Rivenhall Integrated Waste Management Facility

Recent reports about the site during commissioning activities

We continue to receive reports from members of the public, using our pollution hotline of potential odour and reports of a visible plume/steam from the facility. We provide the following information regarding our position regarding these events. 

Odour

Burning Odour - We have received some reports of a burning odour thought to be from the facility. We have not substantiated a burning odour from the incinerator to date. We will continue to investigate any reports received.

Visible Plume/steam emissions during commissioning

Visible Plume - We have continued to receive a number of reports of a visible plume from the facility. The visibility of the plume is a matter subject to the relevant conditions of the planning permission.

Steam emissions - We expect emissions of steam from the site during commissioning activities as part of the steam process involves venting to atmosphere. It is understood as the plant is commissioned the frequency of venting will reduce.

Sources of steam from the site include: 

Start-up ejector - This maintains a vacuum in the condensate system during start-up of each line. It produces a considerable amount of steam but will only be visible during start up or if faults occur with the primary holding ejector. Indaver's preference will always be to run on the holding ejector which displays no visible steam. The company advises that the use of the start-up ejector is inefficient. 

Start Up Valve - small amounts of wispy steam from the roof visible during start-up of each line. 

Emergency boiler relief valve - Would vent considerable amount of steam if boiler over pressurised. This would only be in use if other safety systems fail in accordance with The Pressure Systems Safety regulations. 

It is important to note that weather conditions/light may influence the visibility/perception of the plume with colder conditions and less light making the visual appearance of the plume darker. 

Environment Agency position

We will continue to investigate the reports we receive and checked the associated monitoring data from the plant which demonstrates that permitted emission limits within the commissioning plan have been complied with at the time of the reports. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide individual responses to every report we receive, but we will continue to provide updates on this page when we have new information to provide.

Our position remains that we expect the operator to comply with the requirements of the permit and associated commissioning plan at all times.

All inspection reports, submissions made in accordance with the conditions of the permit and associated correspondence will be made available on our public registers.

Recent reports about the site during commissioning activities

We have received an increased number of reports from members of the public, using our pollution hotline of potential odour and reports of a visible plume/steam from the facility. We provide the following information regarding our position regarding these events. 

Odour

Chemical odour - During commissioning we acknowledge there is potential for odour during the drying of the insulation binding agent. The reason for this is that during these activities there are different operating temperatures involved will lead to a differing amount of drying/duration of drying. As commissioning progresses it is expected that this odour should now be subsiding with events being shorter in duration and less intense as the binder should be almost dry. The odour from the binding agent is not hazardous.

Burning Odour - There is also the potential for odour to be generated during waste acceptance and from storage activities. There should be no odour associated with the burning of the waste once hot commissioning starts. We have received a number of reports of a burning odour in the last few days from the Silver End area. Environment Agency Officers have attended both Coggeshall and Silver End this week in response to the report. We have found domestic bonfires during our visits, which may be responsible for the odour for reports made near to the times we attended these areas.

Visible Plume/steam emissions during commissioning

Visible Plume - We have continued to receive a number of reports of a visible plume from the facility. The visibility of the plume is a matter subject to the relevant conditions of the planning permission.

Steam emissions - We expect emissions of steam from the site during commissioning activities as part of the steam process involves venting to atmosphere. It is understood as the plant is commissioned the frequency of venting will reduce.

It is important to note that weather conditions/light may influence the visibility/perception of the plume with colder conditions and less light making the visual appearance of the plume darker.

We will continue to investigate the reports we receive and checked the associated monitoring data from the plant which demonstrates that permitted emission limits within the commissioning plan have been complied with at the time of the reports. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide individual responses to every report we receive, but we will continue to provide updates on this page when we have new information to provide.

Our position remains that we expect the operator to comply with the requirements of the permit and associated commissioning plan at all times.

What has happened since our last update in July 2025?

Commissioning activities have continued at the site. Phases 4/5 ‘First Firing with Waste followed by commissioning and optimisation of the whole installation’ are in progress. Activities are defined within the agreed Commissioning Plan subject to the permit. This includes burning of waste at various loads, increasing to the maximum continuous rating/load. Checks of performance of systems is continuous throughout these phases.

There are defined air emission limits within the agreed commissioning plan for each phase of commissioning.

Phases 4 and 5 will continue until later this month when Phase 6 ‘Functional Testing’ of systems will commence for further verification.

Application - Variation V003

As you may be aware from previous communications, Indaver Rivenhall Limited has applied to vary a permit for an energy from waste plant at Rivenhall Airfield, Woodhouse Lane, Kelvedon, Essex, CO5 9DF. We held our first online public consultation on the permit variation application from 12/12/2024 to 07/02/2025.

We have now carefully considered all the information provided in the variation application, further information that we requested from the operator, and the comments we received on the application, including those from the local community. 

We have found no reason to refuse the variation application and so we are now minded to grant the variation and are consulting on our draft decision.  

The Environment Agency consultation on our draft decision is now live with a deadline until 02 October 2025.

https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/psc/co5-9df-indaver-rivenhall-limited-epr-cp3906lp-v3/  

Please provide comments as confirmed on the online system.

Recent reports about the site during commissioning activities

We have been made aware by members of the local liaison group, Indaver and members of the public using our pollution hotline of recent reports of potential odour and reports of a visible plume/steam from the facility. We provide the following information regarding our position regarding these events. 

Odour

During commissioning we acknowledge there is potential for odour during the drying of the refractory insulation binder. The reason for this is that during these activities there are different operating temperatures involved will lead to a differing amount of drying/duration of drying. We understand during Phases 4 and 5 that as the plant is initially heated that odour may still potentially be generated, although the intensity will be less than earlier in the commissioning process and as time passes.

There is also the potential for odour to be generated during waste acceptance and from storage activities. There should be no odour associated with the burning of the waste once hot commissioning starts.

Waste deliveries - Odours from waste vehicles during the transport of waste to the site are outside of the controls of the environmental permit. The Environment Agency has power in relation to the physical escape of waste while it is being transported. We have no control over odours that may be caused by this activity. Odour from waste in vehicles is the responsibility of the vehicle operators not the local district/city/borough council or the Environment Agency. Although we can’t comment on their regulation, our experience is that it is often challenging for them to take action when the odour is transitory in nature. Once deliveries arrive on site our position is that we expect the operator to take appropriate measures to prevent or where not practicable minimise odour emissions as defined within their approved odour management plan submitted under pre-operational condition PO9/condition 2.5.1 to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of the environmental permit.

Visible Plume/steam emissions during commissioning

Visible Plume - We have received a number of reports of a visible plume from the facility. The visibility of the plume is a matter subject to the relevant conditions of the planning permission. We have reviewed the reports and checked the associated monitoring data from the plant which demonstrates that permitted emission limits within the commissioning plan have been complied at the time of the reports. But we have received notification of breaches of the emission limits from the operator. Further information is provided below.

Steam emissions - We expect emissions of steam from the site during commissioning activities as part of the steam process involves venting to atmosphere. It is understood as the plant is commissioned the frequency of venting will reduce.

There is limited potential risk to the environment as a result of these activities providing the operator takes appropriate measures, as outlined in the commissioning plan to manage these and ensure compliance with emission limits. It is important to note that weather conditions/light may influence the visibility/perception of the plume.

Compliance

Visits

The following compliance visits have been recently undertaken at the site;

• 30 July 2025 - General Site Inspection - Commissioning Progress - Receipt and storage of waste - Tipping Hall/Control room.
• 14 August 2025 - General Site Inspection - Receipt and storage of waste - Tipping Hall - Waste mixing/management /Control room - emissions monitoring.

We will provide inspection reports for these visits to Indaver.

Our compliance visits will continue during the commissioning phases now that waste is being accepted by the site. The commissioning phases and associated activities are defined within the agreed commissioning plan.

Notification of emission breaches

We have received the following notification of emission breaches from Indaver.

August 22, 2025 - Total Particulate Matter

Line 1 - 4x breaches of 30 min emission limit (22:29h - 23:59h) - Limit 100mg/m3 - Max 141.8 mg/m3.

Line 1 - breach of daily emission limit - Limit 30mg/m3 - Max 30.3mg/m3.

August 23, 2025 - Total Particulate Matter (note consider part of the same event on 22/08)

Line 1 - 15x breaches of 30 min emission limit (00:29h - 06:59h and 09:59 - 10:29h) - Limit 100mg/m3 - Max 203.8mg/m3.

Line 1 - breach of daily emission limit - Limit 30mg/m3 - Max 93.3mg/m3.

August 23, 2025 - Ammonia

Line 2 - breach of daily emission limit - Limit 10mg/m3 - Max 12.7mg/m3.

August 24, 2025 - Ammonia

Line 2 - breach of daily emission limit - Limit 10mg/m3 - Max 10.3mg/m3.

These breaches relate to specific events which have now been resolved with further measures taken by the operator to minimise the risk of re-occurrence.

However, we expect the operator to comply with the requirements of the permit and associated commissioning plan at all times. These breaches and the root cause are subject to ongoing compliance review/investigation in accordance with our procedures;

• How you'll be regulated: environmental permits - GOV.UK – (including compliance assessment and enforcement).
• Waste operations and installations: assessing and scoring environmental permit compliance - GOV.UK
• Environment Agency enforcement and sanctions policy - GOV.UK

All inspection reports, submissions made in accordance with the conditions of the permit and associated correspondence will be made available on our public registers.

What's happening? - July Update

Since the last Local Liaison Group meeting on 12 June 2025, preparatory activities (involving the initial testing of equipment while not burning waste) ahead of hot commissioning, (where the facility undertakes additional testing the installed equipment while burning waste) have continued.

Compliance

Environmental Permit CP3906LP/V004 requires the submission of a number of reports including a commissioning plan which require Environment Agency approval ahead of hot commissioning as stated in condition 2.5.1/Table S1.4A. This plan outlines the phases of commissioning and associated activities and timescales for completion, for the energy from waste plant. The plan also includes the measures the operator will take to minimise the potential impact to the environment of commissioning activities.

In terms of the commissioning plan required by pre-operational condition PO3 and additional supporting information including the associated impact assessments provided by Indaver, our position is that;

We are satisfied that the environmental impact from the proposed hot commissioning process will be no greater than that which would be allowed under the current permit. In that the relevant air quality standards are unlikely to be breached, providing appropriate measures are taken by the operator as outlined in the commissioning plan.

We have reached this conclusion on the basis that:

• there is nothing in the current permit conditions that would preclude the commissioning of the incinerator only without the other buildings having been constructed;

• we require in any case that the commissioning impact assessment (required under the commissioning plan agreement process under pre-operational measure 3) to have modelled all relevant commissioning scenarios including in the event that the other buildings had not yet been constructed and

• the current commissioning plan fully takes into account the associated impacts of this scenario, which we agree will not have a significant impact on the environment.

We have therefore agreed the commissioning plan and additional supporting information which means hot commissioning activities are able to commence.

All other pre-operational conditions have also been assessed and have been approved by the Environment Agency.

A compliance assessment report was issued to Indaver on the 16 July 2025 confirming the completion of all of the pre-operational conditions subject to condition 2.5.1/Table S1.4A of the permit.

Indaver has also confirmed that the ‘Readiness to Accept Waste’ checks as defined in the agreed commissioning plan have been completed. We have therefore been advised by Indaver that waste acceptance started on 21 July 2025, with hot commissioning activities involving waste combustion to commence week commencing the 04 August 2025. The following compliance visits have been recently undertaken at the site;

• 15 May 2025 - General Site Inspection - Proposed storage and containment of materials, raw materials, reagents, and residues/pre-operational program.

• 08 July 2025 - Site Inspection - Cold commissioning - Smoke testing of Waste Reception Hall/Bunker/Bottom Ash storage areas within the building.

• 16 July 2025 - Site Inspection - Cold commissioning - Steam Blowing activities/testing.

We have provided inspection reports for these visits to Indaver.

Our compliance visits will continue during the commissioning phases now that waste is being accepted by the site. The commissioning phases and associated activities are defined within the agreed commissioning plan.

All inspection reports, submissions made in accordance with the conditions of the permit and associated correspondence will be made available on our public registers.

Application - Variation V003

Our previous briefing note issued on the 18 December 2024 regarding the application to change (vary) the environmental permit confirms the proposed changes applied for by Indaver. This application remains under determination, although we are planning a further consultation imminently on our draft decision. We have a duty under the Environmental Permitting Regulations to consult with the public on new permit applications including changes, for energy from waste (EfW) plants, and we want to ensure that we take all relevant information including local information into account as part of our decision-making process.

A further briefing will be provided confirming details of the consultation including the mechanism/period for submission of comments.

Recent reports about the site during commissioning activities

We have been made aware by members of the local liaison group, Indaver and members of the public using our pollution hotline of recent reports of potential odour and reports of dark smoke/steam from the facility. We provide the following information regarding our position regarding these events. These aspects were also recently discussed during the last local liaison group meeting.

Odour

During commissioning we acknowledge there is potential for odour during the drying of the refractory insulation binder. This will occur during the first few heat ups of the boiler while the following activities are undertaken.

• boiling out (of the boiler).

• testing and optimisation of the auxiliary burners.

• steam blowing.

• waste operation.

The reason for this is that during these activities there are different operating temperatures involved will lead to a differing amount of drying/duration of drying. We understand that drying activities and associated odour should be temporary, with measures taken to minimise odour which are confirmed within the commissioning plan/ risk assessment and odour management plan for the facility.

There is also the potential for odour to be generated during waste acceptance and from storage activities. There should be no odour associated with the burning of the waste once hot commissioning starts.

Our position is that we expect the operator to take appropriate measures to prevent or where not practicable minimise odour emissions as defined within their approved odour management plan submitted under pre-operational condition PO9/condition 2.5.1 to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of the environmental permit.

Smoke/steam emissions during commissioning

Stack/Chimney - We expect that the production of dark smoke during the commissioning of the auxiliary burners, using fuel oil to be a transient activity, with the control measure of optimising combustion (non-waste fuel/air mix) to be completed as soon as possible. The operator should take appropriate measures to minimise the duration of these activities as far a reasonably practicable.

Steam emissions - We expect emissions of steam from the site during steam blowing activities and other commissioning activities as the air-cooled condenser is yet to be commissioned.

There is limited potential risk to the environment as a result of the transient nature of these activities providing the operator takes appropriate measures, as outlined in the commissioning plan to manage these. It is important to note that weather conditions/light may influence the visibility/perception of the plume.

The timing of these activities is subject to the planning authorisations for the facility. We liaise with Essex County Council regarding reports received about the facility.

July 2025

We have been advised by Indaver that waste acceptance commenced on 21 July 2025 ready for hot commissioning activities (involving the combustion of waste) to start week commencing 04 August 2025.