Implementing Best Available Techniques at Small Arms Ranges

Transcription

1 Implementing Best Available Techniques at Small Arms Ranges 2nd European Conference of Defence and the Environment June , Helsinki, Finland Sara Kajander, Construction Establishment of Finnish Defence Administration Asko Parri, Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command Teemu Hourula, Construction Establishment of Finnish Defence Administration

2 BAT for Environmental Protection of Small Arms Ranges Finnish national BAT-report published in 2014, English translation in 2015 Rifle, pistol and shotgun ranges Noise and pollutant emission management Indicative model plans and calculations Available for free at

3 Pollutant management need Pollutant management need determined site-specifically based on long-term environmental risk Assessment tool, four risk levels Level 1 low environmental risk Level 2a elevated surface water contamination risk, impact wider than local Level 2b elevated groundwater contamination risk that is targeted at a classified groundwater area or an aquifer used for household water supply. Level 3 high environmental risk or detected environmental impact Recommendations for pollutant management goals for each risk level Choice of method left to operator suitability for site, cost-effectiveness, implementation schedule

4 Pollutant management options Reduction of pollutant load Remediation of the backstop berm Bullet traps Prevention of pollutant migration Covering the backstop berm and target area Liners (bentonite, asphalt, plastic film) Water management and, if necessary, treatment Shotgun ranges; in addition the previous Limiting the shot fall area Surfacing the primary shot fall areas Monitoring of pollutant load and impacts

5 Noise management need Disturbance of noise depends on Sound level Number of shots Need and scope of noise abatement also depends on number of people exposed Recommendation for assessment procedure Area usage 1 Noise zone [LAImax] Over 75 db Area usage 2 Noise zone [LAImax] Over 70 db db db db db db db under 60 db under 55 db Annual number of shots * less than 10,000 shots/a 10, ,000 shots/a over 100,000 shots/a Number of people exposed within the noise zone 1-10 over over 10 Situation unacceptable. Extensive noise control measures are required. The noise control structures are designed in such a manner that the sound level does not exceed the target or limit value specified in the environmental permit and/or the noise load is reduced with the help of usage times ** Noise disturbance is minor, usually no need for noise prevention measures. Special usage time limits in exceptional cases only Area usage 1: Residential areas, areas in service of educational institutions Area usage 2: Recreational areas in population centres or in the immediate vicinity of population centres, areas in service of healthcare institutions, holiday home areas, natural conservation areas

6 Noise management options Noise abatement Reduction of the source emission Reducing calibre Silencers Reduction of transmission Noise-attenuating shooting stalls Berms and barriers Vegetation Reduction of harmful impacts Location and range design Communication Planning of usage times and operations

7 Strategic Development Plan for FDF Small Arms Ranges Objectives: Sustaining sufficient training range capacity Raising the environmental protection standard to BAT-level Timeframe Cost estimate M Prioritization of ranges based on environmental impacts and Defence Forces training needs

8 Situation 2014/2015 Implementation schedule partly re-designed Economical planning Long environmental permit processes 14 ranges will be shut down 6 ranges completed 5 ranges partly completed 14 ranges in planning and survey stage 7 ranges not started yet

9 Economical key figures Total estimated budget 22,5 M Up to , more than half of the budget has been used Noise abatement 6,9 M Pollutant management 4,2 M In addition, 10-30% of site budget to surveys, planning, supervising Range-specific costs vary from ,4 M Average Indicator for environmental protection costs /shot/10 yrs Varies from 0,01 1,50 /shot/10 yrs

10 Challenges met in the project Long duration of the environmental permit processes Incongruence of permit regulations, sometimes also overdimensioned or overlapping requirements Main deviations from the BAT-report The implementation of guidance values for noise as limit values The use of Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) as limit values for run-off or seepage waters from the range area Monitoring requirements based on single samples instead of the annual average, and in general, more intense monitoring than proposed in the BAT-report Obligations to use specified structural solutions, instead of setting the emission standard Impact of disruption of contaminated soil on pollutant emissions Use of unsuitable building materials causing pollutant emissions

11 Results, noise abatement Range area Number of people within >65 db noise zone Number of holiday homes within >60 db noise zone Number of people within >65 db noise zone Number of holiday homes within >60 db noise zone Change due to project, People Change due project, Holiday homes to Cost of noise abatement, 1000 Completed Parolannummi Hätilä Vekaranjärvi Säkylä Pirkkala * * 355 Hoikanportti Partly completed Upinniemi Tyrri Lupinmäki * * 972 Santahamina Luonetjärvi * * 400 All together

12 Results, pollutant management Range area Completed Parolannummi Hätilä Vekaranjärvi Säkylä Pollutant risk High risk to groundwater Minor risk to surface waters. Intermediate risk to surface waters. High risk to groundwater area, but area not in use due to contamination by solvents. Pollutant risk Risk management significantly improved. Contaminant load reduced due to extensive remediation. Pollutant spreading from back-berm and front of firing line prevented Risk management improved Contaminant load reduced due to extensive remediation. Control of run-off waters from the whole range area. Risk management significantly improved. Contaminant load reduced due to extensive remediation. Control of run-off waters from the whole range area. Risk management significantly improved. Contaminant load reduced due to extensive remediation. Pollutant spreading from back-berm and front of firing line prevented. Comments Costs, 1000 Use of unsuitable building material has caused elevated emission levels. Over-dimensioned environmental permit regulations. Use of unsuitable building materials has caused elevated emission levels. Measures do not affect the current quality of the aquifer, but may have effect on long-term usability. Pirkkala Minor risk to surface waters. Risk management improved. 50 Hoikanportti Minor risk to surface waters. Risk management improved. 60 Partly completed Upinniemi Tyrri Intermediate risk to surface waters. High risk to groundwater Risk management significantly improved. Contaminant load reduced due to extensive remediation. Control of run-off waters from the whole range area. Risk management significantly improved. Contaminant load reduced due to extensive remediation. Pollutant spreading from back-berm and front of firing line prevented. Lupinmäki Risk management improved. Control of run-off waters from Over-dimensioned environmental Minor risk to surface waters. 150 the whole range area. permit regulations. Santahamina Risk management significantly improved. Contaminant load Risk to sea reduced due to remediation. 550 Luonetjärvi Risk management significantly improved. Contaminant load Intermediate risk to groundwater. reduced due to remediation. 140 All together

13 Conclusions Consistency in the environmental protection demands for small arms ranges has not yet been achieved. Possible ways to promote this, from applicant s point of view, are: Further developing the content of environmental permit applications Active suggesting of regulation contents and formats FDF s experience is, that improving the environmental protection of small arms ranges according to the BAT-principles is successful and cost-efficient The BAT-report should be updated in about five years time, collecting experiences from implementation and studies

14 Thank you!