The final report ‘Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland’ was published in late-2011 by UNEP. Over a 14-month period the UNEP team examined more than 200 locations, surveyed 122km of pipeline rights of way, reviewed more than 5,000 medical records and engaged more than 23,000 people at local community meetings. Detailed soil contamination investigations were conducted at 69 sites and more than 4,000 samples, including groundwater from wells drilled for the study, were analysed.

The findings in the report underline that there are, in a significant number of locations, serious threats to human health from contaminated drinking water  and there are concerns over the viability and productivity of ecosystems. The study provides the government, stakeholders and the international community with invaluable baseline information on the scale of the challenge and priorities for actions in terms of clean-up and remediation going forward.

o   Cognis Limited

o   Computer Cab plc

o   Deutsche Bank

o   The Land Registry

o   The Leaflet Company

o   Selex Systems Integration Limited

o   St Ives Direct

o   St Ives Web

• Measures undertaken pre-acceptance and upon delivery of the waste to the site;
• Measures for waste storage and handling; and
• Measures for the control of emissions to air, surface water and sewer

The audit was carried out during a four-day period of assessment during which, by processes of observation, examination of documents and from interviews, two senior auditors collected the information necessary through to verify that operational controls conformed with permit and ‘appropriate measures’ requirements or to identify ‘findings’ where operational controls were not in conformity. A plan to address the findings and to implement corrective actions has been drawn up on site.

A periodic audit was carried out on 22-23 February 2012. This audit included a review of the close-out of findings reported from the initial audit of October 2010.

Director Rob Holmes has been engaged as an exert witness by the Dublin law firm A L Goodbody in support of a civil action scheduled to be heard in the Dublin High Court in Spring 2011. This is being taken by the law firm’s Dutch client who is suing for damages resulting from the alleged misclassification and mismanagement of hazardous waste exported from a pharmaceuticals manufacturing facility in Ireland to an allegedly inappropriate and inadequately permitted treatment facility in Belgium under Transfrontier Shipment regulations. Process residues from the treatment facility were supplied to the animal feed chain. The matter came to light when Dutch pig farmers complained to their regulators of health problems in their animals and the identification of contaminants allegedly from the treatment facility in pig feed in mid-2002. The action is being taken against the waste producer and their waste brokers at the time of the incident.

Holmes Environmental Ltd have been engaged by Manchester-based AEC Ltd. to form part of a team conducting audits of environmental, health, and safety activities for a leading US multinational organisation at two of their manufacturing facilities located in Manchester and Worcester. Rob Holmes will act as the auditor knowledgeable in environmental regulations. The multinational’s audit manager will participate in and lead the audits to achieve an audit format and final report consistent with corporate standards. One of the facilities was previously audited in mid 2007.