The Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances) Regulations 1991

CHAPTER 4: THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

(See paragraph 4 of Schedule 2 as to cases where processes described in this chapter of the Schedule fall within two or more descriptions).

Section 4.1 Petrochemical processes

PART A

(a)

Any process for the manufacture of olefins.

(b)

Any process for the manufacture of any chemical which involves the use of a product of a process described in paragraph (a).

(c)

Any process for the manufacture of any chemical which involves the use of a product of a process described in paragraph (b) otherwise than as a fuel or solvent.

(d)

Any process for the polymerisation of an olefin or of a product of a process mentioned in paragraph (b) or (c).

PART B Nil

Section 4.2 The manufacture and use of organic chemicals

PART A

Any of the following processes unless falling within a description set out in Section 6.8—

(a) the manufacture or recovery or polymerisation of styrene or vinyl chloride;

(b) any process of manufacture involving the use of vinyl chloride;

(c) the manufacture of acetylene, any aldehyde, amine, isocyanate, nitrile, organic acid or its anhydride, any organic sulphur compound or any phenol, if the process may result in the release of any of those substances into the air;

(d) any process for the manufacture of a chemical involving the use of, or which may result in the release into the air of, any substance mentioned in paragraph (c);

(e) the manufacture or recovery of carbon disulphide;

(f) any manufacturing process which may result in the release of carbon disulphide into the air;

(g) the manufacture or recovery of any pyridine, methyl pyridine or dimethyl pyridine;

(h) the manufacture of any organometallic compound;

(i) the manufacture, purification or recovery of any acrylate;

(j) any process for the manufacture of a chemical involving the use of any acrylate.

PART B Nil

Section 4.3 Acid processes

PART A

(a)

Any process for the manufacture, recovery, concentration or distillation of sulphuric acid or oleum.

(b)

Any process for the manufacture of any oxide of sulphur but excluding any combustion or incineration process other than the burning of sulphur.

(c)

Any process for the manufacture of a chemical which uses, or may result in the release into the air of, any oxide of sulphur but excluding any combustion or incineration process other than the burning of sulphur.

(d)

Any process for the manufacture or recovery of nitric acid.

(e)

Any process for the manufacture of any acid-forming oxide of nitrogen.

(f)

Any other process (except the combustion or incineration of carbonaceous material as defined in Section 1.1. of this Schedule) which is likely to result in the release into the air of any acid-forming oxide of nitrogen.

(g)

Any process for the manufacture of phosphoric acid.

PART B Nil

Section 4.4 Processes involving halogens

PART A

The following processes if not falling within a description in any other Section of this Schedule—

(a) any process for the manufacture of fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine or of any compound comprising only—

(i) two or more of those halogens; or

(ii) any one or more of those halogens and oxygen;

(b) any process of manufacture which involves the use of, or which is likely to result in the release into the air or into water of, any of those four halogens or any of the compounds mentioned in paragraph (a) other than the use of any of them as a pesticide (as defined in Schedule 6) in water;

(c) any process for the manufacture of hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide or hydrogen iodide or any of their acids;

(d) any process for the manufacture of chemicals which may result in the release into the air of any of the four compounds mentioned in paragraph (c);

(e) any process of manufacture (other than the manufacture of chemicals) involving the use of any of the four compounds mentioned in paragraph (c) which may result in the release of any of those compounds into the air, other than the coating, plating or pickling of metal.

PART B Nil

Section 4.5 Inorganic chemical processes

PART A

(a)

The manufacture of hydrogen cyanide or hydrogen sulphide other than in the course of fumigation.

(b)

Any manufacturing process involving the use of hydrogen cyanide or hydrogen sulphide.

(c)

Any process for the manufacture of a chemical which may result in the release into the air of hydrogen cyanide or hydrogen sulphide.

(d)

The production of any of the following or of any compound containing any of them—

• antimony

• arsenic

• beryllium

• gallium

• indium

• lead

• palladium

• platinum

• selenium

• tellurium

• thallium,

where the process may result in the release into the air of any of those elements or compounds or the release into water of any substance described in Schedule 5.

(e)

The recovery of any element or compound referred to in paragraph (d) where the process may result in any such release as is mentioned in that paragraph.

(f)

The use in any process of manufacture, other than the application of a glaze or vitreous enamel, of any clement or compound referred to in paragraph (d) where the process may result in such a release as is mentioned in that paragraph.

(g)

The production or recovery of cadmium or mercury or of any of their compounds.

(h)

Any process of manufacture which involves the use of cadmium or mercury or of any compound of either of those elements or which may result in the release into the air of either of those elements or any of their compounds.

(i)

The production of any compound of—

• chromium

• magnesium

• manganese

• nickel

• zinc.

(j)

The manufacture of any metal carbonyl.

(k)

Any process for the manufacture of—

(i)

a metal;

(ii)

a chemical,

involving the use of a metal carbonyl.

(l)

The manufacture or recovery of ammonia.

(m)

Any process for the manufacture of a chemical which involves the use of ammonia or may result in the release of ammonia into the air other than a process in which ammonia is used only as a refrigerant.

(n)

The production of phosphorus or of any oxide, hydride or halide of phosphorus.

(o)

Any process for the manufacture of a chemical which involves the use of phosphorus or any oxide, hydride or halide of phosphorus or which may result in the release into the air of phosphorus or of any such oxide, hydride or halide.

PART B Nil

Section 4.6 Chemical Fertiliser Production

PART A

(a)

The manufacture of chemical fertilisers.

(b)

The conversion of chemical fertilisers into granules.

In this Section, “chemical fertilisers” means any inorganic chemical to be applied to the soil to promote plant growth; and “inorganic chemical” includes urea.

PART B Nil

Section 4.7 Pesticide production

PART A

The manufacture or the formulation of chemical pesticides if the process—

(i) may result in the release into water of any substance described in Schedule 5; or

(ii) if the carrying on of the process by the person concerned at the location in question is likely to produce 500 tonnes or more of special waste in any 12 month period.

PART B Nil

In this Section “pesticide” has the same meaning as in Schedule 6.

Section 4.8 Pharmaceutical production

PART A

The manufacture or the formulation of a medicinal product if the process—

(i) may result in the release into water of any substance described in Schedule 5; or

(ii) if the carrying on of the process by the person concerned at the location in question is likely to produce 1000 tonnes or more of special waste in any 12 month period.

PART B Nil

In this Section, “medicinal product” means any substance or article (not being an instrument, apparatus or appliance) manufactured for use in one of the ways specified in section 130(1) of the Medicines Act 1968(1).

Section 4.9 The storage of chemicals in bulk

PART A

The storage, other than as part of another Part A process and other than in a tank for the time being forming part of a powered vehicle, of any of the substances listed below except where the total capacity of the tanks installed at the location in question in which the relevant substance may be stored is less than the figure specified below in relation to that substance;

any one or more acrylates	20 tonnes
acrylonitrile	20 tonnes
anhydrous ammonia	100 tonnes
anhydrous hydrogen fluoride	1 tonne
toluene di-isocyanate	20 tonnes
vinyl chloride monomer	20 tonnes

PART B Nil

(1)

1968 c. 67.