Environmental Treatment Concepts

A Message from Lord Pickles and Lord Blunkett, followed by Environmental Treatment Concepts's best practice article

The ability to listen and learn from one another has always been vital in parliament, in business and in most aspects of daily life. But at this particular moment in time, as national and global events continue to reiterate, it is uncommonly crucial that we forge new channels of communication and reinforce existing ones. The following article from Environmental Treatment Concepts is an attempt to do just that. We would welcome your thoughts on this or any other Parliamentary Review article.

Rt Hon The Lord David Blunkett, MP

Rt Hon The Lord Eric Pickles, MP

www.electronicdescaler.com

1ENVIRONMENTAL TREATMENT CONCEPTS |

BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE

Enigma Limescale Management

MP Suella Braverman

visiting the offices

Based near Fareham, Hampshire, Environmental Treatment

Concepts are manufacturers of electronic fluid treatment

technology that helps treat a variety of water systems

for limescale damage. It has evolved over its 30-year existence

and created a number of new applications for its technology,

which has allowed for expansion into the commercial,

industrial, hotel and marine sectors. CEO John Thompson tells

TheParliamentaryReview

more about the business’s journey

and his ambitions for the future.

Despite our modest start to life as a company, we have pioneered electronic fluid

conditioning and made the process of heating and cooling water more economical.

The water we treat is healthier as our technology helps reduce the risk of bacteria,

leads to better levels of health and safety and ensures greater sustainability

for capital equipment. We introduced the very first effective electronic unit for

dealing with hard water and subsequently built an unrivalled reputation with our

customers, a reputation that persists today and which we guard passionately.

Hard water affects 70 per cent of people in the UK and many other countries in

the world. It is good for our bodies but limescale is not good for water systems.

Limescale left untreated can narrow pipes, block jets, reduce thermal efficiency and

is expensive to remove. It is estimated that limescale build-up costs industry over

£1 billion a year in descaling while further money is wasted in lost production and

downtime, early renewal of equipment, excessive use of chemicals harmful to the

environment and increased energy and water costs. There are also major health and

safety considerations, including increased risk of bacteria proliferation like legionella.

FACTS ABOUT

ENVIRONMENTAL TREATMENT

CONCEPTS

»CEO: John Thompson

»Founded in 1989

»Based near Fareham,

Hampshire

»Services: Fluid Treatment

»No. of employees: 9

»www.electronicdescaler.com

Environmental

Treatment Concepts

THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW

Highlighting best practice

2| ENVIRONMENTAL TREATMENT CONCEPTS

With our technology, however,

limescale need no longer be an issue

or cost to industry, commercial or

government-owned premises. It can

permanently and continuously treat

hard water scaling without resorting

to harmful chemicals or expensive

water-softening equipment. This year

we were announced as the winners of

the David Green Sustainability Award

2018/19, a prestigious prize in the field

of sustainability and green innovation

that recognises the quality and

importance of our solutions.

Sustainable solutions for the

long term

Today, the use of our technology is

widespread throughout a number

of industry sectors. A key client is

the Ministry of Defence, whose

prime contractor, Debut Services Ltd,

commissioned our services for a £1.3

billion Single Living Accommodation

Modernisation project.

In 2003 this private finance initiative

gave DSL responsibility to build and

manage armed service accommodation

for seven years after which they would

hand back the building in as-new

condition. Within a year many of the

blocks had suffered limescale build-up

that threatened the sustainability and

profitability of the project. They initially

investigated salt softeners but they

calculated that using our technology

would save them £75 million during

the term of the PFI while maintaining

the portability of the water. Since

returning to MoD ownership, this

efficiency has been paid forward

and water systems haven’t needed

replacement to date. Following on, we

have secured orders at The Gherkin,

St Paul’s Cathedral and St Thomas’

Hospital as a result, while continuing

to supply the MoD on other projects.

Our technology is also particularly

useful in the treatment of ships’ ballast

water. In the example of an oil tanker,

after discharging its cargo it needs to

take on sea water in ballast tanks to

maintain ship stability. However, the

unfortunate consequence of so doing

is the transportation of invasive species

that upset ecosystems when released

in a different part of the world. As

an example, Thames Water systems

in the capital are infested with zebra

mussels, native to Russia. Ships are

now required to treat the water to kill

off these invaders and neutralise the

water prior to releasing it. International

regulators ran a number of efficacy

tests in September 2018 in which

some major players in the industry

failed. The one system in which our

technology is the critical component

passed the test impressively. Shore

based and sea trials are currently

being undertaken, aiming towards

International Maritime Organization

and US Coastguard approval. Once

approved, we hope our systems will

become widespread throughout the

shipping sector internationally.

Southern Water also invited us to

conduct a prototype treatment of

waste water at one of their Havant

locations. We treated the sludge

feeding their anaerobic digestion

tanks and their yield has increased

by up to 25 per cent as a result.

This significant increase in biogas

production has allowed them to

create more of their own electricity,

earning them significantly increased

Treatment of waste

water in Hampshire

Limescale

build up costs

UK industry

over £1 billion

a year just in

descaling

“

3ENVIRONMENTAL TREATMENT CONCEPTS |

BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE

feed-in tariffs. Southern Water has an

optimiser scientist analysing the data

and we anticipate wider collaboration,

and benefits to both them and

theenvironment.

Potential regulatory change

Over a number of years, we have

worked hard to ensure our financial

future, and we are currently in a stable

position, employing nine members

of staff on a full-time basis. We have

run debt free for a long time and, as

I outlined above, we are involved in

some exciting ongoing projects. As

we look to the future, however, we

want to see a change in the way that

legislation and regulation work within

our sector.

Building regulations and compliance

guides demonstrate a lack of

understanding of the potential damage

caused by hard water in buildings’

water systems. Non-domestic buildings

compliance guides entirely ignore it,

while those for domestic buildings

lack the necessary accurate detail. As

a result, builders can choose not to

install hard water treatment measures.

This results in excessive energy

consumption, working against carbon

reduction and climate change targets,

premature failure and replacement

of systems, not commensurate with

the circular economy and risking

the increased threat of legionnaires’

disease.

Builders naturally look for the cheapest

possible solutions and, by not being

required to address hard water, are

allowed to ignore the long-term

impact. If regulators instead required

builders and councils’ enforcement

teams to consider the long-term

impact of limescale damage and

forced them to implement appropriate

preventative measures, the cost would

not simply fall on home and business

owners. Sadly, derelict regulations

are allowing this to perpetuate, and

residents, businesses, the country and

the globe are suffering as a result. A

huge difference could be made to save

money and resources in the future,

if only a minor change, with massive

impact, were applied to the existing

buildingregulations.

With our

technology

limescale need

no longer be

an issue or

cost to

industry or

commercial

and

government

owned

properties

“

www.electronicdescaler.com

The Parliamentary Review Publication, in which this article originally appeared, contained the following foreword from Rt Hon Michael Gove.

Rt Hon Michael Gove's Foreword For The Parliamentary Review

By Rt Hon Michael Gove

This year's Parliamentary Review comes at a momentous time for parliament, as we collectively determine the destiny of the United Kingdom.

On October 31, the UK will leave the European Union. The successful implementation of this process is this government's number-one priority.

Three years after a historic referendum vote, we will deliver on the decisive mandate from the British people. Trust in our democracy depends on it. Until that final hour, we will work determinedly and diligently to negotiate a deal, one that abolishes the backstop and upholds the warm and close relationship we share with our friends, allies and neighbours in the EU. But in the event that the EU refuses to meet us at the table, we must be prepared to leave without a deal.

As the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, it is my job to lead on this government's approach, should that scenario happen. Preparing for Brexit is my department's driving mission. But while I am leading this turbocharged effort, the whole of government is committed to this endeavour.

Ministers across Whitehall are working together to ensure that every possibility is considered, every plan is scrutinised and every provision is made. A daily drumbeat of meetings means that we are holding departments accountable, so that preparations are completed on time.

The chancellor has confirmed that all necessary funding will be made available. And we have mobilised thecivil service, assigning 15,000 of our most talented civil servants to manage our exit from the EU.

We will make sure that on November 1, there is as little disruption to national life as possible. Our trade relationships will continue to thrive, thanks to agreements with countries around the world worth £70 billion. Our country will remain secure, thanks to nearly 1,000 new officers posted at our borders. And the 3.2 million EU nationals now living and working among us can remain confident, with absolute certainty, of their right to remain in the UK.

Above all, our goal is to be transparent. Soon, we will launch a public information campaign so that citizens, communities and businesses are ready and reassured about what will happen in the event of “no deal”.

In my first few weeks in this role, I have travelled to ports and tarmacs, borders and bridges, all across the UK –from the seaside of Dover to the rolling green hills of County Armagh. I have heard from business owners and border officials, farmers and hauliers. They are ready to put an end to uncertainty. And they are ready to embrace the opportunities ahead.

Our departure from the EU will be a once in a lifetime chance to chart a new course for the United Kingdom. Preparing for that new course will be a herculean effort. But this country has made astounding efforts before. We can do it again.

Rt Hon Michael Gove
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster