Captivating Images: Discover Protect Old Dalby Information Site's Information Service

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As you are aware we, the Protect Old Dalby Action Group have been undertaking a huge amount of research into the A.D. Plant being proposed by Ixora Energy, sited at Vale View farm, Nottingham Lane. We will now start to share with you, over the coming weeks, some of that research. We are not scaremongering as all information is backed up by reports from the various recognised organisations who are responsible for the reporting of such data.

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Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

The HSE had great concerns about A.D. Plants and in 2023 they presented a paper to the industry highlighting the need to significantly improve the safety of these plants. Content focused on aspects relating to explosion safety.

The figures above taken from that HSE report speaks for itself in terms of reported incidents. It shows that 1 in 10 of operating A.D. plants had reported an incident, the report also highlighted the under-reporting of incidents within the agricultural sector, this observation was supported by their plant inspections.

In 2022/23 the HSE carried out 49 inspections at agricultural sites, these were routine inspections and not in response to an unsafe occurrence or concern being reported. The outcome of these inspections showed that there were material breaches in 50% of industrial sites, and 40% in agricultural sites. 

In the past 5 years there have been 14 Enforcement Notices issued by the Health and Safety Executive and 9 notices served by the Environment Agency to A.D.plants within the UK up until 2023. New data, as yet, has not been published to our knowledge.

A small example of incidents recorded at AD plants in the UK, there are so many more.

GENco Avonmouth December 2020 – Explosion and fire

Source: BBC News - “multiple explosions occurred killing 4 people and injuring another working at the site. Three employees of Wessex Water and a contractor were killed in the blast at a water recycling centre in Kings Weston Avonmouth, a fifth person was also injured. For the full story go to https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-55183959

Bio-Dynamic Nottingham September 2017 – Explosion

Source: BBC News – “An explosion occurred at the Colwick Industrial Estate injuring 2 people “

Report quoted “Two men have been seriously injured after a gas explosion at Bio-Dynamic an A.D facility which turns food waste into energy. One man had to have his leg amputated as a result.

For the full story go to https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-41353464.amp

Nottinghamshire Live quoted “It is understood that a large, upright blue tanker exploded. A large cordon was set up by the police as it was discovered that there had been a slurry leak. A multi-agency response saw teams from the EA and HSE join with emergency services and ambulance crews to make the area safe.”

Farm Worker died from biogas fumes – October 2013

“A worker died after being overcome by fumes while trying to fix an A.D. On a Dorset farm. He was working on the giant tank full of slurry and farming waste at Lowbrook Farm in Belchalwell in June 2009. He and a fellow worker passed out after opening the seal on the biodigester roof to fix a blockage” For the full story go to https:www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-24525434

Harper Adams September 2017 – explosion

Source: A.D. Blog – “Explosion showering the surrounding area with tonnes of cow dung. Gallons of slurry spilled into nearby farm flooding one road and leaving several fields waterlogged”

Farmers Weekly reported in May 2014 that a clean-up operation was in force after slurry leaked from a 3m A.D. Plant at Harper Adams University for the second time in 18 months. A processing tank was believed to have collapsed.

Pretoria Energy Ltd Ely May 2018 – Pollution

GOV UK reported “ A company that turns crops into energy has been fined after an extremely harmful liquid polluted a stream. Labelled reckless by magistrates Pretoria Energy allowed silage liquor, created when the crops were in storage, to escape into a tributary of the river Cam. The incident at Pretoria's site off the A10 near Ely in 2018 happened when the liquid seeped through poorly maintained drains into the water. The pollution was seen for nearly half a mile.”

It should be noted that the brook which feeds Phoebes Lake is in close proximity to the potential site.

Severn Trent Green Power Cossington Oxon October 2023 – Explosion and Fire

Source: A.D. Blog - “An unexpected lightning strike at the Severn Trent Green Power plant resulted in a massive explosion on 2ndOct 2023. The blast was caused by the ignition of biogas in the gas collection domes above the tanks leading to an enormous fireball visible from afar. Fortunately, no injuries were reported”.

A few of the most recent pollution incidents reported by the Environmental Agency include:-

Unregistered Agricultural Facility October 2018– “lightening strike hit a digestate tank resulting in a fire destroying the inner and outer roof membranes”

Merchant facility July 2018 – “A fire engulfed a control room and spread to nearby mixing and digester tanks and their associated pipework. Biogas holders above the tanks were completely destroyed and the biogas burned off to the atmosphere”

Agricultural facility April 2018 - “ Significant loss of silage effluent to the ground from numerous points on site including silage clamps, site drains and lagoon. Scale of loss was estimated to be approx 55m3. Ammonia levels averaged – 50mg/1 and BOD-700mg/1. Significant risk to surface waters from contaminated surface water run-off and contamination of field drains. “

Other examples:

“ complete loss of power a digester suffered an over-pressure event leading to the release of biogas and overtopping of digestate through the top hatch and relief valves. This was the second over-pressure event at the plant”

“EA officers officers responded to reports of water pollution on 2 separate occasions. Large maize storage heaps produced significant quantities of silage effluent during the winter which pooled in the field and entered a land drain discharging directly into a nearby watercourse.”