Environmental Protection (Abrasive Blasting) Regulations 1998.

These Regulations concern abrasive blasting; intended as cleaning or abrading the surface of an object using an abrasive material propelled by compressed air, water or steam or by a wheel.
The Regulations provide for prohibition on the use of certain materials, they require blasting chambers to be used if possible and establish conditions to abrasive blasting in the open or near aquatic environments. To what concerns the latter, this regulation only applies to abrasive blasting operations which involve the use or removal of organotin or other heavy metal protective coatings. An operator must not carry on abrasive blasting in or near an aquatic environment unless the size, shape, position or location of the object being blasted makes it impracticable to move the object out of, or away from, that environment. An operator carrying on abrasive blasting in or near an aquatic environment must ensure that all water which may contain waste material is drained into, and contained in, an impervious holding sump until it is disposed of in accordance with regulation 8. An operator must ensure that (a) any overflow from the holding sump will drain into a soakwell; and (b) the holding sump and soakwell are emptied as often as necessary to ensure their efficient operation. Waste disposal post blasting operations is also regulated.