Document d0gZ5e2gr2xBBwYXMgY0YxnG

Part B Response Part B Response to incident reported on: 19/12/2022 and updated on 21/12/2022. Any more accurate information on the matters for notification under Part A The environmental permit limit for both Chlorodifluoromethane (R22) and Pentafluoroethane (R125) for emission point A1 Low Boiler Stack is 100g/hr (weekly average). During the week commencing 12 December 2022 the weekly R22 and R125 average for the Low Boiler Stack was exceeded due to a higher than normal result on the 16 December. This resulted in the weekly average results being: 458.0 g/hour for R22 280.3 g/hour for R125 All other daily R22 and R125 results for the Low Boiler Stack, for the w/c 12 December were within environmental permit limits On the 15 December there had been issues with freezing. Steam is used to control the temperature of the distillation columns. Due to the extreme cold weather, it is believed moisture in the instrument air line to the steam supply instruments froze, this resulted in abnormal steam supply rates and insufficient heating was provided to the distillation column (still 2A). The insufficient heating of the distillation column led to excess impurities being fed forward (including R22 and R125) causing abnormal operating conditions and increasing levels of R22 and R125 being discharged to the low boiler stack. Measures taken, or intended to be taken to prevent a recurrence of the incident During the extreme cold weather, the AGCCE operations team worked to ensure temperature control within the distillation process was maintained. Once the problem with 2A still the steam flow control valve was identified this air instrument line was defrosted and 2A still temperature brought back up to normal levels. Following this, normal operating conditions were established preventing further abnormal emissions. Since the breach on 16 December the Low Boiler Stack has demonstrated results within environmental permit limits.