FAQs

Modern energy-from-waste facilities are clean and efficient operations that use highly advanced technologies to protect and monitor air quality. They are tightly regulated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) under the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2012. We will need to apply for and receive this Permit to start operating and will need to consistently maintain our compliance to continue operating.

In addition, we are producing an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as part of our planning application. This also details any potential impacts on air quality and outlines how we will ensure these impacts will be managed. This assessment is extremely detailed and considers everything from the day-to-day operation of our facility through to the emissions of the vehicles which need to visit our site.

Around 99.98 per cent of emissions are a combination of oxygen, water vapour, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. The remaining 0.02 per cent is made up of particulates and other gases. Emissions are continuously monitored in real time and heavily regulated by both SEPA and the EU.

No, the steam used in the process is completely separate from the combustion process. If the waste heat (i.e. steam) isn’t used by a third party then it remains in the closed loop of the facility itself and is simply condensed into water and reused.

The results will be available to SEPA in accordance with the Permit.

While Barr Environmental is confident that the detailed pre-planning assessments and the advanced technologies being deployed at any future facility will provide the required levels of air quality protection, it is also committing to ongoing monitoring to provide the local farming community with additional reassurance.