TSA Insight Magazine Issue 7 - Magazine - Page 23
the option is practicable, the next step
for the environment.
would be to understand whether the
Environmental receptors vary widely in their
environmental benefit is justifiable or
sensitivity and environmental value, and
grossly disproportionate. Importantly,
while there are some available examples of
the process for undertaking this
spill clean-up and habitat restoration, these
is emerging and the draft AMN
often relate to crude oil tanker spills that
guidance included worksheets that
typically result in more widespread impact
set (what appears to be) a relatively
and longer term harm than light to mid
simple equation to determine
distillate spills. Thus, there are few ‘off the
Justified Spend (i.e. a monetary value
shelf’ options for deriving environmental
below which an upgrade spend would
‘benefit’ values.
be justifiable, and above which is
grossly disproportionate). This can be
Rather than using potentially overly
worked out by the following equation:
conservative spill costs, Natural Capital
Justified Spend (in £ Sterling) = Risk
techniques provide an alternative approach
Gap x Benefit x Disproportion Factor
to generate environmental ‘benefit’ values
x Plant Life.
(in £ Sterling) that can take into account the
natural recoverability of the environment.
A strong understanding of the
For example in a sensitive coastal setting we
environmental risk tolerability status
have seen lower end TifALARP tolerability
is still required, given that the Risk Gap
outcomes result in Justified Spend from
takes this into account and could be
£20,000 (where limited risk reduction was
the difference between implementing
provided) to c. £200,000, discounting a
or not implementing an upgrade.
number of £1M+ options.
Additionally, it is also important to
factor in health and safety benefits
Ultimately, through careful evaluation of
that potential upgrades may provide,
environmental risk and appropriate use of
so the decision is not solely based on
ECBA, it may be possible to demonstrate
environmental risk.
that targeted and proportionate upgrades
can yield significant environmental risk
One of the challenges in undertaking
reduction and support the demonstration
ECBA is the ability to define an
of compliance. This process should not
environmental ‘benefit’ value that
be feared, and the output can inform
represents
businesses long term site improvement
the
environmental
harm that would be avoided by
plans and capital expenditure decisions.
implementing additional upgrades.
Whilst the Health and Safety
Jon Eudall, Managing Consultant, Ramboll
Executive has set monetary values
For more information, visit uk.ramboll.com/
for risks to people, this is not the case
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