The Agency had issued a Pollution Prevention and Control permit to the Portuguese-owned company for the 30m Crymlyn Burrows plant last year following a six-month delay caused by local objections.
Although this permit meant the Agency had access to monitor emissions from the plant's furnace flue, HLC has yet to install monitoring facilities on the plant's air extraction vents.
After repeated demands from the Agency to install the required equipment, an enforcement notice has been served to ensure that appropriate arrangements are put in place before the end of July 2003. If HLC continues to delay installation of the monitoring equipment, court action could be taken against the company.
 The 30m Crymlyn Burrows plant, near Swansea, run by HLC |
Commenting on the warning, an Agency spokesperson said: “Although no environmental damage has been caused as a direct result of this delay, the Agency requires that monitoring facilities are available at all times. We will continue to inspect and monitor operations at the materials recovery and energy centre and feel that it is important that we take robust and proportionate enforcement action when appropriate.”
The plant has a capacity to process 170,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste each year, though at the moment only around 150,000 tonnes is being provided by Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend Councils under a 25-year contract.
HLC is expected to comment soon.
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