Environmental Protection (Abrasive Blasting) Regulations 1998

In these regulations a reference to abrasive blasting being carried on in the open is a reference to abrasive blasting being carried on other than in a blasting chamber.

any material containing 2% or more free silica (crystalline silicon dioxide) in abrasive blasting; or

corrosion inhibitors containing chromate, nitrate or nitrite in wet abrasive blasting.

is completely sealed; or

is fitted with a mechanical ventilation and dust extraction system which is operating so that —

no visible dust escapes from the blasting chamber;

all air from the blasting chamber passes through the ventilation and dust extraction system before being discharged into the environment; and

air discharged into the environment does not contain any visible dust or more than 50 milligrams of particulate matter per cubic metre.

If the ventilation and dust extraction system for a blasting chamber includes a wet scrubber the operator must ensure that —

waste water from the scrubber is drained into, and contained in, settling tanks or ponds until all particulate matter has settled out; and

the settling ponds or tanks are emptied as often as necessary to ensure their efficient operation.

This regulation only applies to abrasive blasting operations which involve the use or removal of organotin or other heavy metal protective coatings.

An operator must not carry on abrasive blasting in or near an aquatic environment unless the size, shape, position or location of the object being blasted makes it impracticable to move the object out of, or away from, that environment.

An operator carrying on abrasive blasting in or near an aquatic environment must ensure that all water which may contain waste material is drained into, and contained in, an impervious holding sump until it is disposed of in accordance with regulation 8.

An operator must ensure that —

any overflow from the holding sump will drain into a soakwell; and

the holding sump and soakwell are emptied as often as necessary to ensure their efficient operation.

all waste material is cleaned up at the conclusion of each abrasive blasting operation;

no waste material escapes from the premises at which the blasting is carried on (or if there are no defined boundaries to the premises, no waste material escapes onto any place to which the public has access); and

all waste material is disposed of at an appropriate landfill site or waste treatment facility the occupier of which holds a licence under Part V of the Act in respect of that site or facility.