SPMP Design & Implementation

Regulations

Under IPPC, within the permit conditions set by the Regulator, there will be conditions requiring the Operator to implement a Site Protection and Monitoring Programme (SPMP) to ensure the protection of the land throughout the lifetime of the installation.

What is a Site Protection Monitoring Programme?

A Site Protection Monitoring Programme demonstrates that the pollution prevention measures designed to protect the land at the site are effective throughout the life of an installation. The SPMP has a number of purposes:

• > To ensure (as far as is practicable) that pollution prevention measures are sufficient
     to prevent the emission of pollutants to land
• > To demonstrate and maintain the effectiveness of the pollution prevention measures
     at the site throughout the life of the installation
• > To ensure adequate maintenance, inspection and testing of infrastructure to demonstrate
     its effectiveness throughout the life of the installation
• > Where necessary to collect reference data for substances in use at the installation
     for which pollution is ongoing or where there is a reasonable possibility of such pollution
     occurring
• > Where necessary to monitor land and/or groundwater to ensure pollution prevention
     measures are effective and to provide warning of the failure of pollution prevention measures
• > To record the results of the above to demonstrate that the land at the installation
     is in a satisfactory state for the purposes of surrendering a permit

SPMP Design

The SPMP design document must be submitted to the Regulator within two months from the date of the Permit issue and should provide a framework for any investigations to collect reference data. Templates for the production of the SPMP design report are available. These templates have been put together to help the operator by clearly setting out the Regulator's expectations for reporting.

HFL Risk Services can provide advice and assistance in the development of the SPMP design document.

SPMP Implementation

The SPMP will normally require the operator to continually monitor the site during the life of the Permit to assess the continued effectiveness of the pollution prevention measures. This could involve the collection and analysis of samples and/or the inspection of site infrastructure. Monitoring will require the review and assessment of data and if it indicates that a pollution incident has occurred or is occurring, the operator will be required to undertake remediation.

HFL Risk Services works with a number of specialist subcontractors to provide soil drilling, sampling and analytical testing to meet the requirements of the Regulations.