Emergency information from NOAH
- Company’s name and address
NOAH AS
Post box 317
3081 Holmestrand - Person in charge of information
- The Major Accident regulation
The company is subject to the Major Accident regulation because the different types of waste the company treats contains a number of hazardous chemicals. Information about this together with a safety report are sent to the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning (DSB) in accordance with the regulation’s §§ 6 and 9. - Activities in the company
The following activities usually take place on Langøya:- Receipt, treatment and depot of waste.
- Distribution, storage and shipment of limestone
- Activities related to the rehabilitation of LangøyaChemical processes are an important part of waste treatment on Langøya. The processes can occasionally cause gas formation, visible as small smoke clouds. Such emissions are normal and completely safe and should be perceived as a normal part of operations. Hazardous gas emissions will be notified of as described below.Occasionally, other activities take place on Langøya, which could be perceived as strange from the outside. We always inform the police and fire service of such activities in advance, so that they can respond to any incidents. If you are concerned about anything you have noticed, please contact either the police, fire service or NOAH directly on telephone (+47) 33 09 95 00.
- Chemicals
The table shows the different types of waste that contain chemicals that have been classified as hazardous.Waste type Danger classification Comments Mercury-containing waste Highly toxic, dangerous for the environment Harmful after prolonged exposure Cadmium-containing waste Highly toxic, dangerous for the environment Harmful after prolonged exposure Lead-containing waste Dangerous for the environment Harmful after prolonged exposure Cyanide-containing waste Highly toxic Develops very poisonous gas when mixed with acid Cr (VI) -containing waste Toxic Harmful after prolonged exposure Contaminated soil Toxic, dangerous for the environment Normally very low content of hazardous substances Nitrate and Nitrite waste toxic Toxic, dangerous for the environment, oxidizing Generates toxic gas when mixed with certain acids Nitric acid- containing waste Oxidizing Generates toxic gas when mixed with iron Hydrofluoric-containing waste Toxic Corrosive Corrosive Lithium Batteries (waste) Reacts violently with water Develops flammable gas EE-waste Toxic May contain heavy metals Ash from the incineration of municipal waste Toxic Harmful after prolonged exposure It is important to understand that the hazardous chemicals are usually found in small quantities as pollution in larger quantities of waste.
The danger classification applies while the waste is stored or treated. During treatment, all the hazardous properties are removed.
- Risk assessments
All processing plants and activities in the industrial area are risk–assessed. A risk assessment charts any possible undesired incidents. The likelihood of these incidents occurring is assessed. The consequences of the incidents are then assessed for personal injury, damage to the external environment, loss of material values, operational stop and damaged reputation. This provides the company with a risk picture. The company works continually on measures to reduce both visibility and impact of any possible undesired incidents.There are no identified undesired incidents that can lead to major accidents. The definition of a major accident is “an incident such as e.g. major emissions, a fire or explosion related to an activity in a company covered by this regulation, which develops uncontrollably and which immediately or later leads to serious danger for people, the environment or material values inside or outside the company, and where hazardous chemicals are involved.”On Langøya, the distance to other buildings, infrastructure and other companies is long. The danger of an undesired incident would affect Langøya and the immediate environment on the island is limited to fire caused by hazardous chemicals found in the waste. The prepared dispersion emergency planning shows a limited dispersion of any gas emissions to central areas on Langøya and the nearest shoreline. When implementing this risk assessment, possible fire causes and existing protective measures are assessed. The consequences of chemical emissions are assessed based on the types and quantities of chemicals. Only the smallest amount of hazardous chemicals is present in large quantities of waste.
All activities are regulated in written routines. - Notification of accidents
Authorities stipulate that NOAH must have its own emergency plan and organisation. The organisation conducts annual drills. The company also works with the police and fire service to be as prepared as possible in the event of an incident.
In the event of an incident on Langøya, the police, fire service and NOAH together agree which measures should be put into force. Notifying the public and any recommendations on what to do will be provided by the police based on the police’s standard emergency routines.
In an emergency situation, NOAH will follow its own procedures, which also include information work. It is planned who should inform external services, such as the police and fire service. In an emergency situation, the home page of NOAH’s website, www.noah.no, will usually be transformed into an info page with information about the incident. Here the public would be able to follow developments. - Further information
Further information about NOAH’s emergency plans are available upon request from the head of the company’s industrial protection team on (+47) 33 09 95 00.