Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has announced that it has granted Biomass UK No 2 Ltd a permit to operate its gasification facility in Barry.
The decision follows an extensive assessment of the company’s plans, and several consultations with local people and professional bodies including Public Health Wales and South Wales Fire and Rescue.
The company has demonstrated that it can meet all the legal, environmental, technological and health requirements of UK, Welsh and European law, so NRW has no defensible grounds to refuse the permit.
“The conditions we have set in the permit require it to operate to the Best Available Techniques (BAT). Once it starts operating, we will monitor activity at the site to make sure it continues to work within the agreed conditions of its permit.”
Copies of NRW’s decision document, and the conditions which have been set for the permit are available to view online. The conditions set appropriate legal limits for things like emissions from the facility, and dictate the types of material it can process, and how it stores waste.
Nadia De Longhi, operations manager from Natural Resources Wales said: “Over the last 14 months our experts have thoroughly scrutinised every aspect of the company’s application and considered all representations made to us. We have also accepted advice from other experts outside of the organisation on important issues such as people’s health and fire prevention.
“We are confident that the company has all the right plans and processes in place to be able to operate this facility without damaging people’s health or the environment.
“The conditions we have set in the permit require it to operate to the Best Available Techniques (BAT). Once it starts operating, we will monitor activity at the site to make sure it continues to work within the agreed conditions of its permit.”
NRW’s decision relates solely to the Environmental Permit which is legally required for the facility to operate. NRW does not have legal powers to consider issues such as the suitability of the location – this was considered when the company applied to the Vale of Glamorgan Council for planning permission.
Find out more about our assessment of the Biomass UK No 2 permit application.