A SIMPLE idea, developed in Bury, has brought a world's first which could bring major environmental benefits right across the globe.

It involves the design of a special breaker bay which collects waste such as engine oil and brake fluid.

It allows scrap yards to break down engines and then collect waste oil, clutch and brake fluids - all within a self contained area.

The new project, driven by the Environment Agency, was co-ordinated through Bury's Business Environment Association (BEA) with Ramsbottom-based engineering company Garic Plant coming up with the initial design.

Local car breakers Autospare agreed to test the revolutionary bay with North West Water personnel offering their assistance and technical know-how.

The bay will ensure any wastewater which might be produced is allowed to settle and separate in holding tanks before going to sewer as low strength trade effluent or tankered off if no drains are available.

Until now, costly precautions have been the only way to tackle potential ground water pollution problems at the thousands of scrap yards and car breakers up and down the UK.

Even then, despite laying concrete all over the site, there has always been the potential for pollution problems and also local sewers being filled with run off rain water.

Thanks to the bay design, all that could be about to change.

Area Environmental Protection Officer for the Environment Agency Mr David Forster said: "As far as I am aware, this prototype is probably the only one of its kind anywhere in the world.

"It provides a fairly simple and practical solution to the environmental issues surrounding breaking cars and the fluids that they produce."

He added: "This is a method of containment which provides a real alternative to the current practice and, at about half the price, something which I am sure the industry will welcome.

"However, the requirement for a waste management licence or an exemption would still apply."

Mr Forster went on: "Although it is early days yet and the whole scheme is still subject to development, analysis of effluent and monitoring of effectiveness, the Environment Agency is already looking at the possibility of incorporating the new system into national policy." Mike Kinsella, Bury BEA manager, commented: "We very much played the facilitator in this initiative which has been a real team effort. It is a small pilot project, but the implications could be quite huge."

Peter Tann of North West Water, who has been closely involved in the project, said: "I suppose what we have done here is to turn previous thinking on its head.

"Whereas in the past concrete needed to be poured all over a scrap yard site, that would not need to be the case.

"The self contained unit provides the perfect place for breaking up of engines and the fluids and oils can then be collected.

"Any contamination which is washed off will go to the interceptor where it can be allowed to settle and separate," he explained.

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