Businesses exposed to huge financial risk – unlimited fines imposed due to inadequate pollution containment systems

Phil Black - PII Editor 22/11/2011

98 1 minute read

Listen to this article

Sandfield Engineering, in partnership with Environmental Innovations, have designed, manufactured and installed simple yet incredibly effective fully-automated in-drain pollution containment systems. The systems combat spills, firewater and flooding by blocking the outflow from your site and transforming your existing drainage system into a pollution containment vessel.

Environmental policy is having a huge impact on all businesses, particularly those who are involved in storing chemicals or any other hazardous materials. Unfortunately, many businesses are concerned about the size of the potential fines and the reluctance of insurers to provide cover and fail to make suitable provisions to combat spills. But the Environmental Liability Directive and the many PPG Guidelines issued by the Environment Agency make it quite clear that ignorance is no defence.

As a result, many businesses are finding themselves falling foul of these laws, unaware of the extent of the consequences if hazardous spills are not effectively contained.

“We have found that most sites are unprepared, unaware, and unknowing of the consequences” said David Cole of Environmental Innovations. “It’s the owners of the site who are financially responsible for the cost of returning the local environment back to its pre-incident condition. In most cases, a site’s standard liability insurance will not cover these potentially huge costs.”

This new system provides an effective alternative to expensive bunding, and a solution to incidents where a spill-kit is woefully inadequate. The systems can be easily retrofitted with minimal disruption to the site and offer 24/7 emergency protection.

With the ‘Polluter Pays Principle’ being mercilessly enforced by Government agencies and courts, no company can afford to be without these state-of-the-art auto-containment systems.

Founded in 1965 by Ray Tebbett, Sandfield Engineering has sold millions of clamps across a variety of industries. Committed to providing products of excellent quality, Sandfield works to constantly offer new, innovative concepts that work in areas other engineering firms would never even consider.
www.sandfieldengineering.com