The move by the Agency comes due to concerns over the increased risk of fire in the coming months due to the drier and warmer conditions.

The warning follows a number of severe waste fires recently including an incident which forced Coventry Airport to close temporarily and a year-on-year increase in fires at ELV facilities. The EA’s Fire Prevention Plan guidance seeks to minimise the likelihood of a fire happening and advise on ways to minimise the spread of fire within the site and to neighbouring sites.

In recent months, British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA) has been working with the Agency to develop a memorandum of understanding or sector-specific guidance. BMRA will shortly be publishing the conclusions of a 12-month study into the root causes of fires at metal recycling sites and gap analyses between approved FPPs and the EA’s FPP Guidance.

For more information about the work being undertaken by the BMRA, please contact Howard Bluck.