The waste management industry has been toppled from the top spot as the most polluting business sector in 2005 according to the Agency’s tenth annual spotlight on business report.
The water industry was in fact the most polluting industry causing 153 serious industrial pollution incidents representing 27% of those recorded. This represented a 16% increase on 2004.
The vast majority of the incidents were related to sewage works and all except one water company were prosecuted during 2005.
Thames Water had the most incidents at 31 and also paid the highest fine of £128,000 for four separate incidents. Four of these incidents were classed as Category 1, the most polluting.
However the Waste Industry should not get too complacent as it did have just 2 fewer serious industrial pollution incidents at 151 and in terms of regulatory compliance failures it had 1057 compared to 205 for the water industry. Nevertheless the figure of 151 is an all time low and around a quarter down on 2004, though clearly the Agency would like to see this sustained,
According to the Agency spotlight report,
“Good environmental performance could save UK industry £5.8 billion every year, enhance reputation with customers and investors, drive innovation and create markets; all giving business a competitive edge. But it works both ways, poor environmental performance will cost, and cost you in more ways than you might realize”.
The total amount of waste produced by all sites regulated by the Agency, increased by almost a third in 2005. However an increase of 20 per cent more sites regulated than in 2004 partly explains this, but waste produced by sites reporting in both 2004 and 2005 increased by 11 per cent.
The fuel and power sector are reported as producing the most waste, and the minerals sector the least. Waste recovery was the highest ever in 2005 at 59 per cent (up 7%). The minerals, paper and pulp, and food and drink sectors are said to have the highest waste recovery rates, while the chemicals sector recovers the least.
Waste regulations
The report considers that the increase in total waste is partly due to changes in waste regulations that have affected the way hazardous wastes are treated/disposed of and increased the scope of waste that is classed and recorded as ‘hazardous’. Between 2004 and 2005 the amount of this waste produced by all of the sites directly regulated, increased by 15 per cent, and by 11 per cent for sites reporting in both years.
The businesses regulated also increased the amount of hazardous waste recovered to 44 per cent last year which was a record in itself.
Waste management sector
As far as the waste management sector is concerned, the Agency is recorded as regulating:
- 2906 enterprises
- 353 PPC permits
- 42 IPC permits
- 7030 waste management licences
The industry also had a GVA of £3.1 billion and used 0.9 million tonnes oil equivalent of energy.
The waste industry itself is reported as producing relatively large quantities of waste materials, mostly the ash from the process of incineration. In 2005 this waste arising increased for the first time since 2001, although a figure of 42 per cent of this was recovered. A major investment involving millions of pounds was required by the waste incineration element of the waste sector in 2005 in order to comply with the Waste Incineration Directive.
There were a significant number of companies subjected to fines of over £5000 though by far the highest was a fine of £97,750 imposed on Sundorne Products (Llanidloes) Ltd for 7 “events leading to prosecution”.