New Pollution Prevention Guidance for Separators GPP3

Use and design of oil separators in surface water drainage systems: GPP 3

This guidance has been produced by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). For Northern Ireland and Scotland this document provides guidance on environmental legislation.

Separators need to comply with the new guidance in Scotland, Northern Ireland following announcement of GPP3.

Following the new guidance on pollution prevention documentation that has now been released for Scotland and Northern Ireland. GPP 3 refers to the use and design of oil separators in surface water drainage systems and is an interpretation of BS EN 858-2:2003

• The new guidelines mandate that separators must have a high-level oil alarm (silt alarm recommended), and;
• Generate and retain detailed logs of inspection and testing records.

Whereas previous guidance was only recommending a warning device the new legislation now states that you must have a monitoring device installed on your separators.

The technical advice provided in GPP 3 is based on the current standard BS EN 858 that state separators should be fitted with an automatic warning/device or high-level alarm

• Which should be inspected and maintained as a minimum 6-month basis.
• The guidance also states that a maximum interval of a 5 yearly integrity test
• Have full service and maintenance records available from inspection

In light of the new guidance, if you have an existing separator, you will be required to retrofit your monitoring device.

To prevent pollution and minimise your costs, you need to manage your separator effectively. To make this easy, all parts of the separator that have to be regularly maintained must be accessible at all times. Every six months, or in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions, experienced personnel should:

• Physically inspect the integrity of the separator and all mechanical parts
• Assess the depth of accumulated oil and silt
• Service all electrical equipment such as alarms and separator management systems
• Check the condition of any coalescing device and replace it if necessary
• Clean the sampling shaft if required. Some heavily used or high-risk sites might require more frequent inspections

Here at Aquasentry (Part of the Darcy Group) we can advise on the new guidance and have years of experience and a range of products and services to ensure you’re kept compliant.

We can offer advice on how to retrofit your separator with a warning alarm and offer a service plan to keep your site compliant and up to the latest regulations.

As always, we’re constantly reviewing the very latest environmental legislation and have a range of new products and services to help keep our customers

To speak to an expert on the new guidance contact – technical@darcy.co.uk