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3.0.1 Background
Water, air and soil are intricately linked and all can
be affected by various forms of pollution that affect our environment.
Other issues such as condensation have been a constant threat to people
and buildings for many years.
Industrial change and demographic shift during the 19th
and 20th centuries resulted in large-scale re-organisation of our villages,
towns and cities. Industries moved out or disappeared altogether leaving
large, 'brown field', gaps in our landscape. At the same time, changes
in heating methods and the advent of the consumer society, have had a
significant effect on the type and volume of refuse it has been necessary
to dispose of to landfill. Inevitably, these changes have left behind
a legacy of land contamination that in some cases, may be harmful. The
Scottish government encourages the use of previously developed land (brown
field sites) and local authorities may wish to promote brown field sites
in preference to greenfield land. Some of this land will be contaminated
and will need to be made safe.
Climate is controlled by the long-term balance of energy
of the Earth and its atmosphere. Natural events cause changes in climate
but human activities can also change the climate. The accumulation of
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due to human activities will change
the climate by enhancing the natural greenhouse effect, leading to an
increase in the Earth's average surface temperature resulting in heavier
rainfall.
Indoor air quality complaints are frequently associated
with comfort issues: high or low temperatures, draughts, high or low humidity
or poor lighting. However the incidence of real indoor pollution should
not be ignored, it is surprisingly common. The construction of
buildings is improving with a resulting reduction of adventitious
air infiltration producing fewer air changes. Inadequate ventilation,
inefficient filtration and poor hygiene all contribute to poor indoor
air quality.
Carbon monoxide (CO) gas has no smell, taste or colour
and it kills dozens of people in their homes every year. Many more suffer
debilitating illnesses often without anybody realising that they are being
poisoned. CO gas is produced by solid fuel, oil and gas fired heating
appliances such as fires, boilers and water heaters. Any appliance which
burns solid fuel, gas or oil and which does not have a balanced flue
so that it is sealed off from the room is capable of poisoning
you if it is not properly installed, maintained and serviced. The highest
incidence of CO poisoning occurs in domestic properties.
Oil accounts for about a third of all reported pollution
incidents in Scotland that are investigated by the Scottish Environment
Protection Agency (SEPA) each year. That means around 500 to 600 pollution
incidents a year with about 10 to 12% being serious. It is an offence
to cause pollution and courts now impose heavy fines. Although domestic
pollution is low compared with commercial and industrial land, it is important
to ensure standards are not lowered.
Disposal of wastewater and surface water
also needs to be carefully considered to prevent environmental pollution
and uncontrollable runoff during periods of heavy rainfall leading to
flooding.
Solid waste has increased enormously in the last couple
of decades and disposal to land fill sites is creating severe problems.
Recycling is now a priority
3.0.2 Aims
The intention of this Section is to ensure that, as far
as is reasonably practicable, buildings and people in and
around buildings are not placed at risk as a result of:
a. site conditions;
b. hazardous and dangerous substances;
b. the effects of moisture in various forms;
c. an inadequate supply of air for human occupation of a building;
d. inadequate drainage from a building and from paved surfaces
around a building;
e. inadequate and unsuitable sanitary facilities;
f. inadequately constructed and installed combustion appliances;
g. inadequately constructed and installed oil storage tanks.
g. inadequately constructed and installed dungsteads ands farm
effluent tanks.
3.0.3 Latest changes
It was the intention that this guidance document would
be a straight transcription of the technical requirements in the previous
Parts of the Technical Standards. However certain recommendations have
either been clarified, updated or become obsolete over the last few years.
It was felt necessary therefore to include these changes in this new guidance
document.
The following is a summary of the changes that have been
introduced since the 6th amendment to the Technical Standards
came into force on 4th March 2002.
3.1.2 additional guidance provided on hazard identification
3.1.5 additional guidance on treatment of contaminated
ground
3.1.6 additional guidance on land contamination produced
by NHBC
3.1.7 replacement of out-of-date guidance with relevant
references
3.2.0 advice on regulations on radon gas in the workplace
3.3.1 warning about surface water run-off from
sites
3.5.3 guidance on reconstruction of existing
drains
3.5.4 guidance on drains passing through structures
3.6.1 guidance on eaves drop systems
3.6.5 guidance on soakaways for small buildings
3.7.1 guidance on European sanitary pipework systems
3.17.1 rating of oil-firing combustion appliances
3.17.3 rating of oil-firing combustion appliances
3.17.6 requirement for safety valves on oil-firing
appliances
3.17.8 change to labelling requirements
3.18.0 changes to chimney terminology
3.18.1 recommendation to sweep chimneys regularly
3.18.1 additional guidance on chimney designation
strings
3.18.3 additional guidance on suitable flues
for oil-firing appliances
3.18.5 new guidance on flue liners
3.19.6 new reference to standards for oil-firing room
heaters
3.20.17 changes to table on gas terminal locations
3.20.17 removal of table 2 to diagram to (F6.10)
3.21.3 new reference to standards for oil-firing room
heaters
3.24.0 forthcoming legislation on oil storage
3.24.1 amendment to guidance to reflect new oil storage
regulations
3.0.4 Relevant legislation
Listed below are some pieces of legislation that may
be relevant and/or helpful to those using the guidance in this particular
Section.
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