GBR No. 8
Environmental Conditions
Printing Services Group
ERA regulates the environmental impact of enterprises through two key mechanisms. Smaller scale activities are regulated through a set of General Binding Rules (GBRs) which apply to all enterprises within a common group (e.g. Printing Services Group). Larger scale activities are regulated through an Environmental Permit issued on an individual basis by ERA. Certain enterprises of limited environmental significance (e.g. insurance companies) are exempt from control through a GBR or Permit.
The environmental conditions set out in this General Binding Rule (GBR)are aimed at improving the environmental performance of small scale enterprises involved in the printing of books, magazines newspapers, postcards and similar materials.
GBR Conditions and Permits
The classes of enterprises in List 1 (see last page) are subject to regulation by either a Permit or this GBR. An Environmental Permit for operation of the establishment must be obtained from ERAin respect of:
- Any activities comprising the use of VOC solvents in printing activities including flexography, heatset web offset, lamination, rotogravure, rotary screen printing and varnishing (NACE classes 18.11 and 18.12), with a solvent consumption of 5 tonnes/year[1].
The Environmental Conditions in this GBR:
- Apply immediately on start-up of operations by new enterprises
- Apply to an existing enterprise from 6 months after first notification of the GBR
- Do not override the requirements of any other legislation, including any possible need for development consent
- Will be enforced through ERAinspections and penalties
- Apply until such time as they may be superseded for individual enterprises by the requirements of an Environmental Permit, other legal requirements or the amendment of this GBR.
Operators have an obligation to understand and implement the requirements of the GBR. An explanation of theseenvironmental conditionsand other related information is available in the ERA General Guidance Note for Small Enterprises.
1. General Requirements
1.1.All businesses have a duty of care to protect the environment. The operator shall become familiar with his legal obligations and good environmental practice.
1.2.Staff shall be made aware of the importance of environmental protection and receive appropriate training as specified in the Guidance Note.
1.3.The site shall be maintained in a tidy condition, free from litter and waste (whether arising from own activities or external sources).
1.4.In the event of cessation of business activityon the site, all wastes (including end-of-life or abandoned machinery, tanks and equipment) and hazardous materials must be removed from the site.
1.5.If requested by the authority applicant shall provide annual consumption of solvents and other solvent containing products in order to confirm the applicability of obligations under L.N. 349 of 2010 (or as amended in subsequent legislation). A list of these solvents together with MSDS must also be provided.
2. Waste Management
2.1.Wastes should preferably be collected for recycling/re-use. Wastes to be considered for recycling include paper and cardboard, solvents/inks and wooden pallets.When practical, recyclable wastes should be segregated to facilitate recycling.
2.2.Allwastes shall be stored within a designated and controlled storage area(s) prior to ultimate disposal; wastes to be recycled should be stored in a designated containeror storage area and not mixed with other wastes.
2.3.Liquid and hazardous wastes, such as waste inks and solvents shall be stored in a labelled, closed container(s) within a designated and controlled storage area(s) prior to ultimate disposal. Wastes of different natures should be segregated accordingly and not mixed within the same container.
2.4.The storage of Hazardous Waste should comply with the requirements of the Waste Management (Activity Registration) Regulations, 2007 (LN 106 of 2007). The storage period for hazardous waste shall not exceed 12 months.
2.5.The storage of waste on garrigue orany other natural or semi-natural land is prohibited.
2.6.On-site disposal of wastes by any means including burning, disposal to drain or surface water, burying or deposition on land is prohibited, unless specifically approved by a permit from ERA or the Water Services Corporation (WSC).
2.7.Off-site disposal or recycling of wastes may only take place at a facility licensed for that purpose (e.g. only inert waste may be disposed of at a landfill licensed for inert waste).
2.8.Records shall be maintained for the disposal of all hazardous waste, including quantities, dates, contractor name and manner of disposal. The records should be maintained for a period of 2 years and be made available, upon request, byERA.
2.9.Producers of packaging shall register with ERAand provide the required information, as well as achieve the targets as set out in the relevant legislation. Documentation as evidence of such should be maintained for a period of 3 years and be made available, upon request by ERA.
2.10.Packaging and containers containing significant residual quantities of chemicals (such as printing inks or solvents) should be regarded as hazardous wasteand should be handled and treated accordingly.
2.11.All operations concerning the management of waste are subject to the legal provisions of Legal Notice 184 of 2011 as amended and Legal Notice 106 Waste Management (Activity Registration) Regulations, 2007. These regulations are reflected in relevant GBR conditions (listed in this document) or in the environmental permit conditions to which it applies.
3. Emissions to Atmosphere
3.1.All processes which generate significant levels of airborne contaminants (e.g. solvent vapours from printing) shall have effective trapping/abatement suppression equipment and shall discharge (after treatment where necessary) through a stack or vent located/designed in such a way as to avoid local nuisance(see definition in Guidance Note).
3.2.Minor exhausts, such as wall grills, shall discharge above head height and be directed upwards.
3.3.The exhaust from general building ventilation (e.g. extractors or fans in walls or roofs) shall be vented in such a way as to avoid local nuisance.
3.4.Exhaust gases from oil or solid fuel boilers/generators, shall vent through stacks 3 metres above roof level and 3 metres above any habitable floor within a 25 metre radius as per provisions of LN 478 of 2010, Ambient Air Quality Regulations, 2010, or as quoted in subsequent amendments.
3.5.For those activities where it can be shown to the satisfaction of ERA that the above venting requirements are not practical, sensible or necessary, stacks and vents shall be located and designed so as to minimise local nuisance in accordance with policies issued by the Planning directorate.
3.6.In the event of a local nuisance from emissions to air, the operator must, at the written request of ERAand within 30 working days, identify the specific cause of the nuisance and examine means for its elimination or minimisation including:
- Relocating/redesigning the stack(s) or vent(s) to a point where nuisance is minimised.
- Preventive measures such as replacement of process materials (e.g. odorous inks) by more environmentally sensitive compounds.
- Replacement of fuel by lower sulphur content or cleaner burning fuel.
- Use of additional abatement measures.
- Closure of certain doors or windows.
3.7.All abatement equipment and ducting shall be cleaned and maintained according to manufacturer product specifications in a way so as to ensure proper functioning of the equipment. This is to be carried out on a regular basis and records kept of any such maintenance.
See General Guidance Note for Small Enterprises for further information on this matter.
4. Effluent Discharge
4.1.Foul sewer drains must be strictly segregated from stormwater drains.
4.2.Wastes such as printing inks or solvents shall not be discharged to the foul sewer, stormwater drains, sea or land.
4.3.The discharge of any type of effluent (including washwaters and contaminated stormwater) to land, stormwater drains or seais prohibited,unless specifically approved under a permit issued by MEPA.
4.4.All discharges to the foul sewer shall comply with the requirements of a license issued by the Water Services Corporation.
4.5.Following consultation with WSC and ERA, wash waters contaminated with spilled ink etc. must not be routed to the main sewer but should be diverted to an interceptor prior to discharge. The design of the interceptor to cater for such waste should be submitted to WSC and ERA for vetting prior to installation and commissioning.
4.6.Floor areas utilised for printing must be constructed in such a way whereby surface, wash waters and ground waters will not be contaminated by spillages, and thorough clean-up and site reinstatement following accidental spillages (e.g. inks) can be readily undertaken.
5. Storage
5.1.No storage of waste, equipment or materials is permitted on property outside the site premises.
5.2.Non-hazardous waste awaiting collection may be placed outside the site premises for a period not exceeding 12 hours.
5.3.Hazardous waste awaiting collection shall never be left unattended or placed outside the site premises and should be disposed of in sites permitted by ERA to receive such waste.
5.4.All bulk oil storage tanks shall be provided with an adequately designed bund system with an impermeable base and walls. The capacity of the bund shall be a minimum of 110% of the largest tank within the bund or 25% of the total volume of all the tanks within the bund, whichever is greater.All filling and off-take points shall be located within the bund.
5.5.The construction of fuel tanks shall comply with relevant MRA standards.
5.6.All storage of materials or waste shall take place only in locations where thorough clean-up and site reinstatement can be readily undertaken.
5.7.Bulk storage tanks for liquids and associated bunding and pipe work shall be visually inspected at least once a month and certified by a warranted engineer on an annual basis.Records for such inspections should be kept for a minimum period of two years and should be made available upon request by ERA.
5.8.Drums and containers of inks/solvents/chemicals etc. shall be stored in designated and secure storage areas. Storage areas shall be bunded or otherwise designed so that surface and ground waters cannot be contaminated by spillages.
5.9.Spillages of oil or other hazardous material shall receive immediate attention to prevent escape to drain, surface water or land. Spilled material shall be disposed of in sites permitted by ERA to accept such waste.
5.10.The storage of flammable, toxic and hazardous substances should correspond to manufacturer specifications and MSDS sheets instructions.
GBR No. 8
List 1
NACE classes of the Printing Services Group
18 Printing and reproduction of recorded media
18.11 Printing of newspapers
18.12 Other printing
58 Publishing activities
58.11 Book publishing
58.13 Publishing of newspapers
58.14 Publishing of journals and periodicals
58.19 Other publishing activities
1
[1]For existing installations, consumption is calculated a three-year rolling average