Resource management company Veolia has expanded the solvent recovery capacity at its Garston, Liverpool, facility to 86,000 tonnes a year.

Effective recycling of these used solvents, waste paint thinners and solvent-based paint, will create new products as an alternative to virgin solvents, says the firm, so that they can be used again in industries including pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, paint, agrochemicals and cement manufacture.

The solvent recovery process will also save an estimated 172,000 tonnes CO2e in greenhouse gas emissions each year, compared to virgin resources. It was announced as part of the firm’s new strategic plan GreenUP,

Waste materials are processed at the site to regenerate them into high quality recycled products that can be reused displacing virgin materials in the supply chain. The facility uses various distillation technologies to separate residues from the wastes, and then to further separate solvent mixtures into products suitable for industrial customers.

As well as generating products the plant also produces several types of fuel. A distilled product fuel is used instead of natural gas to power the site’s steam boilers, reducing the energy required from gas by 10,000 MWh per year, equivalent to the gas usage of 1,000 homes per year. Other by-products from the process are sent to Veolia facilities to be manufactured into alternative fuels for use in the cement industry, helping to decarbonize this industry and reduce the reliance on fossil fuels.

The increased processing capacity has been achieved by installing new distillation columns to separate liquids, and 17 tanks to store or transfer the solvents. Transport is handled through two new high throughput tanker loading bays which manage logistics for offloading waste for processing, and load the recycled solvents ready for customer delivery.

Sona Dadhania, Senior Technology Analyst at market intelligence firm IDTechEx looks at where PFAS has been used in food packaging, recent legislation mandating its removal, and alternative materials being explored.

Creating a circular economy is an essential sustainability target for numerous stakeholders in the supply chain: governments, brands, suppliers, and consumers. A key element of this is reducing plastic waste; the OECD estimated that over 350 million metric tonnes of plastic waste was generated globally in 2019. Addressing plastic waste generation requires solutions from every sector, especially the plastics packaging sector, which utilizes about one-third of annual plastics production. Single-use plastic packaging, from cling films to flexible chip bags to take-out containers, is generated in huge volumes but quickly ends up in municipal waste streams.

The issues that single-use plastic packaging presents are compelling legislative and regulatory bodies worldwide to pass mandates and guidelines aimed at increasing the sustainability of single-use packaging. For example, the European Commission recently passed the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which mandates that all packaging be recyclable and contain a minimum recycled content percentage for plastic packaging, amongst other provisions. Prior to the passage of the PPWR, the European Union passed the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), which banned some single-use plastic items for which non-plastic alternatives are available, such as cutlery, plates, straws, and expanded polystyrene food containers. In the United States, where 47% of plastic waste comes from single-use products and packaging, different states and municipalities are introducing bans on certain single-use plastic items, like bags and straws.

Thanks to these regulations, many companies are switching to paper-based and fiber-based packaging, such as molded fiber packaging and recycled paper packaging. However, this switch presents some issues given the historic usage of PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) in food-contact applications, particularly on paper and molded fiber packaging.

The intersection of sustainable packaging and PFAS is thoroughly discussed in IDTechEx’s new report “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) 2024: Emerging Applications, Alternatives, Regulations”.

Typical usage of PFAS in food packaging
PFAS has been historically used since the 1950s in food-contact packaging applications, particularly on paper and compostable molded fiber packaging, in coatings that impart oil and grease repellence.

Such coatings could be found in:

• Take out boxes (i.e., pizza boxes) and clam shells
• Baking paper and muffin cups
• Take out cups
• French fries and microwave popcorn packaging
• Fast-food paper wrappers

The primary function of PFAS is as a barrier or repellent against grease, stains, and water. This barrier will limit the migration of grease and water from the food to the packaging during the food’s transport, storage, and consumption. Previously, long-chain PFAS such as PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) were utilized in food-contact applications. With growing concerns over long-chain PFAS, many manufacturers of PFAS for food-contact applications switched to short-chain PFAS, such as 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (FTOH).

Increasing regulatory actions on PFAS in food packaging
Until recently, the usage of PFAS in food-contact applications was allowed in many major markets, including the US and the EU. However, increasing concerns over human exposure to PFAS led to increased regulatory actions specifically targeting PFAS in food-contact applications; most of these regulations have been passed in the past 5-6 years. For example, in 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration announced a voluntary phase-out of 6:2 FTOH in food packaging applications by 2023. Denmark banned PFAS coatings products for paper and cardboard-based food packaging the same year. Most recently, in 2024, the EU’s PPWR banned all food-contact packaging containing PFAS above a certain concentration.

Finding alternatives for PFAS in sustainable food packaging
The concurrent trends of phasing out both single-use plastic packaging and PFAS coatings for packaging is creating an interesting challenge and opportunity. The move away from single-use plastic packaging is encouraging increased usage of paper-based and fiber-based packaging, which historically used PFAS-based coatings that are now beginning to be banned in major markets. This creates an opportunity for packaging and coating companies alike to develop non-plastic packaging solutions that do not contain PFAS.

Some historic manufacturers of PFAS for food packaging applications, such as Daikin America, have already developed polymeric non-PFAS coatings for paper-based and fiber-based packaging. However, a key challenge for polymeric coatings in food packaging applications is their impact on recyclability. Another issue with PFAS-based coatings, unrelated to their health effects, was that they negatively impacted the recyclability of packaging using them; polymer-coated paper and laminates are frequently landfilled for this reason.

As such, alternatives are required that both replace PFAS in coatings while also maintaining the recyclability of paper and fiber-based packaging. Discussed in more detail in IDTechEx’s new report, emerging alternatives that attempt to address these requirements include biowax and nanocellulose coatings for barrier property improvements and additives that increase the performance of paper for food packaging applications. As more regions and countries pass regulations impacting both single-use plastic packaging and PFAS in food packaging, more diverse approaches to addressing PFAS in sustainable food packaging may emerge as more companies look to address this key whitespace.

To find out more about this IDTechEx report, including downloadable sample pages, visit www.IDTechEx.com/PFAS.

Preparations are underway to start the disposal of spent nuclear fuel in the Finnish bedrock next year, as the first place in the world to implement underground storage of high-level nuclear waste. The storage site is at Olkiluoto in Eurajoki, southwest Finland (image credit: Posiva).

After use, nuclear fuel becomes strongly radiating and dangerous waste. It contains a large amount of uranium and plutonium, which are also important ingredients in nuclear weapons. All these materials must be intact when the fuel rods are stored in their final deposit, presenting a requirement for meticulous and dependable measurement prior to deposition.

The measurement challenge has been the topic of a doctoral dissertation by Riina Virta, to be titled: “Gamma tomography of spent nuclear fuel for geological repository safeguards”.

“This way, we can be sure of what is being deposited in the bedrock, and that all nuclear materials will remain in peaceful use,” said Virta, a visiting researcher at the University of Helsinki.

All the important information must be gathered before the final disposal. The measurements must also be stored in a way that will be accessible and understandable to human beings for thousands, even hundreds and thousands of years.

For her doctoral thesis, Riina has studied methods of measurement suitable for use with nuclear waste, in work completed at the University of Helsinki in cooperation with the Helsinki Institute of Physics (HIP). She also works as an inspector in the nuclear materials safeguards section of the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority.

Looking inside with a gamma camera
In her thesis work, Riina developed an imaging method called passive gamma emission tomography (PGET), which measures the gamma radiation emitted by spent nuclear fuel. Nuclear fuel consists of rods, a few metres long and containing uranium, which are gathered into an assembly to act as a fuel element. The PGET instrument can produce an exact cross-section image of the fuel assembly.

The cross-section image allows us to check that the assembly still retains all the rods. The challenging thing with this method is that the fuel dampens the radiation very efficiently.

“In practice, the radiation from the middle of the assembly just barely reaches the detector, i.e. the ‘camera’. We wanted to fix this problem in our research.”

The image quality was improved by developing the collection of data and using that data more wisely. The method was also developed so that the instrument can be used not just in water but also in air. This makes it adaptable to the Finnish plants taking care of the final disposal. The research also developed software tools to make it easier to apply the method.

The performance of the method was proven with the help of an extensive library of field measurements carried out in Finnish nuclear power plants.

“This means the method has been studied in detail and found to work well, and now we are just waiting for the operations of final disposal to start in Olkiluoto,” said Virta.

Disposable e-cigarettes or vapes are big business, they are also a big problem for the environment. David Deegan of Tetronics suggests a solution that’s based on plasma technology.

Single-use, disposable e-cigarettes or vapes are a big problem for the environment, one that is toxic. Since their introduction in 2003, initially as a ‘healthy’ alternative to tobacco, they have created a whole new contaminated e-waste stream. In 2023, over 7.7 million disposable vapes were sold every week, and around five million are discarded weekly in the UK, according to research from Material Focus. Despite many vape shops having facilities to dispose of them safely for recycling, only 17% of vapers recycle them correctly. Many find their way into landfill with black bag refuse or are simply thrown onto the ground. In both cases, they cause harm to the environment as they leach nicotine, fire retardants and other chemicals into the ground.

The problem may eventually go away. The government recently announced a ban on sales of disposable vapes in England, Scotland and Wales to discourage vaping among young people. The ban is expected to be implemented by early 2025, after the industry and retailers have been given 6-months’ notice to phase out supply. Northern Ireland will also consider introducing a similar ban. But that still leaves millions in circulation, a substantial threat to the environment, and the need for an interim solution.

There are some businesses already offering disposable vape recovery and recycling, often as part of a broader electrical waste (WEEE) and small mixed electrical waste service. An effective recycling process comprises three main elements: collection and supply of a viable feedstock stream (in this case a large volume of discarded vapes); a dismantling and processing stage (whether mechanical, thermal or chemical); and a commercial outlet for the recovered products. Without all three, it is hard to make a strong investment business case.
Recovering critical metals and materials from more common e-waste, such as PCBs in computers and larger electronics, is easier both to do and to make a business case for. While disposable vapes and e-cigarettes do contain recoverable metals the process is harder and more resource-intensive because they are so much smaller.

Within their small cases, disposable vapes house a heating element, a microprocessor and a battery, plus a cartridge for the liquid. Most casings are made of plastic which, because it is in an electronic setting, will contain flame retardants.

Because the components are very small, they are difficult to recover via mechanical separation – the typical recycling technique that a waste receiver would use to recover materials from e-waste. The scale of electronics in e-cigarettes makes the return on extracting tiny pieces of copper very low. Where there is iron and copper in the vape, the iron might be seen as a rogue element and devalue the copper being extracted. The process is made more difficult and potentially toxic because of any residual vaping liquid and flame-retardant plasticisers. In addition, a lot of these complex chemicals will be classified as persistent organic pollutants. In short, disposable vapes are not easy to recycle within a normal e-waste process but are highly damaging to the environment if they are not recycled.

One solution to this dilemma is plasma. Plasma is omnivorous – it can destroy plasticisers and plastics and render vaping liquid harmless. It is a proven way to extract critical materials from spent devices, prevent hazardous waste reaching landfill, and create a beneficial by-product.

Plasma is an electrically charged – or ionised – gas. Sometimes described as the fourth state of matter, it occurs naturally in the environment in lightning, sparks from static electricity and the aurora borealis. Plasma is widely used in television and display screens, fluorescent lighting and even arc welding.

Tetronics uses plasma technology in an extensive range of applications from recovering precious metals in catalytic converters to removing the toxicity of industrial materials like asbestos and air pollution control residues.

To recover critical metals from electronic equipment, the process Tetronics uses involves introducing the materials – the e-cigarettes and vapes – into a sealed furnace and employing a plasma arc to apply intense heat and ultra-violet light in a controlled environment. The chemistry separates and recovers the valuable metals, minerals and other materials from the feedstock.

Rather than extensive and labour-intensive dismantling of the component parts, plasma can address the complete vape. The plasma process produces liquid metals which can be tapped off for recovery and reuse, while the inorganics – the plastics, polymers and plasticisers – become a fuel source, and the vape liquids are ultimately exhausted as safe gases in line with emissions protocols.

The Tetronics process denatures any toxic elements into a non-hazardous glass-like material called Plasmarok. Another useful by-product is the energy produced, which can be used to power the recycling process. Nothing is wasted. Furthermore, plasma is powered by electricity which, when sourced from renewables, makes it one of the cleanest thermal processing technologies available.

It is very important to consider the batteries used in disposable vapes. Lithium-ion batteries are used to power a vast range of electrical equipment from electric vehicles to electric toothbrushes. They are ideally suited to recharging and there have been several studies into the rechargeability of the batteries discarded in disposable vapes. Ideally, the production, sale and disposal loop for single-use vapes would be sufficiently closed for these lithium batteries to be re-used up to 300 times, thereby avoiding thousands of tonnes of harmful waste going to landfill. Unfortunately, however, the multi-stage, multi-national supply chain is not that coordinated yet and, with a ban looming, it is unlikely to reach full circularity.

That shifts the focus from recycling and reuse of whole batteries to recovery of the lithium within them; a highly specialised process in which plasma can also play a role. In the Tetronics process, the lithium would be partitioned from the other vape components into the inorganic phase, the Plasmarok. At the very least, the lithium contained within this inert glass is now immobile, removing the potential for explosion or pollution.

Better still, the Plasmarok represents an intermediate source of lithium; providing a raw feedstock for the lithium refining process. Plasma becomes part of the broader supply chain for recovering lithium to make new batteries and add to a robust circular economy for critical materials.
At present, alongside the ban on sales of disposable vapes, the government is exploring regulatory mechanisms to promote the recovery of critical minerals from waste. Defra is actively looking at ways to ensure the producers of vapes properly finance recycling costs when they become waste.

There does need to be a concerted effort to address disposable vapes that involves the recycling sector and more importantly the suppliers – both producers and retailers. They need to take more responsibility for reducing waste and harm to the environment. Were retailers to incentivise people to return disposable vapes, especially younger users, this could have a big impact on the number being carelessly discarded while increasing the volumes available for mineral recovery, and making the whole loop a more sustainable investment.

This article contains paid for content produced in collaboration with Airbox.

High-volume air sampling is a method used to assess airborne asbestos concentrations in buildings. It involves drawing a large volume of air through a filter media, which is then analysed for the quantity and morphology of asbestos fibres.

High-Volume testing has come to mean air samples from 8-16 lpm over a couple of hours. Real-world testing data by market leaders in the industry suggest that this may not be sufficient. Spaces tested at 8 lpm over 2-3 hours can yield negative results whereas the same spaces tested at 16 lpm over 5-10 hours will produce a positive result requiring evacuation.

The larger the volume of air tested the greater chance of finding deadly fibres and the better chance occupants of the building have of not contracting mesothelioma as a result of exposure.

Airbox Variflow XL is the only battery powered pump able to achieve sampling volumes totalling over 9000 litres at a rate of 16 lpm over 10-12 hours. The pump is shower proof allowing it to be easily decontaminated after use. It can also be set up outside the building where remediation work is being carried out to monitor the perimeter of the site.

Light weight but robust construction and mains or battery power options allow Airbox pumps to be carried four at a time, deep inside buildings without mains power.

The full range of Airbox can be explored at www.airboxsp.com where you will find pumps with flow rates and run times to suit all protocols.

www.airboxsp.com

Waste and resources firm Veolia is launching a new specialist facility based in Avonmouth, near Bristol, to meet the growing demand for the safe and compliant management of hazardous and complex waste streams in the South West.

Designed to be able to accept a wide range of hazardous wastes, it is expected to be operational in spring 2024. With a capacity of 6,500 tonnes per year, the facility adds to the company’s seven existing hazardous waste transfer stations handling over 76,000 tonnes per year, and will provide a full range of services including a mobile chemist service to ensure wastes are safely segregated and compliantly packed and labeled ready for transportation.

Specifically designed to accept and store a wide range of packaged palletised waste including kegs, drums, IBC’s, the facility will manage wastes such as aerosols and gas cylinders, non hazardous materials, and materials categorised as flammable, toxic, corrosive, and oxidising. By acting as a local hub it will enable cost effective access to Veolia’s full range of recycling, treatment and disposal facilities.

The Avonmouth facility will serve a range of customers producing packaged oily wastes from vehicle maintenance and engineering sites, laboratory wastes from research and development facilities, production wastes from all types of manufacturing operations, and materials from household waste recycling centres. The site will include a new laboratory and specially designed waste storage areas used to segregate each item based on its potential hazards, physical and chemical properties. These facilities will ensure correct identification, storage and movement of waste to the most appropriate recycling, treatment and disposal locations.

The transfer site will be supported by Veolia’s mobile chemist service, Chempac, for segregation, labelling, packing, collection and treatment and disposal of hazardous and laboratory chemical wastes, to ensure compliance and safety for customers. Waste streams will be tracked by Veolia’s end-to-end cloud based system that will ensure compliance and traceability through the complete cycle from enquiry to treatment or disposal, and is designed to cover more than 100,000 different waste profiles.

Nicola Henshaw, Director Hazardous Waste at Veolia UK said: “To ensure we protect people and the environment, complex and hazardous waste streams need to have strictly controlled collection and treatment solutions, and our new facility will deliver extended depollution capabilities to the South West region. By using the latest cost-effective solutions, gained from our expert teams, we will be able to offer an advanced and compliant local service that will meet the growing need in the area.”

Veolia says it currently treats and recycles around 6 million tonnes of hazardous waste for more than 100,000 industrial, commercial or public authority clients, and employs 8,000 people who operate a comprehensive network of more than 300 facilities on five continents.

By Gauthier Eppe

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic chemicals that pose a significant threat to human health and the environment. Widely used during the post-war industrial boom of the 1940s and ‘50s, many of the synthetic chemicals introduced were used in crop production and the manufacture of a range of household goods. These chemicals have had unforeseen adverse effects, largely because of their non-biodegradability. To combat this issue, international agreements, such as the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, finalized in 2001, have been established to control and phase out the production and use of these hazardous chemicals.¹ This article explores the limitations of current analytical methods for POPs and discusses how trapped ion mobility spectrometry (TIMS) is setting new standards in the field of POPs analysis.

The persistence of POPs
POPs are toxic organic chemical substances that are resistant to degradation and have been used extensively in pesticide and industrial chemical manufacture and released during chemical and agricultural processes. POPs are ubiquitous in our environment (water systems, soil, air and sediments) and they bioaccumulate, passing from species to species through the trophic chain, ultimately ending up in the human body. POPs are a serious health concern and are known to cause a number of health implications including cancer, neurological damage, birth defects, immune system defects, learning disabilities, endocrine disruption and reproductive disorders.²

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are considered POPs and are known for their water- and stain-resistant properties.³ The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed the first federal limits on PFAS chemicals in drinking water in the US.⁴ However, the complexity of analyzing POPs and the emergence of new potential contaminants continue to challenge mitigation efforts.

Current methods of analyzing POPs
The gold standard method for POPs analysis is gas chromatography coupled with sector high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) in selected ion monitoring mode. While this technique is powerful and effective, it is primarily used to analyze targeted compounds of interest. Targeted analysis, however, only detects known compounds – and will miss the many new POPs that are emerging as a result of their persistence or chemicals breaking down and decomposing in the environment.

Many POPs are not identified, as regulatory bodies only monitor known contaminants. This means there is insufficient information regarding the potentially thousands of unregulated compounds synthesized by the chemical industry, including potential precursors and by-products that may give rise to even more harmful substances. New contaminants are constantly emerging in the environment and the food chain; therefore, it is vital to broaden the scope of analysis and develop new methods that not only consider legacy POPs, but also address those that are emerging.

This limitation of targeted analysis hinders the comprehensive analysis of complex environmental, food, and human blood samples, which contain numerous other compounds that can interfere with accurate detection and quantification. Additionally, many contaminants exist in extremely small quantities, often in sub-parts per trillion, necessitating more advanced equipment with higher specificity and sensitivity.

Faster and more accurate POPs analysis
Scientists from the Université de Liège, Belgium, are using trapped ion mass spectrometry coupled with time-of-flight (TIMS-TOF) to address the limitations of current analytical methods in detecting and monitoring POPs. Gauthier Eppe, Full Professor and Director of the MSLab and the Molecular Systems (MolSys) Research Unit at the Université de Liège, combines the precision of high-resolution mass spectrometry with software to offer rapid and accurate analysis of a wide range of contaminants such as dioxins, PFAS, and pesticides.

The difference between TIMS-TOF and other analytical methods is its unique combination of high-resolution mass spectrometry and trapped ion mobility spectrometry, a gas-phase separation technique. Adding an additional dimension of separation improves the accuracy and confidence in compound characterization within complex samples. As the technique accumulates and concentrates ions of a given mass and mobility simultaneously, it increases both the sensitivity and speed of analyses. The sensitivity of TIMS-TOF can detect extremely low levels of contaminants that cannot be detected with other conventional methods, making it ideal for analyzing and detecting even the smallest trace amounts of POPs.

Prof. Eppe has contributed to the development of various multi-residue analytical techniques, encompassing exposure characterization from agricultural supplies, food products and human biomonitoring in biological fluids. Together with his team, he is now developing and applying global untargeted characterization approaches in biological and environmental samples, specifically focusing on emerging halogenated POPs but also in metabolomics and lipidomics, utilizing mass spectrometry detection techniques such as TIMS-TOF. Prof. Eppe and his team are investigating the intricate molecular responses and biomolecular alterations induced by POPs exposure. TIMS-TOF facilitates the analysis of specified POPs as well as the detection of novel, untargeted POPs, providing an accurate and comprehensive assessment of the possible exposure to contaminants.

Advancements in POPs analysis
As POPs can enter the food chain through various environmental sources, which contaminate food webs and aquatic ecosystems, collaborations with food manufacturers are needed to monitor contamination in the food supply chain. Due to their persistence and ability to biomagnify as they move up the food chain, POPs can become concentrated in high trophic-level species, leading to elevated amounts in foods such as meat, dairy products, and fish. POPs are lipophilic, which means that they accumulate in the fatty tissue of living animals and human beings. In fatty tissue, the concentrations can become magnified by up to 70,000 times higher than the background levels.⁵

New sensitivity in food contaminant analysis
POPs pose a significant threat to human health and the environment. While international agreements and regulations aim to control and phase out the production and use of these hazardous chemicals, the complexity of POPs analysis and continuous development of new POPs is hindering efforts.

The work of Prof. Eppe and the team at the Université de Liège has led to significant advancements in POPs analysis using TIMS-TOF. Combining high-resolution mass spectrometry and trapped ion mobility spectrometry offers rapid and accurate analysis of a wide range of contaminants, including those found in food products. TIMS-TOF provides researchers with the necessary sensitivity and versatility to detect even the smallest trace amounts of POPs, ensuring food safety and protecting human health.

By continuously monitoring POPs and advancing analytical methods, researchers can collect valuable data on harmful non-target compounds, advocate for their ban, incorporate them into legislation and contribute to provide reliable and extensive data to the exposome concept. The advancements in analytical methods are paving the way for a safer and healthier future.

References
[1] Lallas, Peter L., “The Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants.” American Journal of International Law 95.3 (2001): 692-708
[2] Food safety: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), World Health Organization, November 20, 2020. Accessed October 27, 2023. https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/food-safety-persistent-organic-pollutants-(pops)
[3] Lindwall C, Ginty MM. “Forever chemicals” called pfas show up in your food, clothes, and home. NRDC. April 12, 2023. Accessed November 15, 2023. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/forever-chemicals-called-pfas-show-your-food-clothes-and-home.
[4] Phillis, M., “EPA to limit toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water.” AP News, 2023. https://apnews.com/article/epa-pfas-forever-chemicals-water-contamination-regulations-560d0ce3321e7fa8ed052f792c24f16f
[5] Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and pesticides. Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and Pesticides. Accessed November 2, 2023. https://www.unep.org/cep/persistent-organic-pollutants-pops-and-pesticides.

Alert Technology writes: The award-winning ALERT PRO Connect is the world’s first and only real-time airborne asbestos monitor and alarm. Designed to reduce the risk of prolonged exposure, its patented design represents the biggest technological step change in asbestos safety management for decades.
Real-time alarms and a brand-new data set available via its cloud-based data platform ALERT CONNECT it is set to change the landscape of asbestos risk. Collecting data using location, date and time, ALERT provides a level of visibility previously unavailable.

Not intended to replace existing legislative requirements ALERT provides a complementary data set on airborne asbestos risk at a granular level. Providing visibility of short term and sporadic releases of fibres and real-time asbestos events users can now identify peak risk and the activity that lead to it.

The platform CONNECT allows users to easily monitor and manage multiple sites and ALERT devices (locally or remotely) setting up alarm notifications via SMS or email; creating and managing:- projects, users and reports; scheduling tests and more.

The ALERT PRO range is set to change the landscape of asbestos risk exposure its patented design differentiates between asbestos and non-asbestos fibres using light scattering technology and the paramagnetic properties of asbestos to deliver results with a 99% confidence level. Recipient of two Safety Innovation awards in 2023, including the British Demolition awards and BSIF, the ALERT PRO not only reduce the risk of prolonged exposure with real-time alarms it also offers a brand-new data set never available in asbestos risk management.

Nuclear power stations could be decommissioned in the future with the help of teams of autonomous robots known as the SMuRFs, scientists have suggested.

Engineers from University of Glasgow, University of Manchester, Bristol Robotics Laboratory and Heriot-Watt University are behind the development of the SMuRF system, which is short for Symbiotic Multi-Robot Fleet.

The system provides a seamless method to enable wheeled, four-legged and airborne robots to collaborate and complete tasks that could be difficult or harmful for humans to undertake on their own.

Instead, a single human supervisor can remotely observe the actions of the robots as they share sensor data between themselves, combining their abilities to achieve results far beyond the reach of a single machine.

SMuRFs could offer authorities, regulators and industry a safer, faster method of monitoring nuclear facilities, as well as opening up new opportunities for the maintenance of engineering infrastructure in challenging environments like offshore wind power platforms.

In a new paper published in the journal IET Cyber-Systems and Robotics, the researchers outline how they deployed the SMuRF in a practical demonstration at the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Collaboration (RAICo) facility in Cumbria.

RAICo is a collaboration between the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), Sellafield Ltd and the University of Manchester.

During the demonstration, the SMuRF successfully completed an inspection mission in a simulated radioactive storage facility containing some of the challenges found in real nuclear power decommissioning environments.

The robots’ ability to collaborate is the result of a sophisticated computer system developed by the researchers, which they call a ‘cyber physical system or CPS.
The CPS is capable of communicating with up to 1,600 sensors, robots and other digital and physical assets in near to real-time. It also allows robots with very different abilities and operating systems to work together and most importantly, update the human operator.

The data collected and processed by the CPS enables the creation of a 3D digital twin of a real space. That allows the SMuRF to navigate around the space and carry out tasks with minimal oversight, while providing human operators with a wealth of data via a specially-designed digital dashboard to help the SMuRF make informed decisions if required. Human operators can also take direct control of the robots if they need to.

Combining the robots’ abilities allowed them to complete a series of tasks often applied to radiation monitoring around nuclear sites known as post-operational cleanout.

The robots collaborated to map the environment, creating a 3D digital twin of the space using their onboard sensors, which was supported by further mapping from an aerial drone piloted by a human operator.

Boston Dynamics’ Spot fetched tools for closer scans using its flexible arm, while wheeled robots Scout and CARMA mapped radiation levels across the testing environment. The CARMA robot successfully detected a simulated spill of radioactive liquid underneath a waste barrel, a detection that could help ensure proper containment and cleanup in a real-world environment.

Daniel Mitchell of the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering is the paper’s corresponding author. He was recently named as the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s Rising Star 2023 in recognition of the impact of his research.

He said: “The robots we programmed and designed in this prototype SMuRF each have their own unique abilities and limitations, as well as their own operating systems.

“During the deployment of the SMuRF at RAICo, we were able to show how well the robots can work together and how the digital twin we built can provide remarkable situational awareness for human operators.

“That could make them ideally-suited for the challenges of working in potentially hazardous environments such nuclear inspection and decommissioning.
“Humans will still be required to oversee and direct the robot fleet, but their high level of autonomy could help keep people safe by allowing them to interact with the robots from their desks instead of visiting work sites.”

David Flynn, Professor in Cyber Physical Systems at the University of Glasgow, is a co-author of the paper. Professor Flynn added: “These kinds of autonomous robotic fleets have a great deal of potential to undertake a wide range of dangerous, dirty, dull, distant and dear jobs.

“In addition to work in the nuclear sector, there’s tremendous additional potential in sectors like offshore power generation, where SMuRFs could handle many routine inspection and repair tasks. Currently, these tasks are expensive because they often require staff to be helicoptered out to offshore sites, a process which can be hampered by bad weather.

“However, they are critically important to preventing downtime and ensuring a steady flow of power to the grid. Having a robot crew permanently on-site to carry out these routine tasks would maximise the potential of all kinds of renewable energy platforms.

“The next step for our research is to integrate a wider range of robots in our fleets, with even more diverse abilities to sense their surroundings, move through them in new ways, and manipulate objects.”

Dr. Paul Baniqued of the University of Manchester said: “The digital architecture was inspired by the fleet management system, as seen in strategic video games, which depicts individual members of the SMuRF operating simultaneously in the digital twin environment. This allows the human operator to focus their attention on a single interface, enabling a better understanding of the task at hand.”

The team’s paper, titled ‘Lessons Learned: Symbiotic Autonomous Robot Ecosystem for Nuclear Environments, is published in IET Cyber-Systems and Robotics. The research was supported by funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

SEPA was appealing to the public for information (on 28 September) to help with an investigation into potential illegal activity in North Lanarkshire in late September, at a location linked to waste vehicles.

Officers from SEPA, North Lanarkshire Council and Police Scotland were gathering information on the range of businesses operating in the area, the size and scale of operations, the number of vehicles present and the risk of harm to the environment.

The location in question, which SEPA said it was not identifying due to its ongoing investigation, has expanded significantly without the appropriate environmental and planning permissions, and there are concerns around waste criminality.

The regulator has a dedicated intelligence and enforcement function supporting geographic teams in investigating waste crime. Calum McGregor, Unit Manager in SEPA’s Environmental Crime Team, said: “We are warning criminals – your activities are firmly in the spotlight and compliance with Scotland’s environmental laws is non-negotiable. In Scotland, businesses committed to doing the right thing by our environment will find a regulator that supports innovation and excellence. For those who do the wrong thing you’ll find a regulator that won’t hesitate to act.

“We know that unauthorised end of life vehicle (ELV) sites can be linked to other criminality, which is why days of action such as this are so important to tackling waste criminality on a national level. Working with partners such as Police Scotland and local authorities – as well as Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Task Force, the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, and cross border agencies – means that SEPA can make it harder for criminals to get a foot in legitimate waste businesses, and where these sites have appeared it will become easier to require those responsible to clean them up.

“I’d encourage anyone who thinks they may have information about waste crime in Scotland to get in touch with SEPA. Our officers cannot be everywhere, and the public are often our eyes and ears across the country. While this day of action was targeted at end-of-life vehicles, please do share any concerns you may have about waste crime of any type. Other suspicious activity can include approaches to bury waste on land, increases in lorries moving on and off sites (especially at night) as well as sudden increases in waste amounts, odours and flies.”

Appeal for information
Members of the public who believe they may have information about waste crime in the area, including individuals or companies buying scrap cars without providing the appropriate paperwork (such as a Certificate of Destruction), dumping of tyres or unusual activity at sites are encouraged to contact SEPA.

This can be done 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through SEPA’s Pollution Hotline, either online at sepa.org.uk/report or by calling 0800 80 70 60. Reports can be made anonymously – but people are encouraged to leave contact details so additional information can be gathered if required.

Criminality around end-of-life vehicles
Every year around two million new vehicles are registered in the UK and a similar number are scrapped. This means around two million tonnes of vehicle waste each year – along with large volumes of waste tyres.

End of life vehicles (ELVs) contain a range of potential contaminants such as engine oil, coolant, brake and steering fluids, oily vehicle parts such as engines, gearboxes and axles, and oil filters and batteries, which all pose a risk to the environment if they are not treated, recycled or disposed of properly. Sites that deal with ELVs must hold a Waste Management Licence or exemption from SEPA, which will contain a number of conditions or rules designed to ensure the environment is protected. Waste vehicles must be stored and treated without causing harm to the environment and specific requirements, such as impermeable surfaces with provision for spillage collection and appropriate storage containers for parts and fluids, must be met.

The agency estimates that there are currently over 100 unauthorised ELV sites across Scotland, ranging from small scale breaking of vehicles for reselling parts to industrial estates where multiple unlicensed ELV operations are taking place. Evidence suggests that many may be involved in wider criminality and a few may have links to serious and organised crime groups.