both technical and professional standards required to become an ISAS Accredited Contractor.
So, what is the benefit of being an ISAS Accredited Contractor, well it shows to prospective customers that, your company, as attained a recognised technical and professional standard, thus giving those customers the confidence in selecting the correct company to undertake their work. ISAS are continuing to engage with both regulatory and insurance-based organisations to raise the awareness of the benefits of appointing an ISAS Accredited Contractor.
ISAS offers accreditation in up to eight different categories from basis spill clean-
Regulatory bodies, insurance assessors and other potential end users would have the assurance of knowing that the company selected to carry out their work as reached a required professional standard. Working together for the benefit of their customers and building the confidence in delivery.
Finally, if you want to find out more on the benefits of being an ISAS Accredited Contractor, then please go to our website (www.isasaccreditation.org)
The last time we had an Annual Conference Dinner and Awards was, not surprisingly, as far back as 2019 in a world before COVID.
In May 2022 the Board took the gamble and committed to holding the Annual Conference and Awards Dinner at Marriot, Nottingham, Belfry in their events suite and with support from their experienced events team.
750m multi-level track with hairpins, fifteen corners and chicanes. We would expect to see speeds of up to 40mph on the straights from the 200 CC petrol go karts. All safety equipment was provided and there was a safety briefing.
Teams raced a series of qualifying rounds and all competed in a second session to decide the winners and complete the ladder .
early edge. However a few of the older (more reckless UKEireSpill Board team) threw caution to the wind and started to nudge up against them with lap times for everyone improving the more one got used to the course.
Would you trust them with a Go-Kart?!
The Inter Company Go Karting was a fun way of kicking off the event and we have several teams entered. The racing was on a
It was clear that Spill Response Wales had done some practicing (or maybe they were younger and braver!) as they had the
Neil Stothert, lately MD of RSK Raw and now running his own consultancy Olteo Ltd, discussed some of the challenges facing spill response in the transition to net zero and how this will change the nature of response. It was not all gloom and he highlighted that change often leads to opportunity for those with flexibility, imagination and drive. Indeed he was optimistic for the future which was good as it could have been a long day!
2023. (Afternote: https://ukeirespill.org/ sustainability-in-spill-response/)
The conference was attended by 49 members growing to 54 in the afternoon.
It was opened by a reflection of where the Association is from the outgoing Chair, Lee Barber, who, with his Board has seen the Association grow through new and returning members and seen finance move into a more secure position that when he took over in 2020.
This was followed by a talk on Sustainability in Spill Response, delivered by Chris Ramsbottom of OHES/Adler and Allan and highlighted why this is relevant to our industry and how Adler and Allan were undertaking their journey to reducing the carbon footprint of their activities, What was also interesting was how they have started to calculate the impact that their work has and how they have started to offset it. There was a lively discussion after the presentation after which the conference agreed that this should be one of our thought leadership topics during
The morning concluded with an interesting case study of a major remediation project at an old stone built property following a significant oil spill. Alex Moore of Spill Response Wales demonstrated the complexity of the remediation which required access under the property which had to be stabilised by inserting steel beams to support its walls so that excavation work could continue inside, outside and beneath the building. The excavation was being undertaken. It demonstrated just how innovative members have to be to ensure work is completed well.
After a networking lunch Adam Shefras, MD of OAMPS Hazardous Industries brought the conference back to earth with a talk on Professional Indemnity Insurance. He forcussed on what it is, what it covers and why it is important that specialist
contractors, like our members, should hold it and how members must be clear in a project who is bearing the liability. It was a sobering presentation but one that clarified a degree of confusion. The talk had been requested by the Insurance Working Group ( https://ukeirespill.org/insurance-industry-working-group/) whose membership felt that as the cost of this specialist cover had significantly increased some members may not be continuing these policies. Not surprisingly the talk raised a lot of question!
The meeting also agreed the following changes:
Associate membership will only now be available for overseas members. There will be an increase in membership fees by 7.5%, the first rise since 2016. The Annual Accounts were approved.
The meeting expressed their thanks to the Board for their work in stabilising the Association, making it more relevant and visible and their work with the Exec Director to develop the Association in so many ways.
We then had an entertaining talk by Josh Doran of Oracle Environmental Experts whose company is a founding member of our Plastic Pollution Working Group. ( https://ukeirespill.org/plasticpollution-working-group/) which has brought together hose UK based response organisations who have attended plastic spills, government bodies and some academia to work collaboratively together to produce best practice guidance on how to plan for and then manage plastic pollution incidents should they occur. In April 2022 the Group set themselves 10 ambitious goal to achieve by mid 2023 that are being delivered through peer-reviewed reports with a webinar to accompany each one. These are freely available through the working group microsite. (link is above).
After a break Adrian Bhreathnach of ASP Environmental gave an interesting talk explaining what Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) are and why they have become known as forever chemicals due to their persistence in the environment and then gave a case study on of the these related chemicals Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) such as those used in firefighting foams.. He was then joined by Amy Parekh-Pross of Construction Testing Solutions to host questions. Following this the conference agreed to the suggestion that we form a PFAS Working Group. ( Details of their objectives and membership are at https://ukeirespill.org/ pfas-working-group/)
Next up was a presentation on the work of the Employment Opportunities Working Group (https://ukeirespill.org/ employment-opportunities-working-
group/) . It had distributed a consultation paper to members and run a webinar (https://ukeirespill.org/webinar-ondevelopment-of-career-pathwaysand-training-on-spill-response/) on its suggestion to develop new career pathways and training to support the changes in spill response that we will see as we transition to net zero. There was a wide ranging discussion. When put to the vote the Conference unanimously supported implementation of the working group’s work during 2023.
The conference concluded with a light hearted talk delivered by the Executive Director titled ‘Where there is muck there is brass’! This was a tongue in cheek look at how members were diversifying their product delivery in a changing business environment
The Annual Members Meeting was well attended and saw the retiring Chair, Lee Barber, summarise how the Association was doing and where it hoped to go.
The meeting approved the appointment of new Board Members, Matt Clement, from Oil Spill Response Ltd; Dan Jones being confirmed into his Board role and the appointment of Mark Shepherd as Chair and Gerard McDaid as Vice Chair.
The Meeting also agreed the appointment of the Rising Star winner once awarded at the evening’s ceremony.
There were thanks to all retiring members and support for the strategic direction that the Board seek to take.
This was seconded by Stewart Ower, also a past Chair, who wished to express the Association’s thanks to Lee Barber as the retiring Chair and his welcome to Mark Shepherd as the incoming Chair There was a generous round of applause.
The dinner was attended by 47 members and was a very social and fun evening that went fairly late into the evening.
The Awards that were sponsored by International Spill Accreditation Scheme (ISAS) were the :
1.RISING STAR AWARD – Recognising the importance of attracting new talent into our industry and celebrating their outstanding achievements. This award is open to individuals of any age who have been in their current role for less than three years. Shortlisted for the Award are:
Josh Doran Oracle Environmental Experts Ltd
Abigail Smith Adler and Allan Ltd
Dhanik Parmar MEL Environmental Ltd
The winner was Josh Doran, Oracle Environmental Experts Ltd
INLAND
recognise response actions by and from within a company to a spillage incident which has resulted in significant success for that company in the field of spill response over the last three years. Shortlisted for the Award are:
LCM Environmental Services Ltd
Adler and Allan Ltd
MEL Environmental Ltd
The winner was Adler and Allan for the response and mitigation of the incident following the derailment at Llangennech.
(This incident was covered extensively in Spill Alert Issue 20 (https://ukeirespill.org/ publications/ )and online)
RESPONDER – to recognise response actions by and from within a company to a spillage incident which has resulted in significant success for that company in the field of spill response over the last three years. Shortlisted for the Award are:
Oil Spill Response Ltd
RSK-RAW Ltd
Adler and Allan Ltd
The winner was Adler and Allan for the response and management of the fire onboard a large powerboat at Torquay Marine.
Innovation is what drives the industry forward, especially during times of economic restraint – this award is for a product or a service that has made a significant impact within the industry over the last three years. Shortlisted for the Award are:
RSK Raw Ltd
Oracle Environmental Ltd
Adler and Allan Ltd
The winner was RSK Raw Ltd for their innovative solution to the remediation following the loss of 45000 litres of working strength liquid fertiliser into a recreational fishing lake.
Following the Awards thanks were expressed to OAMPS Hazards Industries for their sponsorship of all of our events and for ISAS for sponsoring the Awards and to Stewart Ower for presenting them.
The general consensus was that the hotel was a cost effective and central location for members. We have booked for 1-2 November 2023!
We had some excellent submissions for this award and we were delighted to see such talent within the industry and the demonstrations of individual drive, technical knowledge and professionalism being demonstrated through the submissions.
The award shortlist featured these the candidates:
Abi project manages a fully remote team of twelve staff and is committed to building strong colleague relationships. She has introduced weekly team meetings to boost communication, productivity, and shared objectives. Because most of her team are new employees of Adler and Allan, Abi has also dedicated time, energy, and support to provide the best possible start with our business.
Her role consists of weekly check-ins with team members during their probation period, site audits, and instructing staff as first responders to all new pollution incidents. She also shares best practice and teaches proven methods of completing work efficiently and to deadlines.
on assessing water quality caused by recent pollution events.
Her work was very reactive and required someone who could respond efficiently to site and visit multiple sites per day. Abi sharpened her skills in working efficiently on site and promptly reporting all findings and data to clients and colleagues.
She also developed impeccable prioritisation and time management capabilities, quickly changing her daily plan to attend to urgent pollution incidents.
Abi Smith joined Adler and Allan in November 2019 as a Water Quality Technician, having recently graduated from university. She made an instant impact on our business and has already earned two well-deserved promotions. Abi’s natural organisational abilities, professionalism, and dedication to delivering results were noticed early in her career with Adler and Allan. She immediately demonstrated the essential skills to excel as a Water Quality Technician, which involves acting as a first responder to pollution incidents and measuring and recording environmental harm.
Abi is approachable towards all colleagues and clients and always goes above and beyond in her work ethic to meet deadlines. Nothing is too much trouble for her. She regularly contributes to group discussions and has presented innovative project management ideas that have been adopted and implemented by senior management.
Abi originally joined Adler and Allan as a Water Quality Technician in an established team in the South of England, working from the main OHES Environmental office in Wokingham. Abi was an exemplary employee from the outset and quickly progressed to an Assistant Project Manager position.
She took on her current Project Manager role in July 2022 – and has proven herself to be a gifted leader of people.
Abi is committed to developing herself and her team and actively engineers opportunities for face -to-face connections. Her remote team are encouraged to visit sites together to learn from each other, pool resources, and develop consistent working practices. Abi then follows up with weekly knowledge sharing meetings to consolidate understanding, spark discussion, and fuel further collaboration. To expand her own skillset, Abi has participated in three-day IOSH and Health and Safety at Work courses, and a Water Awareness course.
In her more recent Project Manager role, Abi’s exceptional attention to detail has shone through. She always exceeds requirements when checking the quality of technicians’ reports – and ensures her new team strive for the same high standards. Abi has invested many hours in training her team on meticulous report quality checking, holding one -to-one coaching meetings with all staff. As a result, she ensures all client documentation reflects Adler and Allan’s professionalism and competence. Her high-quality reports also aid her clients’ communications with the Environment Agency. By ensuring the correct categorisation of impact is awarded, Abi’s accuracy and precision potentially saves the customer up to £100k per incident on ODI fines.
In Abi’s previous role as a Water Quality Technician, she focused mainly on preventing pollutions from escalating and further damaging the environment by responding quickly to site, gathering impact data, and advising on suitable next steps.
Over the course of 2.5 years, Abi completed over 500 water quality assessments following suspected pollution incidents, including being the first responder to 357 new spills. From this experience, she gained invaluable site knowledge that led her to become an expert
Following Abi’s recent promotion to Project Manager, she now advises on appropriate impact assessments in inland, estuarine, and bathing water environments. Her field knowledge is growing day by day, and she has assisted in adapt-ing procedures for sampling in marine environments.
Abi also provides advice on further works, such as response and remediation and postincident surveys. She proactively involves other areas of the Adler and Allan Group in response works, such as sewage, oil, and chemical clean-up where necessary.
This demonstrates her ability to understand and link up with different parts of the wider Group and promotes joint working and collaboration across the business.
Abi has worked to develop and refine both internal and external procedures for our customers. She has been at the forefront of creating a planned works programme for the client, which highlights defects and potential risks in water utility infrastructure. These concerns can then be rectified before failing and causing an incident. This vital information helps water companies actively prevent pollution events and significantly reduce risk, liability, and potential for environmental harm – the very purpose of our business.
Abi Smith’s foresight, practicality, and genuine customer care bring to life our corporate values and mark her out as a Rising Star within Adler and Allan and the wider industry.
Dhan joined MEL in December 2019 as a Graduate Technician/ Field Technician working in the East of England. Following graduation from Kingston University, where he obtained a degree in Geology and was awarded the Baker Hughes INTEQ prize.
First year was difficult due to the impact of COVID, however good start with learning the basics of domestic site investigations, and remedial soil and groundwater sampling along with the many aspects of stakeholder engagement required when dealing with domestic and commercial fuel losses. Developed a good understanding of the systems involved in the processing and management of domestic spills. Developed report writing skills and became the go to individual for technical drawing and software support.
Throughout 2020 and 2021, it became clear that Dhanik’s personality and empathy with the customer situation was a key skill. He communicated effectively with the customers regarding the works to be completed and coordinated well with the site team’s to ensure disturbance was kept to a minimum. Dhan has supported over 60 projects since joining MEL in the East of England, and has developed extensive skills and experience in doing so. During this time, Dhanik supported our team in Northern Ireland, during a period of high demand, where he excelled, hugely improving upon his environmental survey skills, as well as his communication and report writing skills. The team in Belfast were very complimentary about Dhan, as where all the customers he met on site.
‘Thank you for always having a happy and positive attitude and a great work ethic. You have helped to make the transition to a new contract a pleasure and I look forward to continuing to work with you and watching you grow further as a new leader within your organisation .’
-Steve Gray, Reporting & Verification Manager, Operational Planning & Improvement, Wholesale Wastewater Operations Southern Water DHANIK PARMER - MEL Environmental Solutions, Assistant Project ManagerIn Early 2022 Dhan was promoted to Assistant Project Manager. Thus far he has managed 14 projects, which are currently in various stages of completion. Feedback from the customers regarding Dhan’s performance to date is as follows:
AUG 2022 – MR & MRS SPRINGS
– ‘10/10. All contacts have been extremely friendly, polite and hardworking. Dhan kept us informed throughout, even when we were away on holiday, which was excellent.’
Clean up following Storm Eunice. Customer dog kennel roof blow off, hitting fuel line outlet of tank, losing 1000 litres of kerosene to ground. Dhan was on-site on the day of the instruction, advancing a catch pit and absorbents to restrict further on-site migration via the site drainage. He completed the full site survey and remedial design, plus
its implementation and successful completion. The design had to include the sensitive excavation around the roots of two large oak trees with local authority preservation orders on them, as well as ensuring excavation volumes were kept to a minimum for sustainability reasons. Soil excavation works and reinstatement, with the removal of 107 tons of impacted soil, was completed within five weeks under Dhanik’s management.
OCT 2022 – MR & MRS WARNER
– ‘10/10. The guys concerned were very efficient, Dhanik and his team worked well and were courteous. Dhanik was very good with communication as to what was happening.’
In mid-August 22, MEL were contacted to complete a resurvey at a property, due to a misunderstanding regarding cover involving a third-party adjuster and contractor. The daily management and communication was pertinent, as the customer was in the process of selling their property. Dhan completed the survey and identified an unknown volume of kerosene was lost to ground form the customers fuel line, immediately adjacent to their kitchen wall. Within a week Dhan had arranged for a team to be on-site completing soil excavation works, brickwork replacement following a structural engineer design and further investigation below the dwelling. Dhanik found kerosene had impacted the soil below the kitchen and the internal brickwork. This was a troubling finding for the customer, but Dhanik talked them through the next steps and what our plan would be, giving them reassurance that all was in hand. Over the course of the next five weeks, Dhanik arranged for the internal strip out of a section of the kitchen and for the impacted subsoil and brickwork to be removed and replaced. The kitchen was then fully reinstated. The report for the works was issued on the day the data was available from the laboratory, which meant the customer could complete on their property sale only two weeks later than planned.
The Board of MEL and all his colleagues in the business feel Dhan is a worthy recipient of the rising star award, and is a great example of the talent coming through into the spill response industry. The industry is indeed in good hands, as are the customers who have suffered the pollution incidents, when individuals like Dhan are first to respond, and to provide reassurance to them and to mitigate the ongoing damage to the environment and any identified receptors.
Josh joined Oracle in 2019 as an Assistant Environmental Consultant straight out of university where he had completed a Masters in Marine Biology. In January 2021 he was
promoted to Environmental Consultant and he now manages spill response and brownfield investigation and remediation projects across the south of England from our office in Stockbridge.
In addition to completing the day to day demands of the job, Josh has worked closely with me in our involvement and work with the Plastic Pollution Working Group (PPWG) within the UK & Ireland Spill Association, and his passion and enthusiasm are plain to see in his work on plastic pollution response. He has helped shape the goals of the group and has been invaluable in assisting with our own research and development in this field, including the production of our research reports for the PPWG, and has been the key contact for the PPWG with the university of Southampton who have recently commenced a Group Design Project on behalf of the group.
Josh has managed some large domestic spill response and remediation projects for Oracle and has proven himself to be a very capable project manager. He will admit himself that he is still learning, and we continue to mentor and lead Josh in his career.
In his spare time, Josh is also co-chair of the South Region Committee of the Royal Geographical Society and regularly hosts meetings for the society and he has arranged for me to speak next year at a society meeting on the work of the PPWG.
Josh has also been instrumental in raising awareness of mental health issues within Oracle and in particular, has helped us raise money for the Movember charity every year since he started with us.
I have no doubt that Josh will go far in the spill industry and in my view his enthusiasm, ability and loyalty make him a perfect candidate for the Rising Star Award.
Earlier on the day the Board of UK and Ireland Spill Association had agreed that the winner of this award should join the Board for one year.
LCM Environmental started 2022 with a substantial spill response project. Following an urgent call from the facility management company of a London-based hospital, our first spill responders attended site within the hour.
A faulty valve on one of the five underground gas oil tanks, used for the hospital back-up generators, had caused a leak that had spread across three stories. By the end of phase 1 (out of 2), the team had removed 18 tons of waste, 10 tons of gas oil and planned for ground and soil remediation. Phase 2 consisted of remedying the hospital grounds and soil from the remnants of red diesel.
After LCM’s stellar performance on this project, the facility management client, who called us initially, has passed on multiple hospital spill response opportunities throughout the year.
In January 2022, LCM Environmental received a call from the facility management company of a London-based hospital regarding a major gas oil spillage occurring on their premises. The initial incident description was described as: ‘red diesel is spraying out of the walls, into two floors below the tanks!’.
The Environment Agency was informed by the client that LCM Environmental was undertaking the remediation of the spill and removal of any surface contamination on behalf of the hospital (EA Reference number: 2028706).
An hour after the initial call, the LCM spill first responders were on site to evaluate the extent of the spillage. They cordoned off the area and assessed what equipment was required. The site consisted of four underground gas oil tanks (50,000L each), placed under an access road – with only one of them ‘online’ (tank #3).
The hospital generator system was on a ring main system and the gas oil within it was circulating pressurised. The spillage occurred due to a replacement valve not having a new gasket fitted correctly to the top flange of the online tank valve (tank #3). This allowed the fuel to escape once the pump was activated and the pressure built up, leading to a substantial leak. The five tank chambers were all flooded and due to the hospital site’s infrastructure, the gas oil ran into the lower
Fig. 2service floors of the hospital (level -1 and level -2).
The project outlined was executed in two stages: spill clean-up with waste disposal, and ground and contaminated sand removal for remediation.
Figure 2 . Spill site visual. The hospital and loading bay are on the Ground level, with 5 red diesel tanks underneath. 4 of the tanks were active, one was foam-filled, only tank #3 was online. Gas oil has spread towards the two underground hospital levels through the pipework because of a faulty valve.
After receiving the initial report from LCM Environmental’s first responders, the Spill Response Project Manager immediately sent out two spill response teams, 2 jetting vac tankers and a jet washing crew. The first engineers of the LCM team on site deployed the oil-only spill socks to contain the incident from reaching any main sewers. Once on site, the site was evaluated, and a site survey video recorded (see Figure 1). The first responders then went on to strip down the faulty valve and replace the faulty gasket with a new one, to stop the spill from getting any worse whilst retaining the hospital’s critical backup infrastructure. The valve on the return line to tank #3 was opened, as well, to allow the ring main system to work as it was designed to.
All drains were covered with drain covers in the basement area to prevent the red diesel from leaving the hospital site and spreading into the water system. The LCM engineers extracted 4 tons of gas oil from the -1 floor and 6 tons from the -2 floor of the building. After the majority of red diesel was uplifted and disposed of, the jet washing crew washed down as much waste and fuel remnants as possible into the -2 level. This was done to prevent any escape of contaminated washing going into the drainage system.
On the next day, the LCM engineers applied environmentally friendly cleaning products to the slabbed area on the -1 level, the stairs, and the basement. The jet washing continued for the whole duration of the day between the -1 and -2 levels of the building – including the gully which ran the full length of the basement (-2 floor) and was full of silt and sludge. The team did a thorough clean of the areas behind the generator and the gas pumping station at the bottom of the basement.
Phase Two of this project included the sampling and testing the sand underneath the slabs and the monoblock area. The results of the testing indicated a high level of contamination and the area needed to be excavated. The LCM Environmental team uplifted and removed contaminated sand and concrete from under the slabs of the -1 level. Approximately 120 slabs and 10m2 of permeable block pavers were replaced in the process. There was excess gas oil leachate under the slabs that needed to be removed to prevent any further contamination.
Furthermore, the LCM spill responders had to remove approximately 6m of mono blocks from the ground floor area and sample the depth of the contamination within the soil. The LCM team sampled the sand and soil to a depth of 900mm to determine the level of contamination. Based on the results of the tests, there was a requirement to extract the contaminated soil/sand mixture and dispose of it safely. Finally, the spill responders backfilled the excavated area with clean soil/sand and replaced the 6m of new monoblocks.
When the team uplifted the slabs on the -1 level, they found a foam bed underneath the sand. The LCM engineers had to remove the foam, as the gas oil contamination had spread through it, and beyond to the base. Once the slabs, sand and foam were all removed, the team jet washed the base and apply environmentally friendly chemicals to remove any remnants of the contamination. Finally, new foam, sand and slabs were placed on the -1 level.
LCM Environmental’s facility management client was satisfied with the speed, integrity, and expertise of the spill response team. The two-staged project was finished according to the client’s budget and time-constraint specifications.
LCM Environmental’s spill response service, only being launched in September 2021, dealt professionally, rapidly, and competently with a spillage of this magnitude. This project was the tipping point for LCM’s spill response ‘trial period’ within the industry: the company proved their reliability and undeniable expertise in spillage clean-up. This resulted in further business coming to our Environmental Services Division from the same satisfied facility management client, as well as word-of-mouth reputation enhancement for LCM Environmental.
The company benefited further from working with the emergency services sector, achieving fantastic number of sign ups from hospitals, police stations and fire stations for their Spill agreement. The latter, in essence, guarantees LCM Environmental are the spill responders of choice of the signed-up companies – in return, they receive discounted call-out rates, no retainer fees and 4-hour aimed response time nationwide.
45,000 litres of working strength liquid fertiliser were released from a nearby farm into a large recreational fishing lake (approximately 25,000 - 30,000 m in volume). The contaminant impact resulted in a significant loss of fish stock from the impacted lake and contaminated the local watercourses.
In response to this incident, RSK Raw sucessfully trialled and implemented the cationic resin treatment of the contaminated surface water.
The team utilised a Nitrate selective ion exchange resin as a filter media, incorporated into a pump and treat system, whereby water contaminated with dissolved phase ammonia was pumped out from the lake through the filter system, prior to the discharge of the treated effluent / clean water back into a nearby surface watercourse. This was achieved through consulatation and collaboration with both the Environment Agency and the local water board, specifically to obtain the necessary discharge consents in a timely manner.
The system was operated in combination with an ecologically sustainable solar-powered monitoring probe, to enable continuous 24/7 monitoring of the water quality of the effluent. Automated controls were installed to divert water back into the contaminated lake should concentrations in the effluent breach the agreed discharge threshold.
The o riginal proposal i ncluded operation of t he treatment system f or a p eriod of 6 months, y et
the RSK Raw t eam were able to complete the treatment w ithin 3 months. The ammonia concentration was reduced from 60 mg/l to <1mg/l within the large volume of contaminated lake water in just 12 weeks.
The use o f this low impact and s mall footprint i on exchange system negated t he r equirement for a larger, more complex and expensive remedial option to b e deployed to site. As a result, the reduced timescales enabled considerable cost savings to be passed o n to the client a nd
Raw o n future i ncidents of t his type. Additionally, the small footprint of the system enabled t he
This treatment was employed i n full collaboration with the Environment Agency, w ith weekly updates positively communicated by RSK Raw to all involved stakeholders. The use o f the automated diversion valve on t he discharge point ensured t hat t he c ontamination remained within t he l ake and n o adverse i mpact o ccured to the l ocal environment, controlled waters and wildlife beyond the contaminated lake.
The system was built, maintained and operated in-house, wholly by RSK Raw sta ff, resulting in continuous development and ensuring a successfully managed project. The introduction of this new system also effectively replaced an expensive and unsustainable option involving the tankering of water from the site.
The low carbon footprint of this technology, together with its proven ammonia reducing results, maintains RSK Raw’s position as a leading provider of remediation solutions.
For this approach to a significant pollution incident that paired innovation with sustainability in operation RSK Raw were awarded the 2022 Innovation in Spill Response Award at the Association Annual Awards
In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
The Sustainable Development Goals form the framework for improving the lives of populations around the world and mitigating the hazardous manmade effects of climate change. SDG 13: Climate Action, calls for integrating measures to prevent climate change within development frameworks. SDG 14: Life Below Water, and SDG 15: Life on Land, also call for more sustainable practices in using the earth’s natural resources.
Driven by these global goals all responsible businesses should work now and in the future by the most sustainable means possible. They should plan to improve their sustainable performance over time. This means that work should be planned and delivered as sustainably as possible and there should be continual improvement. Sustainability in spill response is one of our leadership themes for 2023.
This is important as we have only one planet and the resources it can provide are finite and wasteful use of them must be minimised. At the moment we are using more than it can sustainably replace. Equally we must avoid doing things that damage the planet and reduce the resources it has for the future.
Our planet has no voice but we are seeing the effect over use of its resources is having on the plant. Climate change is a direct result of increasing use of fossil fuels and other chemicals that pollute our atmosphere and reduce the clean air
that the planet and its population need to thrive. Climate change is denying people of the basic resources; water and food, to live a normal and productive life. Where this may have been limited to areas around the Equator, this is now being frequently experienced in the Mediterranean countries.
UK Government has taken taking action by committing to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) to zero by 2050. To restrict global warming to less than 1.5 degrees centigrade. This is not fast enough!
People need to take individual action to reduce the effect their lives have on the planet; simple changes to our lifestyle can cumulatively make a big difference. People are already thinking more about the planet they want to leave behind for their children.
Businesses have an important role to play as they are able to make significant changes to the way they work to deliver sustainable working and protect our planet’s resources. Indeed it is more than likely that innovative businesses will enable us to meet our GHG reduction targets alongside the major actions Government’s make. The sooner we get there the better for our planet.
It is in this spirit that members of UK and Ireland Spill Association agreed at their annual conference in November 2022 to commit to Sustainable Spill Response and they have agreed to run 4 webinars during 2023 to share their experience and knowledge of sustainable working with other members and to any who wish to attend them.
Members have agreed to share their experience in a TV programme called Sustainability in Spill Response that will air on Sky TV in March or April 2023. We will announce on the website and in mailings when this will be shown and a copy of it will be available though the website.
The four webinars are as follows:
WEBINAR 1
INTRODUCTION TO SUSTAINABILITY
25 Jan 23
May be viewed at: https://ukeirespill.org/sustainable-spillresponse-1st-webinar-now-available/
WEBINAR 2
TOOLS TO ASSIST IN PLANNING SUSTAINABILITY
26 Apr 23
May be booked at: https://ukeirespill. org/events/sustainability-in-spillresponse-webinar-2/
WEBINAR 3
SUPPLY CHAIN SUPPORT IN SUSTAINABILITY
7 Jun 23
May be booked at: https://ukeirespill. org/events/sustainability-in-spillresponse-webinar-3/
WEBINAR 4
STANDARDS IN SUSTAINABILITY TO ASPIRE TO AND NEXT STEPS
20 Sep 23
May be booked at:
If you want an further information of have ideas and experience of working more sustainably then please contact
Mark J Orr, Executive Directorinfo@ukeirespill.org
Vikoma cares about the planet and is taking steps to reduce it’s carbon footprint and improve the environment. Waste is recycled, manufacturing processes have been made more energy efficient and products are designed to be kept as long as possible through maintenance, servicing and refurbishment. Vikoma’s efforts have been acknowledged with 3 consecutive Gold standard awards from the SOS Green impact scheme.
for most of the product range including PU and Neoprene booms, reels, powerpacks and skimmers. Vikoma’s skilled team will reuse as much of the original product as is feasible and replace other parts.
When buying equipment, with an environmental conscience, consideration is increasingly being given to whether or not existing equipment can be refurbished and if it can’t, then buying good quality equipment with a long life that can be maintained and refurbished.
ABOVE: Refurbishment reel looking like new BELOW: Boom being maintained on site after refurbishment
The environmental conscience of many businesses is increasing and users of equipment are equally keen to avoid disposing of products and extend life through maintenance or a significant refurbishment. Vikoma has strong relationships with it’s customers and works closely with them to find a solution that works for everyone. The outcome usually saves time and money as well as being right for the environment, so everyone is happy.
With in-house facilities including shot blasting and paint spraying, an old boom reel comes out like new as can be seen in the photo to the left with many years of life in it. Full capabilities are under one roof in the UK, enabling efficient processing of refurbishments.
These capabilities include laser profile cutting, fabrication, assembly and boom manufacture. These services are offered
There will be a Regional Networking Event in Belfast on 29 March 2023 at the Crowne Plaza commencing 1400hrs.
This is an opportunity for The Association and ISAS to update local members and for members’ to meet each other informally.. We are also keen to hear what members have been up to.
We are inviting NI Environment Agency to attend to update us on areas of local concern
There is likely to be a product presentation
Following the meeting there will be an opportunity to network socially perhaps over dinner in the restaurant.
Executive Director, Mark Orr and ISAS Training Manager, Steve Guy will be attending as well as Board Members for the Association and ISAS will be attending.
The date chosen in Belfast coincides with a Petrol Retailers Association Business Breakout which concludes at lunchtime and some members may also attend that meeting. https://www.ukpra.co.uk/en/ events/business-breakouts
THE OUTLINE CONTENT IS AS FOLLOWS:
1400 1405-1415
1415-1445
Welcome and introduction
Round the room introductions
Update on UKEireSpill
WORKING GROUPS:
Employment Opportunities
Insurance
Future and Emerging Risks
Plastic
1445-1515
1515-1545
1645–1615
1615–1700
1700-1730
1730–1800
ISAS update – Steve Guy, Audit and Training Manager
Marine Changes to accreditation modules
Introduction of new consultancy module
Tea/coffee networking
Particular challenges in Northern Ireland –Kevin McGrady – NIEA
TBC
Product presentation - TBC
Thank you and summary
This event is at no costs to members. Please book through Eventbrite as follows: here.
11TH MAY, NEC BIRMINGHAM
Last year we combined our Spring Conference with UKIFDA Expo, this year we are combining it with CHEM UK Expo, the UK’s largest exhibition for the Chemical, Laboratory, and Process Industries held at NEC Birmingham on 10 and 11 May. Our Conference will be held on 11 May.
THE PROGRAMME IS AS FOLLOWS:
1200-1300
1430-1500
1500-1600
1600-1630
1630-1700
‘The energy transition – from hydrocarbons to chemicals – let’s prepare for the change of risk in storage, transport, and use.’ UK EireSpill members
‘Alternative Fuels – the issues for spill response’
‘Lithium Ion – risks but few decent solutions this is the current response plan.
‘Regulatory update – tank storage, CIRIA and potential changes to storage for HVO.
Association news and update from PFAS Working Group
This event is at no cost to members as attendance at the show is FOC.
Please book through Eventbrite as follows: here.
On 28 May 2022, the Rendezvous – an 85-foot multimillion-pound superyacht – caught fire at Torquay Harbour in Devon. Plumes of acrid black smoke were visible across Torbay and nearby residents were advised to keep windows and doors closed to avoid exposure to toxic fumes. Emergency services declared a major incident and officers evacuated local roads and beaches, where families were celebrating the run-up to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
As the blaze continued, flames severed the yacht’s moorings. The boat drifted across the harbour, setting a wooden jetty alight and threatening the 250 other vessels in the marina. Explosions and fire spread were critical concerns as emergency services tackled the fire for more than six hours. Firefighters secured the yacht before it sank to the bottom of the marina, releasing a quantity of its 8,000L fuel load into the water.
Working alongside the harbour master, emergency services, the Coastguard, and the Environment Agency, Adler and Allan delivered a cost-conscious counterpollution programme that protected the local environment and economy – and maintained community confidence in Torquay Harbour.
Adler and Allan’s team of specialists fought heavy holiday traffic to reach the incident and immediately began pollution control activities. Environmental engineers assessed the situation, implementing measures to keep personnel and local people safe.
• A forward operating base was set up at the entrance to Princess Pier, the site of the incident.
•Temporary fencing was constructed to control movement on the jetty, which had sustained considerable damage during the fire.
•The Adler and Allan team maintained a list of boat owners and authorised personnel, restricting access to protect equipment and prevent accidents.
• A laydown area for equipment was created, positioned to minimise impact on nearby businesses.
•A decontamination zone was set up to reduce product transfer by workers returning from the site and to store waste before disposal.
With the spill endangering local waterways and beaches, the response effort shifted to pollution control. Adler and Allan were mobilised through our existing Ports and Harbours contract by the Torquay Harbour Authority.
Preventing the migration of pollution was the team’s top priority. Booms were immediately deployed to contain the diesel at source and protect beach safety, bathing water quality, and sea life. The floating barriers also limited damage to other hulls in the marina, eliminating the need for them to be lifted and cleaned.
Each day, the booms were adjusted in line with operational requirements. Any product or debris released from the vessel was recovered by manual means or via vacuum trucks that were on standby for the duration of the incident.
(RRV) with a range of specialist equipment was permanently stationed on site to deal with a worstcase scenario. Alongside the RRV, two tankers were kept in position to capture residue from the sunken vessel, including fuel oil and charred remains of glass reinforced plastic (GRP) from the burnt-out hull.
To evaluate surrounding water conditions, Adler and Allan marine specialists conducted shoreline survey work and sampling outside the confines of the harbour. Immediate intervention and minimal wave action meant that contaminants were successfully contained. Warm temperatures also worked in the team’s favour, encouraging the evaporation of lightweight diesel from the water’s surface.
The analysis confirmed that the booms had done their job. Within three days, three tonnes of fuel and burnt residue was removed from the harbour and no significant environmental damage or loss of wildlife was detected.
Adler and Allan spent five weeks managing the counter-pollution aspect of the response, working closely with the harbour master, local authorities, insurers, and appointed salvors. At every project stage,
we recognised that a swift, sustainable clean -up was only part of our role. Communication and cost control were just as vital to the programme’s success.
Our nationwide capability and joined-up approach guaranteed the right skillsets were on hand from first access to project completion.
Throughout the incident lifecycle, we maintained a lean team of specialists, drawing on targeted expertise from Adler and Allan’s bases in Tiverton, Doncaster, Swansea, and Tonbridge.
Weekly resource planning ensured we had the onsite expertise to meet customer requirements and respond to emergency scenarios, while remaining agile, flexible, and cost-effective.
With local livelihoods, wildlife, and coastlines at risk, errors and setbacks would have triggered negative press reports and public criticism of the Harbour Authority. We rose to the challenge with unrivalled expertise and the power of strong, solid working relationships.
Adler and Allan understand marine emergencies. Our senior leadership team boasts a number of people with 25 years’ experience in marine response and we’ve held general ports and harbours contracts since 2008.
For the response, management and mitigation of this marine spill incident Adler and Allan were the winner of the Marine Responder Award.
Earlier this month, Darcy Spillcare and Compass Environmental Consultancy announced the launch of their new spill training venture –Responder.
Responder brings together two of the UK’s key spill experts:
As the UK’s leading manufacturer of spill kit and equipment, Darcy Spillcare’s products have been trusted by responders worldwide to effectively deal with spillage incidents for over 50 years. The training courses they deliver are accredited by British Safety Industry Federation.
Compass Environmental Consultancy are involved in the management of spillages on a daily basis and provide spill training to professional response companies. They are one of the few organisations who deliver
spill training courses accredited by the International Spill Accreditation Scheme.
Together under the Responder brand, Darcy and Compass will deliver a compelling training initiative, incorporating the following four levels of courses that are designed for all levels of spill responder:
Spill First Responder and the subsequent Train the Trainer course are an ideal solution for companies who wish to develop their inhouse spill response capabilities. These half-day courses, which can be delivered at the customers premises, investigate spillages on hardstandings, within bunds and drainage systems.
For companies offering a professional spill response service, the Advanced Spill Responder course provides a great balance in theory and practical based learning. After a morning classroom session investigating real-life and recent spillage scenarios, delegates put their learning into practice with two hands-on exercises – a spillage on hardstanding and a spillage in freshwater. This course is run on select dates throughout the year at the Fire Service College, Moretonin-Marsh.
Tactical Spill Responder sits as the most technical course in the Responder spill training programme. Aimed at team leaders and those dealing with spills on a daily basis, this course pits delegates against four practical scenarios of differing nature and material spilt. Each scenario is played out in its entirety, from initial
instruction all the way through to the incident debrief – testing and challenging delegates on their actions every step of the way! By the end of this course, delegates will have more of an understanding of their own spill capabilities and developed the mindset of a Tactical Spill Responder. This course is run at a specialist facility in Cheltenham and is delivered on select dates throughout the year.
All of Responder’s courses on offer are available to book now - to find out more information or to book your space get in touch with the team using the details below to discuss your training requirements!
To assist the Environment Agency (and others of devolved nations that subsequently join) and the Fire and Rescue Service in producing initial response plans for unplanned releases of products that are currently in the market or are planned to be released in the future. To review those previously released in light of experience.
The Group members are currently the Environment Agency (EA), National Fire Chief Council and UKEireSpill members. It is to expand to include the devolved nation environment agencies.
To date it has agreed guidance on response plans on incidents involving:
The working groups are topic specific collections of members who work collaboratively in the interest of members. It also provides a useful pathway for regulators or other trade associations to access the expertise of the members. They are a valuable resource and enable the members to target the work of the organisation to the benefit of the members.
Through collaborative working produce best practice guidance on how to manage incidents involving the unplanned release of plastic to the environment and produce guidance on recovery equipment, operating procedures, sampling and end point determination.
Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil Lithium Ion Batteries
This guidance is now being distributed through the EA and the Fire and Rescue Service. Once all agreed we will cascade this to all accredited members.
We have also heard presentations on the risks involved with the development of Gigafactories.
The group is next to look at Ammonia and AdBlue.
Last April the Group set itself a series of goals that are being delivered through a peer reviewed report and a webinar. These are being delivered as follows:
29 November 2022 – Goal 1: Understand the sources, pathways and impacts of plastic pollution –UKSpill and OEE Available at: https:// ukeirespill.org/understand-thesources-pathways-and-impacts-ofplastic-pollution-from-rivers-to-theoceans/
18 Jan 2023 – Goal 5: Environmental and health risks associated with microplastics – UKSpill CEFAS Available at: https://ukeirespill.org/assessmentof-environmental-and-health-risksassociated-with-macro-and-microplastics/
15 Feb 2023 – Goal 10: Identifying effective tool and equipment for controlling plastics at source – OEEhttps://ukeirespill.org/events/ppwg-webinar-8/
15 March 2023 – Goal 2: Identifying effective equipment for microplastic recovery - OEE, OSRL and ITOPFhttps://ukeirespill.org/events/ppwg-webinar-4/
19 April 2023 – Goal 4: Method of qualitative and quantitative assessment of microplastics in sediments and water – OSRL and CEFAS - https://ukeirespill. org/events/ppwg-webinar-5/
17 May 2023 – Goal 6: Surveillance and modelling of microplastics – UKSpill (Orbital) and OSRL - https://ukeirespill.org/ events/ppwg-webinar-6/
21 June 2023 – Goal 3: Assessment of ecological impact of microplastic recovery – RSK RAW and CEFAShttps://ukeirespill.org/events/ppwg-webinar-7/
19 Jul 2023 – Goal 7: Sustainable endpoints of recovered microplastic waste – RSK RAW - https://ukeirespill.org/ events/ppwg-webinar-8/
In addition to the goals the group is working collaboratively to contribute to impending IMO and IPIECA guidance on strategic planning for plastic pollution incidents.
Once all of the goals have been delivered the group will collaborate on the production of a Field Practice Guide aimed at those who have to plan for and respond to plastic pollution incidents.
To assist in this and the promulgation of our collective knowledge the Group have applied for an ITOPF R&D Grant which will enable us to have the guide professionally
produced, run a 2 day conference on it and to conduct equipment trials and to document these.
The webinar series has been popular.
The Group is planning to hold recovery and separation equipment trials in conjunction with Cedre, in Brest over two weeks in September.
The Group members are: Oracle Environmental Experts, RSK Raw Ltd, Oil Spill Response Ltd, Ambipar Response Ltd, ITOPF, CEFAS, Environment Agency.
More details on the Group’s activities can be found at: https://ukeirespill.org/plasticpollution-working-group/
Through collaborative working to generate a communication strategy to the insurance industry that highlights the importance of best practice and use of accredited contractors to manage and execute the clean-up of pollution incidents. This may well involve creation of events, networking, promotion opportunities for all members of UKEireSpill and ISAS.
The Group has been working collaboratively to:
Comment on the EA best practice guidance on Land Contamination Risk Management (LCRM) Engaging with the Insurance Industry
Through collaborative working to generate a communication strategy to members, relevant regulators and in particular to CLAIRE and CIRIA that enables the PFAS Working Group to communicate to members best practice with regard to the management of PFAS incidents and PFAS remediation. Additionally to ensure that guidance produced by regulators, CLAIRE and CIRIA is practical, realistic and capable of being implemented.
The initial meeting was attended by:
Adrian Bhreathnach , ASP
Environmental
Amy Parekh – Pross – Construction Testing Solutions
Duncan Saunders ATG Group
Ken Scally – SUEZ UK
The Group has managed representation on CIRIA, Environmental Industries Commission technical groups and is arranging representations at CLAIRE and
The Group will be presenting its initial thought at CHEMUKExpo on 11 May 2023.
More detail can be found at: https:// ukeirespill.org/pfas-working-group/
(we have agreed a presentation at the CILA Conference) Presentation at CHEMUKExpo 10 and 11 May at NEC, Birmingham Development of the Sustainability webinar series.
The Group members are: Adler and Allan, MEL Environmental Solutions, RSK Raw, Crawford Environmental Consultancy, EFI Global, ASP Environmental, Seed Environmental
More details can be found at: https:// ukeirespill.org/insurance-industryworking-group/
Through collaborative working to generate and evolve career pathways for the industry and promote these to provide those within the industry and those who seek to join it from other industries are aware of the pathway that they join on and how that may develop a career within it. Devise a communication strategy so that a career in our industry is attractive and recognised as worthwhile and rewarding.
The Group collaborated hard last year to produce a Consultation document on future training and development in a changing response environment as the world works toward net zero.
This was presented in a webinar that is available at: https://ukeirespill.org/webinar-ondevelopment-of-career-pathways-andtraining-on-spill-response/
As the Consultation was agreed at the Annual Conference the group now moves into the implementation phase.
We are now working on a draft of submission arrangements for potential candidates from within the industry so that this can be agreed with the Institution of Environmental Sciences our partner in
To collaborate on running events, webinars and networking sessions that create awareness of member’s products range. Provide information on how products should be used. Explore how products should be delivered to suit the future product needs of the industry. Assist in the planning on Interspill.
The group has yet to meet this year but is focussed on delivering a webinar series to include:
Equipment selection particularly for Tier 1 and 2 marine and inland responders Implications of the introduction of alternative fuels for propulsion in shipping
More on surveillance using satellite imagery and drones.
We are planning a Marine Event this
delivering this for our members.
The members of the Group have been drawn from: RSK Response, ISAS, NRC Environmental (now SureClean) and
More details can be found at: https:// ukeirespill.org/employment-opportunitiesworking-group/
summer that may coincide with Seawork.
The members of the Group are: Vikoma, DESMI, Zwanny, Oil Spill Response Ltd, Ambipar Response, Darcy, SureClean (formerly NRC Environmental
The Association runs a number of events throughout the year, made possible through the support of OAMPS Hazardous Industries.
These consist of webinars that are available to anyone to attend provide they are booked through Eventbrite. We are holding an Inland Spill Event in May, a Marine Spill event in June and our Annual Conference and Awards in November.
We also hold Regional Networking Events (up to 4 each year)
We also attend national events and this year will attend ChemUK Expo in May and Contamination and GeoTech Expo in September.
To enquire about any specific event contact: info@ukeirespill.org
If you look in https://ukeirespill.org/latest-news/ you will also find information on specific events.
THE CURRENT EVENT PLAN IS AS FOLLOWS:
PPWG Webinar 4: Identifying and operating effective equipment for microplastic recovery
Virtual: Eventbrite https://ukeirespill.org/events/ ppwg-webinar-4/
Regional Networking Belfast
PPWG Webinar 5: Methods for qualitative (eg SCAT) and quantitative eb lab analysis) assessment of microplastics in sediments and waters and effective sampling and monitoring techniques
Sustainability in Spill Response Webinar 2: Tools to aid sustainability planning in spill response management and implementation
Inland Conference at CHEMUKEXPO 2023 NEC Birmingham
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast Register at Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ regional-networking-event-inbelfast-tickets-512757640907
Virtual: Eventbrite
https://ukeirespill.org/events/ ppwg-webinar-5/
Virtual: Eventbrite https://ukeirespill.org/events/ sustainability-in-spill-responsewebinar-2/
Face to Face. Register at Eventbrite: https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/springconference-at-chemuk-expo-23tickets-516108834417
PPWG Webinar 6: Effective approaches for surveillance and modelling of macro and micro plastic to aid response efforts, prediction of plastic movements and source identification.
Sustainability in Spill Response Webinar 3: Practical application of sustainability in business transformation and in the field
Regional Networking Meeting; Suez/DETS, Consett, Co. Durham
PPWG Webinar 7: Methods for the assessment of ecological impact of plastics recovery operations
Virtual: Eventbrite https://ukeirespill.org/events/ ppwg-webinar-6/
Virtual: Eventbrite https://ukeirespill.org/events/ sustainability-in-spill-responsewebinar-3/
Face to Face https://ukeirespill.org/events/ regional-networking-meetingsuez-dets/
Virtual: Eventbrite https://ukeirespill.org/events/ ppwg-webinar-7/
THE CURRENT EVENT PLAN IS AS FOLLOWS:
PPWG Webinar 8: Approaches to assess sustainability with respect to plastic recovery endpoints and final destination of recovered plastics/debris Contamination and Geotech Expo. NEC Birmingham
Sustainability in Spill Response Webinar 4: Lesson we have learned and case studies of successful implementation of sustainability
UKEireSpill Inter-Company Go Kart competition
UKEireSpill Annual Conference and Awards Dinner
Virtual: Eventbrite https://ukeirespill.org/events/ ppwg-webinar-8/
Face to Face https://ukeirespill.org/events/ contamination-and-geotech-exponec-birmingham/
Virtual: Eventbrite https://ukeirespill.org/events/ sustainability-in-spill-responsewebinar-4/
TeamSport Go Karting Nottingham (as 2022) Marriot Belfry Nottingham (as 2022)
To enquire about any specific event contact: info@ukeirespill.org
If you look in https://ukeirespill.org/latest-news/ you will also find information on specific events.
Our policies have been evolving since 1986 and can provide cover for:
Bespoke tanker/vacuum units with values up to £500,000 and beyond
Interruption losses if your vehicles are unusable after being damaged at your premises
Pollution both on and off the highway arising from your own vehicles
in respect of Pollution claims against them
