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Daniel Thwaites PLC

Sykes Holt Brewery Emissions - Noise

June 2016

ROBIN COOPER ASSOCIATES

RC

Daniel Thwaites PLC - Sykes Holt Brewery Emissions - Noise

2 Ref: Daniel Thwaites Sykes Holt Brewery Emissions - Noise Version: Issue

Report:

Ref No: Noise Management

Version: Issue

Date: 9th June 2016

Prepared for: Brian Yorston

Daniel Thwaites PLC

Star Brewery

Penny Street

Blackburn

Lancashire

BB1 6HL

Prepared by: Robin Cooper

Telephone: 01908 551036

Mobile: 07785 551240

Email: [email protected]

Robin Cooper Associates Limited

Lower Farmhouse

Common Street

Ravenstone

Olney

Buckinghamshire

MK46 5AS

mailto:[email protected]



Contents

1. Introduction and summary 4

2. Background 4

3. Site location relative to sensitive receptors 5

4. Principal potential noise sources 6

5. Noise management 9

6. Conclusion 11

7. References 12

Appendix A: Site location plan 14

Appendix B: External complaint form

16



1. Introduction and summary

In June 2014 Daniel Thwaites PLC announced a plan to move its craft brewery from

Penny Street, Blackburn to a new site at Sykes Holt, Mellor Brook as part of an overall

relocation of its offices, brewery and horses.

The brewery is planned to operate on weekdays (7 am to 5 pm) with one brew per day

and to have an annual capacity of 5,000 barrels. A variety of beers will be packaged

into casks and some kegs. The brewery does not require an Environmental Permit

under the Environmental Permitting Regulations.

Robin Cooper Associates Limited has been appointed by Daniel Thwaites PLC to

produce a report on noise emissions from the relocated craft brewery.

Robin Cooper Associates Limited has prepared this report with all reasonable skill,

care and diligence, within the terms of the Contract with Daniel Thwaites PLC, in the

acquisition of information upon which the report is based. The information provided

reflects the best judgement of Robin Cooper Associates Limited in the light of the data

available at the time of the preparation of the report.

The report concludes that the brewery, like most manufacturing facilities, will have

some sources of noise. Normal brewing operations are considered unlikely to give

reasonable cause for offence or annoyance at local receptors.

2. Background

Daniel Thwaites PLC is fully aware of both its Environmental and Health and Safety

responsibilities. From 1st July 2005 until surrender on 22nd March 2016 the brewing

and packaging activities at the Penny Street operation were regulated under the

Environmental Permitting Regulations (formerly Integrated Pollution Prevention and

Control). Its Environmental Permit No was BP6804IW (Ref 1).

During the lifetime of the permit, Daniel Thwaites was proactive in the management of

noise emissions and the operations gave no offence or annoyance to local receptors.

There was no history of noise complaints from either the public or regulating

authorities.



3. Site location relative to sensitive receptors

The brewery is to be located at Sykes Holt, Mellor Brook, Lancashire at OS Grid

Reference SD 635 314 (see Appendix A).

The Daniel Thwaites Sykes Holt site is located on the north side of the A59 to the west

of the Mellor Brook access roundabout about 4 miles to the north-west of Blackburn.

Current land use in the vicinity of the site is as follows:

North West, North, North East and East: Mostly open farmland, farms with

associated housing. One residence fairly close (within 200m) off Myerscough

Road and some additional residential property on Commons Lane and Higher

Commons Lane.

South: Industrial, commercial and farmland.

South East: Industrial, commercial and residential including Mellor Brook

village.

Noise sensitive receptors local to the brewery are detailed in Table 3.1 These

receptors have been selected from population areas within 1km of the site, recognizing

that noise nuisance normally occurs in close proximity to manufacturing sites.

Table 3.1 Noise Sensitive Receptors

Receptor and Description Distance from boundary

and Aspect

1 Residential, Carter Fold, Myerscough Road 200m North West

2 Residential, Mellor Brook Village >500m South East

3 Community Centre, Mellor Brook Village 600m South East

4 Commercial haulage company, Myerscough Smithy Road 200m South

5 Access platform hire company, Myerscough Road 200m South

6 Thurstons Farm, Myerscough Road 400m South

7 Light industrial and engineering, Lancashire Enterprise Zone (ex BAE Systems)

400m South

8 Residential, Commons Lane and Higher Commons Lane >750m North East



4. Noise sources

4.1 Fundamental considerations

Beer is manufactured from grains, principally malted barley, which are crushed and

mixed with hot water to convert the starch present to sugar. The sugar solution is

separated from the residual grains, boiled with hops and fermented with yeast to

produce beer. Different grains, yeasts and hops are used to produce different beers.

The beer will be packaged into casks or filtered before packaging into kegs.

The brewing and packaging equipment to be used at Sykes Holt will largely be

transferred from the existing craft brewery operation at Penny Street, Blackburn. A gas

fired boiler will be used to generate steam for the main heating duties. The site will be

connected to the local electricity supply and water mains. Cylinders of oxygen, nitrogen

and carbon dioxide, required as process gases, will be safely stored on the site along

with all raw and ancillary materials used in the manufacturing process.

The equipment employed in the brewing and packaging areas must be kept very clean,

therefore intensive cleaning equipment will be installed on the site to maintain high

standards of hygiene.

It is anticipated that wastewater (effluent) will be discharged into the public sewer and

thence to the local sewage treatment works. The nature of the effluent and any

conditions for discharge are being discussed with the water utility company.

4.2 Attributes of noise emissions

The measurement and assessment of background levels of noise and their effects

upon the receiving environment is well developed and documented. In broad terms, the

factors affecting the potential of a noise source to cause harm or annoyance to human

senses is a function of:

the frequency and duration of the occurrence, i.e. does the noise occur during

normal operation of the plant or infrequent maintenance or cleaning activities;

the absolute noise level;

the ‘type of noise’, such as the characteristic ‘tone’ or ‘pitch’. For example, the

characteristic sound of metal on metal contact, chinking, whining etc.



the location of the source of the noise and the presence of natural attenuation

to block or impede noise transmission paths and

background levels of other noise sources, e.g. contribution of nearby busy

roads and railway lines, to ambient noise levels.

The noises from brewery installations are commonly mixed, being made up of sounds

of different frequencies and absolute levels. However, consideration must also be

given to impulsive noises, such as tapping, clinking and clattering that commonly give

rise to high levels of annoyance.

The principal noise sources are predominantly associated with normal operation of the

plant. Noise emissions associated with infrequent abnormal operation of the plant

occur on activation of pressure safety devices. Such devices are designed to protect

vessels and pipelines from overpressure and their presence is a statutory requirement.

This pressure release commonly typically results in a high pitch ‘whistle’ of relatively

short duration, but of relatively high absolute noise level, as the excess pressure is

vented from the system. Operation of the principal pressure safety valves (e.g. steam

system) is therefore expected to result in offsite detection of noise. Activation of the

principal pressure safety devices occurs typically only once per year during the legally

required, statutory checks of direct fired pressure systems (i.e. boiler plant) to ensure

safe operation.

Noise emissions are considered during design and procurement of new equipment.

Where it is not technically feasible to achieve inherently low noise levels, equipment

will be installed within a building or dedicated acoustic enclosure (e.g. air compressor).

The site fire alarm system is intended to alert Daniel Thwaites personnel and visitors to

incidents with the potential to cause harm. As such it is designed to be audible in all

areas of the site and inevitably at nearby receptors offsite and observes the premise

that (in situations necessitating use of an alarm) protection of human health is of

greater importance than short term offsite noise nuisance or annoyance. The routine

testing of the site fire alarm is an essential feature of this safety critical system.

Alarms that alert operators to ‘normal’ process deviations are not designed to be

audible outside the immediate production building.



4.3 Principal potential noise sources

The principal potential noise sources are listed in Table 4.1.

Table 4.1 Principal potential noise sources

Source Abatement Techniques Nature of Noise / Vibration

Contribution to Background Levels

Vehicle movements: Delivery of brewing and other materials, process gas cylinders. Emptying of waste wheelie and smaller bins.

Buildings and natural screening will attenuate noise from vehicle movements.

Intermittent operation. General low pitched sound with occasional higher audible tone from reversing indicator.

Medium

Fork lift trucks: Moving materials, empty and full casks and kegs.

Buildings and natural screening will attenuate noise from vehicle movements.

Occurring during operating hours only. Metal - metal / floor contact. General low pitched sound with occasional higher audible tone from reversing indicator.

Medium

Air compressor(s) Equipment is enclosed within the building. Personnel visit equipment daily. Routine maintenance prevents high absolute noise emissions and avoids distinctive tonal elements.

Intermittent operation. Low whining noise.

Insignificant

Boiler Equipment is enclosed within the building. Personnel visit equipment daily. Routine maintenance prevents high absolute noise emissions and avoids distinctive tonal elements. One-off statutory annual pressure relief test.

Intermittent operation. Low level roar when boiler "fired". Once / year statutory test (high pitch whistle).

Insignificant

Refrigeration set Equipment is enclosed within the building. Maintenance personnel visit equipment daily. Routine maintenance prevents high absolute noise emissions and avoids distinctive tonal elements.

Continuous operation. Low whining noise.

Insignificant

Process pumps Equipment is enclosed within the building. Personnel visit equipment daily. Routine maintenance prevents high absolute noise emissions and avoids distinctive tonal elements.

Intermittent during operating hours only. Low pitch motor sound.

Insignificant

Cask and keg packaging plants

Equipment is enclosed within the packaging building. Maintenance personnel visit equipment daily. Routine maintenance prevents high absolute noise emissions and avoids distinctive tonal elements.

Occurring during operating hours only. Mechanical and pneumatic handling equipment. Metal to metal clinking.

Insignificant

General plant alarms Alarmed equipment is enclosed within the building.

Occurring only abnormally during operating hours. High pitch tone.

Insignificant

Fire alarms System tested across the site. Weekly. Highly audible - high pitch tone.

Medium



5. Noise management

Daniel Thwaites takes its responsibilities to the community very seriously. As explained

earlier, the existing craft brewery in Penny Street, like the much larger brewery before,

has an excellent record in terms of noise complaints. However, Daniel Thwaites is

aware that its operations have the potential to cause annoyance if not properly

controlled. It also recognises that it must take the opportunity to adopt BAT in terms of

processes and procedures where the environmental benefit / cost equation is satisfied.

Environment Agency Technical Guidance Note EPR H3 Part 1 (Ref 2) explains that

“the noise should not be so loud that it gives reasonable cause for annoyance to

persons in the vicinity. The concept of 'reasonable cause for annoyance to persons in

the vicinity' is dependent upon many factors, including the type of noise, the times of

day or night, the nature of the area, the existing noise climate and the contribution

made by the noise source under consideration“.

Guidance Note H3 Part 1 (Ref 2) also states that “.......... installations to be operated in

such a way that all the appropriate preventive measures are taken against pollution, in

particular through the application of BAT. The definition of pollution includes 'emissions

which may be harmful to human health or the quality of the environment, cause offence

to any human senses or impair or interfere with amenities and other legitimate uses of

the environment'. BAT is likely to be similar, in practice, to the requirements of the

Statutory Nuisance legislation, which requires the use of 'best practicable means' to

prevent or minimise noise nuisance. In the case of noise, 'offence to any human

senses' may be judged by the likelihood of complaints. The aim of BAT should be to

achieve the following:

underpinning of good practice, a basic level of which the Operator should employ

for controlling noise, including adequate maintenance of any parts of plant or

equipment whose deterioration may cause increases in noise;

noise levels should not be loud enough to give reasonable cause for annoyance

to persons in the vicinity;

prevention of creeping ambient (often referred to as creeping background)

noise".

The Brewers of Europe Guidance Note for Establishing BAT in the Brewing Industry

October 2002 (Ref 3) lists the following subjects as being of priority in order to

minimise the environmental impact of noise from breweries:



Registration and follow up of noise complaints.

Assessment of activities during noise sensitive periods.

Regular inspection and preventive maintenance of outdoor equipment which

might cause large noise emission if malfunctioning.

5.1 Complaints procedure

Daniel Thwaites has a long established external complaints procedure (which will be

transferred to the new location) covering a variety of possible complaints,. Noise would

be handled within this procedure and the External Complaint Report Form is

reproduced as Appendix B. On logging the report, key site personnel are informed and

this action (in combination with out-of-hours incident management procedures)

ensures that a responsible person is assigned to investigating the validity and cause of

the complaint and, where appropriate, initiating necessary corrective actions.

5.2 Environmental impacts of noise emissions

The brewery is planned to operate during the daytime when the noise and vibration

environment is dominated by the A59 trunk road and commercial / industrial activities

just to the south of the A59. The application of BAT and the screening effects of the

Daniel Thwaites site and its buildings will reduce the noise emissions to a level that will

not impact significantly on the daytime background levels of noise observed by the

local population.

The environmental impacts of noise emissions from the brewery will be principally

complaints from members of the local community and offence to the brewery’s own

personnel.

These impacts are to be minimised by operational and monitoring controls described in

Sections 5.2.1 and 5.2.2.

5.2.1 Operational controls

In order to prevent, minimise and / or reduce noise annoyance beyond the brewery

boundary noise management will comprise general operational controls and controls

specific to the principal sources of potentially noisy emissions detailed in Section 4.

Examples include:

Effective control measures through the application of design standards (e.g.

maximum noise levels of equipment located outside of acoustic enclosures)

and procurement of inherently quiet equipment.



Rigorous preventative maintenance regimes ensure there is no deterioration of

equipment with the potential to cause elevated noise levels.

5.2.2 Monitoring controls

Noise management also includes a number of monitoring controls to minimise the

potential for an noise nuisance to develop. These controls include the following:

Unusual sound detection and repair programmes.

Good operational and maintenance practices for fixed and mobile plant and

equipment.

All planned maintenance and operational activities at the brewery will undergo an

assessment and review process to identify the environmental impact, which includes

noise nuisance. The activity is planned and scheduled to avoid sound nuisance beyond

the boundary. This may include consideration of the time of day and the current and

expected weather conditions.

5.2.3 Routine environmental monitoring

In order to prevent noise nuisance occurring off site associated with the routine

operation of the brewery, a programme of on-site noise surveys will be established.

The relevant people will undertake routine noise surveys of all the areas under their

responsibility. Any area where there is a known potential for noise will be monitored on

a routine basis. In addition, any non-routine activities capable of producing a noise

nuisance will also be monitored.

If any noise is detected and release cannot be prevented at the time then an incident

and / or maintenance report will be raised so that management action can be planned

to stop the noise at source. If this is not practical then the source of noise will form part

of the local and / or site improvement plan.

6. Conclusion

The findings of this noise emissions report indicate that the Sykes Holt brewery site

has a low potential to cause harm to human senses. This is attributed to the sources of

noise during normal operation of the plant being limited, with effective design,

operation and maintenance controls in place to prevent or minimise any noisy

emissions.



7. References

Reference 1 EPR (PPC) Environmental Permit BP6804IW 1st July 2005

Reference 2 Environment Agency Technical Guidance Note Environmental

Permitting Regulations H3 Part 1 September 2002

Reference 3 The Brewers of Europe Guidance Note for Establishing BAT in the

Brewing Industry October 2002



Appendix A: Site location plan



Appendix B: External complaint form



Complaint Reference Number……………..

External Complaint Report Form

Receipt of Call Taken By:

Upon receipt of a complaint to the Daniel Thwaites Brewery, please ask the caller to hold whilst the initial details are recorded. Explain to them that Brewery takes the caller’s concerns very seriously and the aim in taking down to report details is to assist in remedying the problem.

Date: Time: Name of Caller:

Callers Telephone Number: Company/Other: Position:

Record brief details below. If an off-site noise or odour, what is its nature? When and where has it been detected? Advise the caller that the senior operations person will investigate thoroughly and respond ASAP.

Acknowledgement – Senior Operations Person

Name

Comments

Date Time

Investigation – Senior Operations Person Name

Wind Direction: Weather Conditions:

What were our activities at the time of the complaint? Consider and investigate possible sources. Refer to site and area drawings. Plot wind direction to noise or odour complaint. Visit the area if necessary.

Duty Manager informed, please sign.

Results of plant investigation, is the source from Daniel Thwaites? Are there any other likely off-site sources?

Actions Completed: Complaint justified?

Please Sign

Feedback Name

Comments

Date Time

Ref: EMS004