Regulatory Framework & Practical Application

How O-SCP may be used and assessed in the United Kingdom is, in practice, determined through a site- and risk-based evaluation under environmental legislation, pollution prevention requirements and applicable industry guidance. Assessments may involve the Environment Agency, local authorities, environmental consultants, contractors or site operators depending on the type of activity and environmental sensitivity of the location.

Within UK practice, the focus is generally placed on environmental protection performance rather than requiring one predefined technical solution. Secondary containment systems are therefore typically assessed based on whether they can effectively prevent spills and contaminated water from reaching soil, groundwater, surface water or drainage systems, while remaining inspectable, maintainable and suitable for the operational environment.

At the same time, UK guidance and industry practice indicate that temporary, semi-permanent and reversible containment systems may be relevant where permanent concrete infrastructure would be impractical or disproportionate, particularly on construction sites, temporary compounds and other mobile or short-duration operations.

It is therefore important for operators to understand:

• environmental duties under the Environmental Protection Act and Water Resources Act,
• pollution prevention expectations from the Environment Agency,
• requirements relating to fuel storage and secondary containment,
• groundwater and drainage considerations,
• as well as site-specific risk assessment and inspection obligations.

The material available on the “Compliance & Data” page has therefore been developed for operators, environmental consultants and regulatory stakeholders seeking to understand how O-SCP may be assessed and applied in practice across different operational and environmental risk contexts. may be assessed and applied in practice across different operational and environmental risk contexts.