The protectors
The work of the Chemical Technologies Team (CTT), which is part of
the Environmental Technologies Group, focuses on the environmental impact
brought about by Dstl/MOD activities or legacy issues. CTT was set up
to safeguard against what is called 'environmental risk', where the
work of an organisation could have a detrimental effect on its immediate
surroundings. Knowledge of environmental law and risk assessments are
just two of their specialist areas. They also list land quality assessments,
hydrogeology/geology, geographical information systems (GIS) and environmental
research and development as other expert disciplines.
"Our vision is to act as the focal point for advice on environmental
issues in Dstl," says the team leader. "The capability was
created as a direct response to increasing environmental legislation
emerging from the UK and European Parliaments. This is legislation that
Dstl and the MOD have no crown immunity from. Our creation also corresponds
with MOD regulations, which state that all new projects must have an
environmental assessment conducted before they are progressed."
Increasing environmental legislation impacts Dstl in a number of ways,
but at the working level it means that project teams must now seriously
consider the environment when embarking on a new project, in the same
way they would consider elements such as health and safety, and have
documentary evidence to prove it. For more complex projects, such as
the procurement of a new weapons system, the team conducts a sustainability
appraisal, studying 15 different parameters including noise, vibration
and climate change as well the economic and social impact on the local
area.
"Up until recently it was optional to conduct an environmental
assessment. However this isn't the case anymore. It is mandatory for
the recording of environmental risks to ensure the master Risk Register
for the project identifies all possible risks." explains the team
leader.
"The Environment Agency has been given more power to prosecute
organisations that don't comply with regulations and in some circumstances
they have more powers of entry than the police. Naturally we don't want
this to happen, so getting people to record the environmental risks
is the first step".
"The earlier staff do this the better," adds one of the
team members, who joined Dstl from the Environment Agency last year.
"What we don't want is a situation where a project cannot be given
a green light deep into its life because environ-mental considerations
weren't tackled at the beginning."
"This all fits in nicely with the lab's new drive towards an
established 'Corporate Social Responsibility' (CSR) policy, where Dstl
will actively seek to adopt best environmental practice.”We already
have a representative on the new Dstl CSR steering group and a representative
on the newly formed Environmental Advisory Committee and therefore,
hope to have a good level of involvement as policy is formed,"
The team also has a significant role in the assessment of environmental
legacy issues on the Porton Down site. This has involved close liaison
with the Environment Agency and Dstl site management. "The review
of historical maps of the site, anecdotal information from staff and
waste disposal records has helped to identify a number of areas on the
site that may be contaminated land," states the team's hydrogeologist.
"These areas will be assessed in more detail and, if shown to present
risks to the environment, may require remediation".
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