Following URsTV’s report yesterday on Scottish Coal’s proposed discharge of trade effluent to the River Ayr, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) have supplied URsTV with a copy of the original application by Scottish Coal. SEPA also produced a Statement:-
STATEMENT
from the
SCOTTISH ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AGENCY
25 September 2009
EXT01-B01
Scottish Coal proposal to discharge trade effluent to the River Ayr
Scottish Coal has applied to the Scottish Environment Agency (SEPA) for a licence to discharge trade effluent to a tributary of the River Ayr between Muirkirk and Glenbuck. The river has received discharges of treated site drainage from opencast mining for some 20 years.
The ‘trade effluent’ arises because rain falling on the area of the opencast site drains down into the deep excavation. The rainwater picks up silt from site roads and working areas. The water is pumped out of the evacuation to keep the working area reasonably dry. It is the water that forms the ‘trade effluent’.
River Ayr near the source of Glenbuck
SEPA would not permit, and Scottish Coal has not proposed, a discharge of untreated trade effluent into the Lightshaw Burn. Instead, Scottish Coal proposes to treat the effluent using industry-standard techniques. If this water was discharged to the burn without treatment it would cause silt pollution – hence why SEPA requires applications like this to be advertised for public comment.
Licences issued by SEPA for discharges from opencast coal sites always includes conditions designed to protect our rivers and burns.
Bridge over the River Ayr near Muirkirk
The application may be inspected free of charge at SEPA’s East Kilbride office and by appointment at the Ayr office. SEPA welcomes public comment on the proposal. Please make any comments to Registry, SEPA East Kilbride Office, 5 Redwood Crescent, Peel Park, East Kilbride, G74 5PP.
River Ayr Sources at Glenbuck and travels through Muirkirk, Kames, Smallburn, Sorn, Catrine, Failford, Stair, Auchincruive, Mainholm, Ayr and out to the Firth of Clyde.
URsTV has checked over the original application from Scottish Coal and having spoken with David Wilbraham and Peter Livingstone at the SEPA office in Ayr we are delighted to confirm everything does seem to be in order.
SEPA also confirmed they do spot checks on Scottish Coal sites at various times throughout the year and all soil and river samples are checked thoroughly at their own in-house laboratories in East Kilbride.
Firth of Clyde near Largs
SEPA have also extended a kind invitation to URsTV to accompany one of their investigators to film the investigation process and we will therefore post an article hopefully at some point in the near future.
We do understand and appreciate that Scottish Coal have been extracting coal from Ayrshire for almost 20 years without major incident and URsTV would welcome the opportunity to work with Scottish Coal in making a documentary. Perhaps it is time the good people of Ayrshire were given a glimpse of the amount of work the coal industry produce to supply them with power!
[The above video of Ailsa Craig on the Firth of Clyde was taken on 12 September 2009 ]
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Once again, a brilliant article, Moira!
I always get suspicious at the ambiguity of comments like "industry-standard techniques".
I am really pleased to hear that SEPA have offered us here at URsTV the amazing opportunity to document their investigation process! May just put my mind at ease.