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T h e Av e n u e
R e g e n e r a t i o n P ro j e c t
Environmental Statement
Validated Statement 24 July 2007
Ted Rosser EMAS Verifier
T h e Av e n u e
3
Environmental Statement
site location
The Avenue Project
Introduction
The overall aim of The Avenue project is to regenerate the
site of the former Avenue Coking Works near Chesterfield.
The project is being promoted by the East Midlands
Development Agency (emda), who owns the site, with
funding provided by National Regeneration Agency English
Partnerships through the National Coalfields Programme,
European Structural Funds and the Department of Trade
and Industry (DTI).
Introduction and scope
of this Environmental Statement
This statement includes:
resource use
welcome message from Mike
Fenton, emda Avenue Project
Director
waste generation and disposal
introduction to The Avenue
project, organisation and The
Avenue site
ecology and biodiversity
the remediation strategy and
works to date
the Environmental Management
System (EMS)
description and discussion of the
significant environmental aspects
and impacts:
contaminated land and
groundwater
water environment and sewers
traffic and transportation
legal compliance
communication
overall project goals
looking ahead to next year
contacts
glossary
Welcome message from Mike Fenton,
emda Avenue Project Director
The Avenue project aims to reclaim the highly
contaminated former Avenue coking plant and chemical
works bringing it back into effective re-use for leisure,
recreation and economic regeneration via provision of
a nature reserve, sports facilities, new job opportunities
and housing.
emda are committed to carrying out this project in the
most sustainable manner possible and using it as an
opportunity to promote best practice in this and other
fields. This includes extensive public/stakeholder
involvement and we see this document as a valuable
tool to communicate and inform the stakeholders about
the measures that are being implemented to continually
improve the environmental performance of the project.
Every fact and figure in the statement is third party
validated by LRQA who are giving their affirmation that
we are carrying out our commitments.”
Mike Fenton
The west of the site is bounded by the A61 trunk road and
to the east by the Midland Mainline Railway. Residential
housing is located close to the site; the nearest is situated
to the south and west, adjacent to the A61 trunk road.
Another residential area is located approximately 400m to
the southeast.
other environmental performance
climate change and air quality
including nuisance
“The Avenue project is a
major environmental and
regeneration challenge for
the East Midlands
Development Agency (emda).
National Regeneration Agency
English Partnerships, our
funders through the National
Coalfields Programme, emda
and the project team are
committed to leading and
promoting best practice and in keeping with this
commitment, welcome to the first EMAS Environmental
Statement to be produced for The Avenue project in
Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
The Avenue site is located approximately 30km north of
Derby and 3km south of Chesterfield and covers an area of
98 ha. It is approximately 3,200m long north to south and
approximately 700m east to west at its widest extent.
Arial view of the Avenue site in 2001
This Environmental Statement is the
first prepared for The Avenue project.
The Statement provides a brief
description of the project, the
significant environmental aspects
associated with it and the measures
implemented to reduce the negative
environmental impacts. Also included
is a summary of the progress made
to date. This statement has been
prepared for the financial year April
2006 to March 2007 and reports
details of the environmental
performance of the project during the
last two financial years (April 2005 to
March 2007) as a baseline. The final
part of the statement describes the
measures east midlands development
agentcy (emda) and the project
team are committed to implementing
up until the end of this financial
year (to March 2008). this is in order
to continually improve the
environmental performance of
The Avenue project.
The Avenue Site
Organisation
Following privatisation of the UK coal industry in 1994,
ownership of the site passed to English Partnerships (EP)
in 1996, along with 56 other former colliery and industrial
sites. In 1999, ownership of the site was transferred
to (emda), who is now responsible for delivering the
reclamation of the site. Funding for the project is provided by
EP through the National Coalfields Programme, with further
monies provided by the DTI and European Structural funds.
The management team consists of:
emda, the site owners
jacobs, lead consultants and designers, supported
by their sub-consultants Turner & Townsend Project
Management (TTPM), project managers and cost
consultants, and The Environment Partnership (TEP).
The majority of site works is carried out by contractors;
the contract for the overall remediation of the site is being
procured in three stages:
Stage one comprised the collation of information about the
site and development of an outline remediation strategy
in order to prepare a tender for the detailed design of the
remediation. Following a pre-qualification exercise, the stage
one tender was submitted to seven tenderers in May 2005.
The tenderers completed their submissions by August 2005
and in April 2006 VSD Avenue, a joint venture consisting of
Volker Stevin, Dec NV and Sita Remediation (with Entec, the
consultant advising VSD) were awarded the stage two
contract.
Stage two is currently nearing completion. It comprises the
detailed design of the remediation, including phasing of the
earthworks and the design of the contaminated material
treatment. It also includes the agreement of the overall
target price for completion of the project. VSD Avenue
has submitted a planning application and supporting
environmental statement to Derbyshire County Council on
behalf of emda in May 2007, and will also obtain all licences
and permits required to undertake the works. The stage
three contract will be awarded at the end of stage two.
This Environmental Statement primarily covers stage two
activities.
www.theavenueproject.co.uk
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Environmental Report
5
The Avenue Remediation Strategy and works to date
Historic activities at the site
The Avenue Coking Works opened in 1956 as a fully
integrated facility to produce smokeless fuels and associated
coke carbonisation by-products. These included benzole,
tar and sulphuric acids. The plant also produced town gas,
which was supplied for domestic use in Chesterfield. The
plant was constructed on a series of level terraces formed
by cut and fill earthworks. Other parts of the site were
used for stockpiling coal and coke and for the disposal
of waste products.
The site contained a waste tip and settlement Lagoons
for the disposal of solid and liquid wastes. Disposal in
the Lagoons was based on the ‘attenuate and disperse’
principal, which was an accepted technique at the time.
Contamination from the site, particularly the waste tip and
Lagoons, is known to have polluted the River Rother that
runs through the north of the site. The former plant also
contaminated the underlying soils through leaks and spills
from the numerous tanks, pipelines and sumps.
Following closure in 1992 the works lay disused until emda
commenced the task of dismantling the plant structures and
cleaning the site in 1999. The majority of the above ground
structures have now been removed, apart from some areas
of hardstanding, most notably the High Level Stocking Area
(HLSA) and other smaller areas within the former plant area.
Background
Remediation of the site is required in order to mitigate or
reduce potential risks to human health and the environment
and enable return to beneficial use. The remediation is
undertaken on a voluntary basis. However, a ‘do nothing’
approach is not an acceptable alternative. If emda had not
progressed voluntary actions, it is likely that The Avenue
site would be declared as ‘contaminated land’ under Part IIA
of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 by North East
Derbyshire District Council (NEDDC) and a remediation
notice would be served to emda requiring remediation of
the site as a legal requirement. Non-compliance with the
requirements of the remediation notice is likely to lead to
prosecution by the Environment Agency.
emda aim to implement remediation and reclamation of The
Avenue in an economically and environmentally sustainable
way. The proposed landform and masterplan, designed by
Rick Mather and TEP respectively, and the remediation
strategy are focussed on achieving this goal.
Spent Oxide, known as ‘Blue
Billy’ from the gas
purification process found on
the waste tip
Avenue chemical plant in 2001
Prior to construction of the coking works, the site had contained The Avenue Colliery, which was later expanded to include a
lime and iron works. By 1938, historic maps show that the colliery, lime and iron works were all disused and large areas of the
site had returned to agricultural use.
The site also has a history of near-surface and underground mining, and included within the boundary is the former Old
Avenue Colliery, located in a separate area on the eastern side of the railway.
Sampling of sediments from Lagoon 2
The most significant sources of contamination are the
waste tip and sludge Lagoons. In addition, contamination
is found in soils in the former plant area. When emda took
ownership of the site large parts of the former plant had
been laying dormant for a number of years. Some of the
structures, tanks and pipes were unsafe. This had the
potential to cause environmental harm through leaks and
drips, as not all hazardous
chemicals had been removed
following closure of the plant.
Progress to date
In order to address urgent
safety concerns a programme
of demolition and drain down
of the above-ground tanks,
pipelines and underground
sumps commenced in 1999.
Another early action
was the precautionary
stabilisation of the Lagoon 2
Bund adjacent to the River
Rother in 2000 and 2001.
This Bund had been
identified as being unstable
and failure could have led
to significant environmental
impacts.
Between 2000 and 2001
a detailed site investigation
was undertaken, which aided characterisation of the soils
and development of a conceptual model of the site.
The results of this initial investigation have been
supplemented by additional investigations, the most recent
of which was an investigation by VSD Avenue between
autumn 2006 and spring 2007. Soil and water samples were
taken, chemically tested and the results assessed in order to
scope the contamination problems. Risk assessments were
undertaken which considered human health receptors and
the water environment, mainly the River Rother. These set
out thresholds for contaminants of concern and specific
material reuse criteria which were reviewed by the
Environment Agency and North East Derbyshire District
Council. The final reuse criteria were agreed by these
Regulators in February 2005 and May 2007 respectively.
From the outset, emda has been committed to
incorporating the principles of sustainability in the strategy
for the reclamation of the site. Previously acceptable
solutions, such as offsite landfill disposal or on-site
encapsulation became undesirable in view of new
legislation, and this paved
the way for the
investigation and
employment of more
innovative remediation
techniques. A number of
remediation trials were
conducted between 2001
and 2004 in order to
identify the most suitable
techniques for the
remediation of
contaminated materials at
The Avenue. Trialled techniques included:
Bioremeduation trial
Contamination from historic activities at the site
Historic activities at The
Avenue site have led
to contamination of the
ground, which poses
risks to humans and to
the water environment,
particularly to the
River Rother. The
contamination is mainly
in the form of organic
substances, such as
polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs),
and inorganics such as cyanides (found in spent oxides, also
known as ‘Blue Billy’, used in the gas purification process).
Some areas also contain heavy metals, and asbestos
containing materials were found in the waste tip and
some of the site structures and buildings.
This was completed in early 2003 with the removal of
remaining tar waste from site.
Tank with tar in plant area
during demolition
Stage three will comprise the remediation of The Avenue
site. Depending on all required permits and consents being
in place at the end of stage two, mobilisation of plant and
equipment is envisaged to commence January 2008.
Remediation of the site, including all landscaping works,
is expected to be completed by 2012.
bioremediation, which uses microorganisms such as
bacteria to degrade organic contaminants
soil stabilisation, in which soils are mixed with a binder
such as cement to chemically and physically stabilise
and immobilise contaminants to minimise release to
the environment
soil washing, in which contaminants are separated and
concentrated into a sludge fraction that can be removed
from the treated soil using water or an aqueous solution
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thermal desorption, which uses hot air to heat the soils
and convert (desorb) contaminants from solid or liquid
states into the gaseous phase, which is extracted from
the soil and treated separately to destroy the desorbed
contaminants
In January 2005 work began on reclaiming and landscaping
the former rail sidings area. This area of land stretches
south for about 1km from Mill Lane to Bridge Street and
was the route of the old rail sidings, along which coal
was transported to the coke ovens. The works included
the creation of a bridleway access for pedestrians and
wheelchair users, cyclists, and horse riders, and pasture
for the grazing of livestock.
In the western part of this area, a section of Redleadmill
Brook has been regraded and a wetland created. This is
designed to be suitable for the translocation of water voles
(another protected species) that currently inhabit the River
Rother in the northern section of the site that will be
A remediation strategy for the site has been developed by
Jacobs in consultation with and agreed to by the Regulators:
the Environment Agency and North East Derbyshire District
Council (NEDDC). Derbyshire County Council (DCC) as
the local planning authority is reviewing the planning
application for the remediation.
The former rail sidings are now managed by Derbyshire
Wildlife Trust (DWT).
The Vision
The vision for remediation and reclamation of The Avenue
is to return the site to beneficial use, including public open
space and a development platform for high quality homes
and employment, in an economically and environmentally
sustainable manner.
The strategy describes the reclamation works necessary
to mitigate against or reduce risks to humans and the
environment. It will result in the redevelopment of the site
such that it is suitable for its proposed end uses.
In order to achieve a high quality landform for the
regenerated site, emda and EP organised a national design
competition to produce a masterplan and development
strategy. Entrants were invited to submit visions for the
regeneration and development of The Avenue and
associated conceptual designs. The preferred submission
was made by Rick Mather Architects.
The detailed masterplan,
which was based on the Rick
Mather Architects design, was
finalised by TEP (The
Environment Partnership).
The masterplan includes
a platform for mixed use
development, which
incorporates a range of
recreational, leisure and
community facilities as well
as wetland habitats. The
proposal also includes the
remediation of the River
Rother in the northern section
of the site. This includes the
environmental enhancement
of the floodplain and creation of habitats for water voles,
great crested newts, butterflies, bats and other species. The
public open space includes an events area and amenity and
sports facilities, such as football/rugby pitches and a cricket
pitch.
View of wetlands
The Project Team sought public views on the proposals
during five consultation events that took place over a two
week period in January and February 2005, finishing with
an open day at the site. Many useful comments were
received during and following the events that were
considered in the final proposal.
The masterplan aims for a ‘material balance’, i.e. the creation
of a final landform that utilises the soils and materials
available on site. This sustainable approach reduces the need
for both the transport of surplus soils for offsite disposal, and
the import of additional materials onto site.
The project also includes the creation of a flood alleviation
scheme which has been promoted by the Environment
Agency to benefit properties in Chesterfield downstream
of The Avenue site.
Proposed masterplan
Newt habitat
Due to the presence of certain protected species, in
particular great crested newts and grass snakes, a series
of ecological exclusion works have been undertaken to
minimise the negative impacts of the works. For example,
special fencing has been erected to separate a ditch located
along the eastern boundary from site activities. This ditch
acts as a receiving habitat
for newts translocated
from areas that have
to be disturbed during
site works. This existing
habitat was enhanced by
the creation of additional
ponds, and now supports
a significant population
of great crested and
other newts, as detailed
further in the ‘ecology
and biodiversity’ section.
The Remediation Strategy
Due to the range of contamination encountered at The
Avenue, no one single technique will provide the optimum
remediation solution for the site. It is estimated that
approximately 423,000m3 of materials require treatment
prior to reuse by bioremediation or thermal desorption.
Bioremediation has been found to be suitable for the
treatment of moderately contaminated soils, which applies
to approximately 218,000m3 of material. Thermal
desorption has been shown to be highly effective in treating
significantly contaminated materials; in fact some materials,
Thermal desorption treatment trial
in Rotterdam
Of particular benefit to the project were the results of a
thermal desorption trial completed in a plant in Rotterdam,
the Netherlands in March 2004. This demonstrated the
technical and economic feasibility of the technique and
allowed emda to make the decision not to implement
plans to excavate and dispose of in an offsite landfill
the contaminated sediments from Lagoons 2 and 4.
disturbed during future remediation works. This habitat is
also suitable for various species of birds, particularly
waterfowl and waders.
The strategy aims to reduce as far as possible the offsite
disposal of materials. Some of the soils have been identified
as suitable for reuse without any or with only limited
treatment. However, significant volumes of materials are too
contaminated and require treatment prior to reuse. As
described above a number of remediation techniques have
been investigated for technical effectiveness, but also
assessed in terms of environmental and sustainability
impacts, with consideration of public perception and
financial implications. The most suitable techniques,
including physical screening, soils washing, thermal
desorption and bioremediation, have been taken forward to
the detailed design stage.
Proposed works
The remediation strategy developed by Jacobs envisaged
that approximately 1.58 million m3 required excavation to
meet the proposed landform and to remove contamination.
Of these 1.58 million m3, approximately 530,000m3 were
identified as requiring treatment by thermal desorption,
bioremediation or soil washing and approximately 70,900m3
required offsite disposal to landfill.
The remediation strategy created by Jacobs is being
developed further by VSD. This detailed design also takes
account of additional information obtained during stage
two which has led to a revision of the quantities, which are
summarised below.
Of the approximately 1.98 million m3 of material identified
for excavation, approximately 1.6 million m3 (including an
allowance for bulking of the materials following excavation)
is expected to be suitable for reuse on site with little or no
treatment. This applies to, for example, concrete, bricks and
other large oversized items, which although they will require
screening, crushing and grading and potentially soil
washing, are then expected to be suitable for use.
such as most of the Lagoon sediments, are not considered
suitable for any other treatment. Approximately 205,000m3
of material will probably be treated by thermal desorption.
Some items, such as metals, plastics, rubber, asbestos
containing materials and other wastes will be segregated
during the works. These materials are not suitable for
treatment or reuse and will be sent offsite for recycling if
possible or disposal if not. It is estimated that approximately
60,800m3 of such materials, mainly from the waste tip, will
be excavated and segregated.
In order to achieve the proposed beneficial end-use of the
site, the near surface soils will need to be suitable media for
the growing of plants. There is currently a shortage of
suitable materials on site and a soil strategy has therefore
been developed that includes the treatment of existing soils
with imported organic material. Approximately 140,000m3
organic material needs to be imported to site to create
approximately 577,000m3 of ‘horticultural soils’. This option
is considered more sustainable than and preferable to the
importation of top soil from offsite.
Total material
excavation (m3)
Total material
for treatment
(m3)
Treatment
by thermal
desorption (m3)
Treatment by
bioremediation
(m3)
1,980,000
533,000
205,000
218,000
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The Avenue Environmental Management System
Although the project is ultimately envisaged to significantly
improve the local environment, emda and the project team
members recognise that there is potential for significant
environmental impacts to occur before the overall aim is
achieved. emda and the project team are committed to
continually improving environmental performance in order
to reduce negative impacts on the environment associated
with the site, and wherever possible, to generate
environmental benefits.
To ensure that all work at The Avenue is carried out in an
environmentally responsible manner, an Environmental
Management System (EMS) has been developed and will be
implemented at the site for the duration of the project. The
Avenue EMS is in accordance with the requirements of, and
has been certified to, the International Standard ISO14001
since 2001. Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA)
regularly audits the implementation and maintenance of
the EMS.
The EMS covers the site and all site activities are included in
its scope. As part of the commitment to the EMS the project
team ratified an Environmental Policy in November 2001.
The Policy is implemented through the setting of objectives
and targets and monitoring of progress. It is reviewed at
least annually.
The EMS establishes the Site Environmental Rules (SERs),
which cover good site practice and housekeeping; water
and wastewater; waste management; storage, use and
handling of hazardous substances; emissions to air and
statutory nuisance; and conservation and ecology. All site
activities must adhere to the SERs.
Presented below are the identified current and predicted
future significant environmental aspects and impacts
associated with the project. Also included are descriptions of
current and recent environmental performance in these
areas and measures undertaken to reduce environmental
impacts.
Environmental performance is checked on a regular basis
by the site management through environmental inspections
and audits. In addition, all site personnel can raise
environmental concerns via the Health, Safety and
Environmental Concern Forms. An environmental suggestion
box system is being implemented which aims to aid
continual improvement of environmental performance
through involvement of all site employees.
Contaminated Land and Groundwater
Historic use of the site has left a legacy of contaminated
ground on the site. The most significant contamination
is found in the former waste tip and two sludge Lagoons.
The waste tip also contains small amounts of asbestos
containing materials. Whilst all chemicals and hazardous
materials have been drained from the over-ground pipes and
tanks, which have subsequently been demolished, residual
hazardous chemicals are also present in below ground pipes,
tanks, and sumps. These could not be accessed during the
previous drain-down and demolition works.
Significant Environmental Aspects and Impacts
A detailed review of the site condition and activities has
been undertaken in order to establish the significant
environmental aspects of The Avenue. Environmental
aspects result from the interaction of the project with the
surrounding environment; the review assessed what the
potentially significant resulting (positive or negative)
environmental impacts of this interaction would be. On the
basis of this assessment a series of environmental Objectives
and Targets have been developed, which aim to address the
environmental aspects and reduce negative environmental
impacts where possible. The significant aspects and
associated Objectives and Targets are reviewed at least
annually.
Measures, such as fencing and 24 hour security, are in
place to restrict access and prevent direct contact with
contaminated materials and hazardous chemicals, which
help reduce associated health risks. However, contamination
can leach and migrate from the above sources into the
underlying ground and the shallow perched groundwater,
and also potentially into the deeper groundwater found
beneath the site.
Some of the groundwater, particularly the shallow sources,
provides baseflow to the River Rother, contamination of
which can lead to a reduction of river water quality. This in
turn can have a negative effect on flora and fauna living in
and adjacent to the river. The removal and treatment of
contaminated materials is expected to prevent future
leaching and migration of contaminants into the shallow
groundwater.
The significant aspects have been grouped into seven
categories:
contaminated land and groundwater
climate change and air quality
Climate Change and Air Quality including nuisance
An ambient air quality monitoring programme has been
implemented at The Avenue since 2001. The programme,
which is operated by Bureau Veritas (BV), includes for the
monitoring of:
PM10 (particulate matter with a diameter of less than
10µm), deposited dust, and at one on-site and one
offsite station PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter
of less than 2.5µm)
metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury,
manganese, nickel, lead, selenium and zinc)
organic compounds: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs), phenols and BTEX (benzene, toluene,
ethyl-benzene and xylene)
cyanide
nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and
sulphur dioxide (SO2)
The programme includes four on-site monitoring stations
close to the site boundary to assess cross-boundary
migration of pollutants, and six offsite stations to assess the
resulting impact on the surrounding area. A weather station
is operated at The Avenue site to relate the air quality
information to meteorological conditions. In addition to the
permanent stations, targeted air monitoring is also
undertaken around specific site operations; results are used
to supplement data from the permanent stations.
The results are assessed on a monthly basis and a report of
the findings is published on The Avenue website
(www.theavenueproject.co.uk/Air_Monitoring).
During the remediation uncontaminated and contaminated
water will be separated through a system of cut-off ditches
and ponds prior to treatment and reuse or discharge.
Shallow groundwater encountered in excavations will be
pumped and treated in an onsite wastewater treatment
plant. Where possible, this water will be reused during the
site works, e.g. for dust suppression, or discharged to sewer
under a discharge consent.
resource use
waste generation and disposal
water environment and sewers
ecology and biodiversity and
traffic and transportation
View of waste tip edge and Lagoon
The Environment Agency has agreed that deep groundwater
that is unlikely to provide baseflow to the River Rother will
not require treatment as this would be considered to create
little benefit for high costs. However, removal and treatment
of the identified contaminated source materials would
reduce further contamination of the groundwater associated
with the site.
The Avenue Environmental Policy Statement
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10
The main significant climate change and air quality aspects
are associated with emissions from site vehicles, plant and
equipment. During remediation of the site, emissions to
atmosphere will also be generated by soil treatment
operations, particularly the thermal desorption plant, and
from disturbance of contaminated materials.
Presented below are the average monthly results for PM10
at the on-site monitoring stations A - D between April 2005
and March 2007.
station A - immediately adjacent to the site offices
(northwestern corner of the site)
station B - adjacent to the eastern boundary, just south
of the bear pits and the Lagoons
station C - further south along the eastern boundary,
approximately half way along
A gap exists in the data for station D for November and
December 2006. This was due to a loss of electrical power
to the station on 16 October, when the former Ruberoid
plant was decommissioned. The station was connected to
an alternative power source in January 2007.
Other determinands, such as Benzene, were also compared
against assessment criteria that are based on AQOs.
Concentrations of Benzene were low during the period and
did not exceed the assessment criterion.
Further discussion of air monitoring results is included in the
‘Other Environmental Performance’ section.
station D - on the western boundary, adjacent to the
former Ruberoid plant
The graph shows that the concentrations were below the
assessment criterion level at all on-site monitoring stations
during the period. PM10 data is continuously logged in 15
minute intervals with this information converted to 24 hour
means for comparison with the AQO of 50 µg/m3 as a 24
hour average. These 24 hour means are also converted to
monthly averages and compared to the AQO of 40 µg/m3
as an annual average.
Ap
ril
2
M 00
ay 5
Ju 200
ne 5
2
Ju 00
5
Au ly 2
Se gu 00
pt st 5
em 2
b 00
O er 5
c
2
N tob 005
ov er
em 2
0
D
ec ber 05
em 2
0
0
b
Ja er 5
nu 20
a
Fe ry 05
br
2
ua 00
6
r
M y 20
ar
ch 06
Ap 200
ril 6
2
M 00
ay 6
Ju 200
ne 6
2
Ju 00
6
Au ly 2
Se gu 00
pt st 6
em 2
b 00
O er 6
c
2
N tob 006
ov er
em 2
0
D
ec ber 06
em 2
0
0
b
Ja er 6
nu 20
Fe ary 07
br
2
ua 00
7
r
M y 20
ar
ch 07
20
07
PM10 (_g/m3)
The remaining emissions from the site, including from
vehicles and plant, disturbance of contaminated materials
such as the Lagoons and other treatment systems such as
bioremediation, are envisaged to be mainly particulates,
metals, organics and cyanide.
This pollutant is considered to be relevant to activities at the
site. The levels have been compared to the assessment
criterion developed for the project, which is based on the
statutory Air Quality Objectives (AQOs) applicable to local
authorites. The on-site monitoring stations are located as
following:
Air monitoring station
Emissions from the thermal desorption plant stack differ
somewhat from other site emissions. They are envisaged to
be carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx: NO and
NO2) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) from treatment of
contaminants and combustion products from the fuel used
to heat the soil. These emissions will be monitored
continuously in the stack. CO2 is associated with climate
change, while NOx and SO2 are mainly associated with acid
rain and a reduction in urban air quality (through generation
of photochemical smog in combination with volatile organic
compounds and sunlight).
A dispersion modelling exercise has been undertaken to
predict emissions generated during remediation of the site.
This is used to assess the dispersion of emissions and their
likely concentrations at different receptors, including
residential properties, close to the site. The results of the
exercise suggested that emissions would not cause the
quality of the surrounding air to reduce below appropriate
standards and that there are therefore not expected to be
significant impacts on the health of humans close to
the site.
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12
Directional Dust levels 2005-2007
During remediation activities dust could be generated from
excavation, treatment, stockpiling and transportation of dry
materials, such as soils or concrete. Dust suppression
measures will be employed, including the use of water
sprays to limit dust arisings.
Presented overleaf are the monthly results of deposited dust
monitoring at all on-site monitoring stations between April
2005 and March 2007. The graph indicates that
exceedances were experienced on four occasions at station
B, and five occasions at station C. On all occasions, as soon
as data became available, measures (such as dust
suppression and street sweeping) were taken to address the
problems.
Most of the exceedances were recorded between April and
August 2005, at which time works on-site included the
creation of the rail sidings habitat and wetlands. This
involved the excavation, haulage and temporary stockpiling
of soils; the associated increase in site traffic could have lead
to the excessive dust generation. During remediation
activities mitigation measures will be implemented to reduce
the generation of dust, which may include damping down
and cleaning of site roads.
It is important to note that this criterion is a threshold above
which dust has the potential to cause nuisance, and is not
directly related to human health effects. Furthermore data
collected from other monitoring stations indicates that the
dust did not migrate offsite to cause negative impacts on
sensitive receptors.
Odour
A number of substances at the site are inherently odourous
and have the potential to cause offsite nuisance, even
where the source substances are at very low concentrations.
Odours can be generated through disturbance of
contaminated materials, particularly from Lagoons 2 and 4
sediments and the waste tip, and its handling,
transportation, stockpiling and treatment. Odours are
considered unlikely to be released from the thermal
desorption plant stack or the treated materials, but could be
generated from bioremediation.
Trial of odour suppressant spray during
disturbance of Lagoon 4 sediments
Furthermore, the total fuel consumption does not include
fuel used by other contractors. In the year April 2005 March 2006 site works by other contractors included the
creation of the railsidings habitat and in the following year,
a subcontractor of VSD completed the additional site
investigation. No fuel consumption data was available for
these pieces of work. In the future a more accurate system
to collect representative fuel consumption data will be
implemented.
Under dry atmospheric conditions dust can be generated
from site roads through movement of plant and vehicles,
particularly on unsurfaced haul roads. Dust can also arise
under dry, windy conditions from stockpiles of dry materials.
The main impact of wind-blown dust is considered to be
nuisance to site neighbours if transported beyond the site
boundary.
Ap
ril
M 200
ay 5
Ju 200
ne 5
2
Ju 005
Au ly 2
Se gu 00
pt st 5
em 2
b 00
O er 2 5
ct
0
N obe 05
ov
em r 20
0
D
ec ber 5
em 2
be 005
Ja
r
nu 20
0
Fe ary 5
br
2
ua 00
ry 6
M
2
ar 00
ch 6
2
Ap 00
ril 6
M 200
ay 6
Ju 200
ne 6
2
Ju 006
Au ly 2
Se gu 00
pt st 6
em 20
0
b
O er 6
ct
2
N obe 006
ov
em r 20
0
b
D
ec er 6
em 20
0
Ja ber 6
nu 20
Fe ary 07
br
2
ua 00
ry 7
20
M
ar
ch 07
20
07
The biggest users of fuel on site are contractors rather than
emda and the Project Team. The total amount of CO2
released from use of fuel and electricity generation during
2005 - 2006 was 103 tonnes, compared to 134 tonnes
during 2006/07. The higher CO2 generation in 2006/07 is
considered to be due to the use of more fuel for site works,
in particular for the over-pumping of the River Rother during
culvert repair works. The figures include fuel consumption of
site vehicles and mobile plant from emda and fuel
consumption from VSD. However, the VSD data is not
precise as only a total figure for fuel consumption over
various months was available which has been divided by the
number of months.
Dust
Dust mg/m2/day
The most significant sources of CO2 emissions are currently
associated with the use of diesel fuel for site vehicles and
mobile plant. CO2 is also emitted during the offsite
generation of electricity in power stations. Electricity is used
in the site offices (lighting, heating, operation of
electric/electronic equipment) and some site operations
(lighting, operation of pumps, monitoring equipment, etc.).
The odours can then be transported by the wind and can
reach receptors such as site neighbours. The main impact of
odours is considered to be nuisance to neighbours, although
the scale depends on the nature (i.e. pleasant or offensive),
concentration and frequency of the odours.
In autumn 2006, odour trials were undertaken at The
Avenue which aimed to assess the potential for release and
dispersion of odours during excavation of sediments from
Lagoons 2 and 4. Subsequent modelling indicated that, with
the application of careful working methods and mitigation
measures, the impacts on receptors such as site neighbours
would not be expected to be significant. However, there
may be times during the project when odours could be
detectable offsite, which could cause nuisance. For these
short-term events, on-site mitigation measures will be
implemented.
An odour monitoring programme was implemented in early
2007. This comprises routine ‘sniff-tests’ at the site
boundary, the monitoring of complaints about odour and
the completion of odour diaries by a selection of
volunteering local residents. The data collected from this
programme will serve as a basis against which the impacts
of odour emitted from the site can be assessed, and will
complement more targeted monitoring undertaken by the
remediation contractor.
The trials also included testing of such odour mitigation
systems. This indicated that the use of foam blankets to
cover exposed surfaces following disturbance of odorous
materials could be useful in limiting release of odours. This
control measure will therefore be implemented when
particularly adverse emissions are expected. It may also be
necessary to temporarily close the footpath that runs
immediately adjacent to Lagoon four for the period when
sediments from the Lagoon are being excavated.
The main source of noise at The Avenue is considered to be
the operation of site vehicles and mobile plant. During
remediation of the site, operation of items such as
excavators, will increase. Other sources of noise will be the
operation of fixed plant, such as the thermal desorption
unit. The main negative impact associated with noise is
considered to be the annoyance or nuisance of residents
local to the site.
Noise
Noise surveys have been carried out and the results
modelled to predict the generation and dispersion of noise
from different operations and at different times of the day.
13
14
Currently, a single water meter serves the entire site. Prior to
February 2007 the water was sub-metered from the former
Ruberoid plant, an on-site tenant, although only a limited
number of water readings were taken and few conclusions
can be drawn. In order to better understand consumption
going forward, it is proposed to implement sub-metering of
the site and offices by September 2007.
This information has been used to assess the potential
impacts on receptors such as nearby residential properties.
The exercise indicated that most site operations are unlikely
to result in negative impacts on receptors. However, certain
operations, for example breaking-out of concrete, would
lead to temporarily higher noise levels.
Prior to the start of site works, VSD Avenue will prepare a
Noise Management Plan for submission to NEDDC. During
remediation a number of measures will also be implemented
in order to reduce generation of noise. These will include
the use of modern and properly maintained mobile plant,
and the location of material stockpiles or other barriers
between key noise sources and receptors where possible.
Diesel is used on site for the operation of the security
vehicles, equipment such as the wheel wash, generators and
mobile plant such as excavators. These items are fuelled
from a central bowser. All other site vehicles are fuelled with
diesel at offsite service stations. Associated environmental
impacts include the depletion of natural resources, pollution
from the processing of raw materials, reduction in local air
quality and global climate change.
Resource use
The most significant use of resources associated with the
project are the use of potable water and energy, particularly
during remediation activities. This includes the use of
electricity and diesel for the operation of the remediation
plant, equipment and site vehicles.
Diesel bowser
Electricity is used for the operation of equipment such as for
monitoring, pumps, etc. and for office facilities. Currently
there are two electricity meters on site, one serving the
offices and maintenance buildings, and the other the
decontamination unit with a draw-off point for uses
associated with the wider site. The associated environmental
impacts include the depletion of natural resources, pollution
from the processing of raw materials, reduction in local air
quality and global climate change. In addition the use of
energy has a significant financial cost implication.
Prior to the beginning of remediation activities, the main
uses of potable water are office activities, the
decontamination block (including welfare facilities), initial
filling of the wheel wash and attached mains water
hosepipe, and draw-off for site activities (e.g. filling of
bowsers for local cleaning of equipment and dust
suppression). During remediation, water will be required for
dust suppression, soil washing and rehydration of thermally
treated soil. The negative impacts of water use include
depletion of natural resources, and the use of energy and
production of waste products associated with treatment of
water. During remediation of the site, water consumption
will increase, although where possible uncontaminated
surface water run-off or treated water from the treatment
plant will be used.
The site generates a number of waste streams for offsite
recycling or disposal. Negative environmental impacts
associated with offsite disposal of wastes are the depletion
of landfill space, waste of resources if useful materials are
not recycled, the use of energy in transportation and
processing, and the generation of traffic and associated
environmental impacts (noise, air quality, carbon emissions,
depletion of resources etc.).
The remediation strategy emphasises the maximisation of
materials re-use within the site where possible and only
disposing of materials offsite when necessary. This was
driven by legislative changes in 20041, which precluded
offsite disposal to landfill of some of the materials and
paved the way for use of soil treatment technologies. This
approach aligns to a greater degree with the principles of
sustainable waste management, proposed in national
planning policy (Planning Policy Statement 10).
During 2005 - 2006, 2500 litres fuel were used on site,
compared to 21,819 litres in 2006/07. The higher
consumption in year 2006/07 is mainly associated with VSD
mobilising to site for culvert works in August 2006.
However, the fuel consumption figures for both years are
under-representations as they do not include the fuel
consumed by (sub-)contractors operating the mobile plant
and completing the site works. An improved system to
record fuel used on site for future works is being developed
and more representative fuel consumption data is envisaged
to be available for reporting in future updates and
statements.
In addition, electricity use per person was lower in late 2006
than the corresponding time in 2005, as there were
significantly more people on site. This is when the large
scale site investigation and other works were undertaken.
Information about CO2 production associated with the
electricity generation is presented in the ‘Climate Change
and Air Quality’ section. We aim to reduce the annual
energy consumption per person at the site offices by 5%,
compared to 2006/07 levels, by April 2008.
During remediation of the site, fuel and electricity will also
be required for the operation and control of the remediation
plant, particularly the thermal desorption unit. This will use
natural gas to fuel the burners that generate hot air for
heating of the soil. This will transfer (desorb) contaminants
into the gaseous phase for extraction and further treatment.
The treatment of off-gases will also require use of gas as
fuel. The thermal desorption plant includes various heat
exchangers and recycling of waste heat for the pretreatment of materials. These measures will increase energy
efficiency and reduce fuel consumption.
Wheel wash
Ap
ril
2
M 00
ay 5
Ju 200
ne 5
2
Ju 00
5
A ly 2
Se ugu 00
pt st 5
em 2
0
0
b
O er 5
c
2
N tob 005
ov er
em 2
0
D
ec ber 05
em 2
b 00
Ja er 5
nu 20
Fe ary 05
br
2
ua 00
6
r
M y 20
ar
ch 06
2
Ap 00
ril 6
2
M 00
ay 6
Ju 200
ne 6
2
Ju 00
6
A ly 2
Se ugu 00
pt st 6
em 2
0
0
b
O er 6
c
2
N tob 006
ov er
em 2
0
D
ec ber 06
em 2
b 00
Ja er 6
nu 20
Fe ary 07
br
2
ua 00
7
r
M y 20
ar
ch 07
20
07
Electricity kWh used per person
Total electricity used at The Avenue (invoice data)
Electricity kWh used
Waste Generation and Disposal
Office and site derived
waste streams are
currently reported
separately. They
comprise:
Skip for general office
derived waste
Presented below are the monthly figures for total electricity
used between April 2005 and March 2007, and a
calculation of electricity use per person. The graph shows
that electricity usage follows seasonal trends, with
particularly high usage in winter 2005-06 compared to the
same months in 2006-07. It is considered that at least some
of the difference can be explained by the fact that winter
2005-06 was much colder than winter 2006-07, and that
the electric heaters in the site offices would have been used
much more.
Office waste
general waste for
offsite disposal
to landfill
paper/cardboard,
glass, etc for offsite
recycling
Site-derived wastes
metals and wood for offsite recycling
hazardous waste from standard maintenance operations
(for example sediments and contaminants deposited in
the wheel wash, bear pits or another catchment pit
near the River Rother)
Non-hazardous waste includes mainly general waste
from various activities and isolated other sources, for
example sewer arisings.
Waste generation is expected to increase during the main
remediation. However, the remediation strategy aims at
minimising waste disposal offsite, treating and reusing
materials on-site where possible. Development proposals
have been designed to meet the objectives of both the
contaminated land regime and future land use
requirements. During remediation of the site, some
materials will be suitable for use with limited, or even
without treatment, whilst others will require some
treatment, as described previously. Disposal will be required
for some materials that cannot be treated for reuse, such as
rubber, plastics and asbestos containing materials.
1The waste acceptance requirements of the Landfill Directive (as given in Landfill (England and Wales) Regulations 2002) brought into force on 16th July 2004
specify certain criteria hazardous wastes have to meet to allow disposal to landfill.
15
16
This programme varies depending on conditions and
activities at the site but generally includes:
The tables below shows the volume of waste removed from site between April 2005 and March 2007,
reported separately for office and site derived waste.
physical properties (pH)
Cardboard/
packaging waste
per person in kg
Total weight of
general waste
(office) in tonnes
General weight
of office waste
per person in kg
Total weight of
waste per person
(inc. general
office waste
and cardboard/
packaging) in kg
April 2005 to
March 2006
1.6
0.256
20.02
3.2094
3.466
April 2006 to
March 2007
3.44
0.374
9.26
1.0063
1.38
Total weight of
non hazardous
waste (site
derived) in
tonnes
Total weight of
general waste
(site derived) in
tonnes
April 2005 to
March 2006
71.63
7.88
8.84
April 2006 to
March 2007
137.06
7.75
3.12
Water environment and sewers
The quality of surface water and treated wastewater
discharged from The Avenue site has been monitored since
the early 1990s. This allows the site’s impact on the
surrounding environment, and compliance with the consents
to discharge issued by the Environment Agency (EA) and
Yorkshire Water (YW), to be assessed.
Contamination from soils, and more significantly the Lagoon
sediments, leaches into the River Rother, which leads to a
reduction in the water and sediment quality adjacent to and
downstream of the site. This could in turn have a negative
effect on flora and fauna in and adjacent to the river.
During remediation this source of contamination will be
removed. The strategy also includes the remediation of
some contaminated sediments in the River Rother, thereby
directly improving the water quality.
River Rother near the bear pits
Hazardous waste
(site derived) in
tonnes
During the coming reporting year, the detailed design of the
remediation works will be finalised. Where possible further
opportunities will be taken to minimise offsite disposal to
landfill, through maximisation of material treatment and
reuse on site.
organics (BOD, COD, total petroleum hydrocarbons,
phenols, poly-cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs),
volatile organic compounds (VOCs), Diesel Range
Organics and Petrol Range Organics, BTEX (benzene,
toluene, ethyl-benzene and xylene)).
The amount of site-derived general waste decreased
between 2005/06 and 2006/07, considered to be mainly
due to less overall activity than the previous year.
The table below suggests an increase in the amount of sitederived hazardous waste generated at The Avenue between
April 2006 and March 2007, compared to the figures for
the previous year. This is largely due to one hazardous waste
stream that was disposed off to landfill in May 2006, but
did not occur at any other time during the period. This
comprised the removal of 60.88 tonnes of sediments from
the bear pits and transport for offsite disposal to landfill.
Site waste
inorganics (chloride, electrical conductivity, cyanide,
nitrate, ammonia, total suspended solids (TSS),
thiocyanate)
Skips for site derived wastes
This indicates that the volume of cardboard/packaging
waste increased between 2005/06 and 2006/07, largely due
to more commercial activity on site and the presence of
more contractor staff as of mid 2006. However, the amount
of general office waste decreased over the period. This is
believed to be due to increased environmental awareness,
with more segregation of wastes for recycling.
metals (cadmium, chromium, iron, copper, mercury, lead,
nickel and zinc)
Presented below are the average monthly monitoring results
for pH, total suspended solids (TSS), thiocyanate, iron and
COD between April 2005 and March 2007, taken at the
bear pits. These determinands are reported as they are of
particular significance for the site and are subject to EA
consent limits. The graphs show that average pH, iron and
COD levels were below consent limits within the period.
However one breach each of average TSS and thiocyanate
were experienced during the period. The TSS breach in
December 2006 is believed to be associated with heavy
rain that led to excessive flows through the bearpits and
therefore settling out of sediments to be less effective.
The average thiocyanate breach in November 2005 is not
considered to be due to activities or conditions at the site;
this conclusion was reached following a review of all site
activities/circumstances and sampling results around the
date of the breach.
It is considered to be associated with drainage from an
adjacent site that is discharged together with surface and
storm water from The Avenue site through the bear pits.
A monitoring and improvement programme is being
implemented to reduce thiocyanate concentrations in the
discharge. Individual exceedances are discussed further in
the ‘Legal compliance’ section.
PH
Total weight
of cardboard/
packaging waste
in tonnes
Surface and storm water collected by the site drainage
system is discharged to the River Rother through a structure
called the ‘bear pits’ under an EA discharge consent. The
bear pits consist of a series of baffles and weirs designed to
remove suspended solids and any floating products from the
water before it is discharged. During remediation operations
runoff will be collected in a series of ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’
holding ponds. Water from the dirty holding pond will be
pumped to an on-site water treatment facility from where
it can either be discharged into the public sewer or, where
possible, reused on site. Water from the clean holding pond
can be used on site, for example for dust suppression, or
can be discharged to the River Rother under a discharge
consent.
Ap
ril
2
M 00
ay 5
Ju 200
ne 5
2
Ju 00
5
Au ly 2
Se gu 00
pt st 5
em 2
b 00
O er 5
ct
2
N ob 005
ov er
em 2
0
D
ec ber 05
em 2
0
0
b
Ja er 5
nu 20
a
Fe ry 05
br
2
ua 00
6
r
M y 20
ar
ch 06
Ap 200
ril 6
2
M 00
ay 6
Ju 200
ne 6
2
Ju 00
6
Au ly 2
Se gu 00
pt st 6
em 2
b 00
O er 6
ct
20
o
N
ov ber 06
em 2
0
D
ec ber 06
em 2
b 00
Ja er 6
nu 20
Fe ary 07
br
2
ua 00
7
r
M y 20
ar
0
ch 7
20
07
Office waste
17
Ap
ril
2
M 00
ay 5
Ju 200
ne 5
2
Ju 00
5
Au ly 2
Se gu 00
pt st 5
em 2
b 00
O er 5
ct
2
N ob 005
ov er
em 2
0
D
ec ber 05
em 2
0
0
b
Ja er 5
nu 20
a
Fe ry 05
br
2
ua 00
6
r
M y 20
ar
ch 06
Ap 200
ril 6
2
M 00
ay 6
Ju 200
ne 6
2
Ju 00
6
Au ly 2
Se gu 00
pt st 6
em 2
b 00
O er 6
ct
2
N ob 006
ov er
em 2
0
D
ec ber 06
em 2
0
0
b
Ja er 6
nu 20
a
Fe ry 07
br
2
ua 00
7
r
M y 20
ar
ch 07
20
07
Ap
ril
2
M 00
ay 5
Ju 200
ne 5
2
Ju 00
5
Au ly 2
Se gu 00
pt st 5
em 2
b 00
O er 5
c
2
N tob 005
ov er
em 2
0
D
ec ber 05
em 2
0
0
b
Ja er 5
nu 20
a
Fe ry 05
br
2
ua 00
6
r
M y 20
ar
ch 06
Ap 200
ril 6
2
M 00
ay 6
Ju 200
ne 6
2
Ju 00
6
Au ly 2
Se gu 00
pt st 6
em 2
b 00
O er 6
c
2
N tob 006
ov er
em 2
0
D
ec ber 06
em 2
0
0
b
Ja er 6
nu 20
a
Fe ry 07
br
2
ua 00
7
r
M y 20
ar
ch 07
20
07
COD (mg/l)
Thiocyanate (mg/l)
Ap
ril
2
M 00
ay 5
Ju 200
ne 5
2
Ju 00
5
Au ly 2
Se gu 00
pt st 5
em 2
b 00
O er 5
c
2
N tob 005
ov er
em 2
0
D
ec ber 05
em 2
0
0
b
Ja er 5
nu 20
a
Fe ry 05
br
2
ua 00
6
r
M y 20
ar
ch 06
Ap 200
ril 6
2
M 00
ay 6
Ju 200
ne 6
2
Ju 00
6
Au ly 2
Se gu 00
6
pt st
em 2
b 00
O er 6
ct
2
N ob 006
ov er
em 2
0
D
ec ber 06
em 2
0
0
b
Ja er 6
nu 20
0
a
Fe ry 7
br
2
ua 00
7
r
M y 20
ar
ch 07
20
07
Ap
ril
2
M 00
ay 5
Ju 200
ne 5
2
Ju 00
5
Au ly 2
Se gu 00
pt st 5
em 2
b 00
O er 5
ct
20
o
N
ov ber 05
em 2
0
D
ec ber 05
em 2
b 00
Ja er 5
nu 20
Fe ary 05
br
2
ua 00
6
r
M y 20
ar
ch 06
Ap 200
ril 6
2
M 00
ay 6
Ju 200
ne 6
2
Ju 00
6
Au ly 2
Se gu 00
pt st 6
em 2
b 00
O er 6
c
2
N tob 006
ov er
em 2
0
D
ec ber 06
em 2
0
0
b
Ja er 6
nu 20
a
Fe ry 07
br
2
ua 00
7
r
M y 20
ar
ch 07
20
07
Iron (mg/l)
TSS (mg/l)
18
Drainage waters from the waste tip and Lagoon 2 are pumped to a water treatment
plant before being discharged to sewer under a discharge consent issued by YW,
whilst a separate consent covers the discharge of water contained within Lagoon 4,
which is discharged directly to sewer. Discharges in excess of consent limits could
result in damage to sewers, or affect the effectiveness of the YW wastewater
treatment facility, resulting in indirect negative impacts on the receiving environment.
Exceedances of the discharge consent are discussed in the ‘Legal compliance’ section.
19
20
EA River Quality Data for the River Rother
The EA classify river quality on the basis of biological,
chemistry and nutrient criteria. Unfortunately, there are no EA
sampling locations sufficiently close to the site to allow a
meaningful assessment of the overall impact of the site on
the River Rother. It is considered that the site impacts more
significantly through leaching of contaminants from the
Lagoons rather than from surface water discharges from the
bear pits.
The assessment of ecology and biodiversity includes plants,
animals and their habitats. There are no nationally designated
ecological sites near to The Avenue, although there are locally
important areas within 1km which could potentially be
affected by activities or conditions at the site. To the north is
Birdholme Marsh County Wildlife Site and McGregor’s Pond
and Rough Grassland County Wildlife Site (CWS), whilst to
the south there is Hasland Railway Margins County Wildlife
Site and Sutcliffe and Hanging Banks Woods County Wildlife
Site. After remediation works have finished, The DWT Avenue
Washlands Reserve will have been created which will
encompass the existing Redleadmill Brook Habitat Creation
Works, Hasland Railway Sidings CWS, part of the Newt
reserve and Mill Lane Habitat Creation Works2.
During the
remediation work
any water voles
and protected
reptiles will be
systematically
translocated to
the Rail Sidings
habitat area in
the south of the
site, part of the
Hasland Railway Margins CWS. GCNs will be translocated to
the newt reserve, which is protected by ‘one-way’
amphibian fencing, allowing individuals to get into the
reserve but not to leave it. Overall, the remediation will have
significant positive impacts through the creation of
additional and enhancement of existing habitats. This
includes new waterbodies, a new underground roost
chamber and enhancement of existing habitats such as the
roosting and foraging habitat.
Since 2000, spring/summer
surveys of GCNs have been
undertaken at the site by TEP,
with the results for the current
reporting period presented
in the table overleaf.
This indicates a reduction in
total numbers in June 2005,
although numbers
subsequently recovered.
Another decline was recorded in March 2007, believed to
be due to the sewage spill in the railside ditch.
2The Avenue Remediation Project, Non-Technical Summary of the Environmental Impact Assessment
Water vole
The most significant ecology and biodiversity aspects are
associated with the presence of sensitive and legally
protected ecological features, in particular great crested
newts (GCNs), reptiles (mainly grass snakes), water voles,
protected birds, bats and a badger sett. Detailed monitoring
surveys have been undertaken of a number of these species,
including GCNs, grass snakes and water voles. Negative
impacts during remediation could include disturbance of or
damage to the protected species or their habitats. Habitats
could be reduced or lost altogether during the works, so
mitigation measures are required to protect the sensitive
features. Although some adverse effects may occur during
the remediation works, it is thought that they will not be
significant.
Current measures to protect and where possible enhance
species and their habitats have included the release of elvers
into the south wetlands by DWT. In the rail sidings habitat
limestone chippings were deposited to provide nesting sites
for the little ringed plover. There has also been
enhancement work at the newt reserve, where the majority
of individuals are located. Unfortunately in September 2006
there was a surcharge of raw sewage from the public sewer
adjacent to the rail sidings ditch into the newt habitat. This
sewer is under the ownership of Yorkshire Water as the
statutory undertaker, and is thus their responsibility. This
incident is discussed further in the ‘Legal Compliance’
section.
Grass snake
However, it is proposed to investigate during the coming
reporting year whether or how the programme can be
amended
to allow the overall impacts of the site to be more closely
monitored, and allow a direct comparison against the EA
classification system.
Ecology and biodiversity
Great crested newt
Over the period April 2005 to March 2007, discharges to
sewer from Lagoon 4 were made between 4 and 14 January
2007. Analysis of the water showed it to be in accordance
with the discharge consent.
21
22
Legal Compliance
Date
Compliance with legislation and other legal requirements,
such as planning permissions and discharge consents (e.g.
to the River Rother or sewer) is assessed regularly.
Mill Lane Ponds
Pond 1
Pond 2
Pond 3
Railside
Ditch
Sidings
Ditch
Total
Compliance with discharge consents
April 05
7
22
11
229
0
269
May 05
10
13
7
421
DRY
451
for discharge of storm water to the River Rother
June 05
16
14
1
145
DRY
176
for discharge of treated water from the on-site
wastewater treatment plant to sewer
March 06
9
11
6
226
1
253
April 06
22
7
10
293
1
333
May 06
48
5
12
415
5
485
March 07
37
27
10
60
3
137
Traffic during the remediation phase will include HGVs
transporting materials for recycling or disposal (those that
cannot be treated on-site). In addition traffic will arise from
the requirement to import organic materials for the creation
of horticultural soils, the delivery and removal of equipment,
the delivery of fuel and other substances and materials, and
the arrival and departure of employees.
Due to the nature of the remediation process, the only
practical transport solution involves the use of the existing
site access and road network. As such the A61 is the main
receptor for traffic associated with the remediation phase;
predictions of the likely traffic levels have been made in the
EIA which accompanied the planning application.
A summary of the maximum, worst case predicted two-way
traffic flows including staff travel and HGV movements during
the different development phases is presented in the chart
below. The first phase (0-10 month) is due to commence in
January 2008 and should be completed in October 2008.
A number of breaches were recorded between April 2005
and March 2007, mainly for total suspended solids (TSS),
iron and thiocyanate. While thiocyanate is associated with
the legacy of contamination, iron is a substance that
appears naturally in the soils of the Coal Measures
underlying The Avenue. TSS comprises very small soil or
other particles that are transported with the water.
Number of exceedancees
When The Avenue Coking and Chemical Works was
operational traffic movements were believed to be high.
Currently, traffic to and from the site is limited to employee
trips; it is estimated that approximately 80 two-way car trips
per day use the existing site access point with the A61. There
are also a limited number of HGV movements associated with
deliveries to site and transportation of waste from the site.
The remediation strategy aims to minimise offsite disposal to
landfill, by retaining and treating materials on site. This will in
turn reduce the need for traffic movements.
During this period, the highest number of HGV trips are
predicted to be due to the delivery of plant and machinery
associated with initial mobilisation. This is in addition to
employee trips. HGV movements form a comparably small
percentage of the overall traffic movements generated by the
site summarised below.
The consent for discharge of storm water to the River
Rother is granted by the Environment Agency, and includes
specified limits for 22 substances. A water monitoring
programme is in operation, which includes weekly sampling
of the discharge. In addition to this, the Environment
Agency regularly visit the site to take their own samples.
The graph below indicates the number of exceedances of
the specified discharge consent conditions.
Stage of Project (months)
The traffic assessment undertaken by Entec/VSD Avenue
assessed the likely impacts of these traffic movements on the
A61 and its users. The results of the assessment suggest that
the impact on the A61 and its users will not be significant.
However, a number of mitigation measures have been
proposed, including:
Ap
ril
2
M 00
ay 5
Ju 200
ne 5
2
Ju 00
5
Au ly 2
Se gu 00
pt st 5
em 2
b 00
O er 5
ct
2
N ob 005
ov er
em 2
0
D
ec ber 05
em 2
0
0
b
Ja er 5
nu 20
a
Fe ry 05
br
2
ua 00
6
r
M y 20
ar
ch 06
Ap 200
ril 6
2
M 00
ay 6
Ju 200
ne 6
2
Ju 00
6
Au ly 2
Se gu 00
pt st 6
em 2
b 00
O er 6
c
2
N tob 006
ov er
em 2
0
D
ec ber 06
em 2
b 00
Ja er 6
nu 20
Fe ary 07
br
2
ua 00
7
r
M y 20
ar
0
ch 7
20
07
Traffic associated with The Avenue is generated by the
movement of staff to and from the site and by deliveries of
plant, equipment and consumables to the site and
transportation offsite of wastes. During remediation the
volume of traffic is expected to increase. Negative impacts
associated with traffic are congestion and accident risks,
pollution from vehicle emissions, and nuisance to local
residents in terms of noise, visual disturbance and dust
nuisance.
for discharge of surface water ponding on Lagoon
4 to sewer
Average Monthly Two-Way Trips
Traffic and transportation
The site currently holds three discharge consents:
The discharge to sewer from the wastewater treatment
plant and Lagoon 4 is consented by Yorkshire Water, which
is the sewerage undertaker in this area. The water
monitoring programme includes regular sampling of this
discharge, to determine the effectiveness of the operation
of the plant and assess compliance with the 13 consented
substances. Water from Lagoon 4 is discharged infrequently;
prior to discharge, it is sampled and analysed to confirm
that it complies with consent limits for eight chemical and
physical parameters.
improvements to visibility at the site access junction by the
maintenance of roadside vegetation within The Avenue
installation of traffic warning signs on approach to the
site access
upgrade of the existing on-site wheel washing facilities
to allow use by all HGVs to limit the deposition of
mud and debris on the carriageway. In addition road
sweeping of the access bellmouth would take place
at frequent intervals
a traffic Management Plan will be prepared in
consultation with DCC
23
24
Other Environmental Performance
The Avenue site is in the process of implementing measures
aimed at reducing breaches of discharge consent conditions.
The breaches and mitigation measures are discussed
regularly with the EA, who are aware of the issues and do
not intend to pursue prosecution of the site for these
occasional breaches.
The graph also shows a number of breaches of the consent
to discharge to sewer from the wastewater treatment plant.
This discharge is monitored regularly, and if elevated levels
are identified measures to mitigate are investigated and
implemented. Yorkshire Water is kept fully informed of any
breaches and the mitigation measures implemented. They
are aware of the current situation and again do not intend
to pursue prosecution of the site for these occasional
breaches.
Water from Lagoon 4 was discharged to sewer during
January 2007. Testing of the water showed it to be in
accordance with the discharge consent limits and no
exceedances were recorded.
Environmental incidents
In September 2006, untreated sewage surcharged from a
manhole on the public Yorkshire Water sewer into the
railsidings ditch near the eastern site boundary. This ditch
and associated ponds support a population of GCNs, which
are a protected species, and act as a receptor habitat for
individuals that require translocation from active areas of the
site. The newt population is surveyed regularly by TEP.
Immediately following discovery of the surcharge Yorkshire
Water was contacted. Their operatives visited the site and
cleared a blockage in the sewer that had caused the event.
The EA and Natural England were also contacted, who are
the regulators for pollution incidents and protected species,
respectively. A clean-up programme has been undertaken by
YW and the impact on the GCN population is being
monitored by TEP. Although the spill occurred at The
Avenue site and impacted on a habitat that contained
translocated GCNs, as statutory undertakers YW are
responsible.
Air Quality
As indicated by the graph on the previous page,
exceedances of air quality assessment criteria were
experienced on six occasions between April 2005 and March
2007; all of these were of deposited dust. This criterion is a
threshold above which dust has the potential to cause
nuisance, and is not directly related to human health effects.
The exceedances were all recorded at stations B and C,
which are both located adjacent to a haul road in the east
of the site and, and it is thought that dust could have been
liberated by vehicles using the road. Data collected from
other monitoring stations indicates that the dust did not
migrate offsite to cause negative impacts on sensitive
receptors. However, other exceedances of dust were
recorded at offsite monitoring station 5, near to the eastern
boundary of the site, in July and August 2005. Chemical
analysis of the dust suggested that the elevated levels might
be due to conditions local to the station but the results were
inconclusive.
Most of the exceedances experienced during the period
were recorded between April and August 2005, at which
time works on-site included the creation of the rail sidings
habitat and wetlands. This involved the excavation, haulage
and temporary stockpiling of soils; the associated increase in
site traffic could have lead to the excessive dust generation.
Mitigation measures will be implemented to reduce the
generation of dust, which may include damping down and
cleaning of site roads.
Complaints
The Avenue project operates a complaints procedure which
requires that all complaints are recorded and responded to
within seven days. In the period April 2005 to March 2007
the site received two complaints, in October 2005 and
January 2007. Both related to flooding of fields near the
former rail sidings at the south of The Avenue site. Both
complaints were responded to satisfactorily.
Communication
emda and the Project Team are committed to engaging in
open communication with all stakeholders of The Avenue
project. This includes communicating the significant
environmental aspects and impacts and the environmental
performance of the site.
Internal communication
Communication amongst the different parties working on
the project takes place on various levels, and includes the
regular relaying of information about environmental
performance, for example in the form of quarterly Health,
Safety and Environment review meetings. Information can
also be posted on a notice board located in the communal
area of the site offices.
The Project Team appreciates that in order to continually
improve the environmental performance of the project the
active engagement of everybody working at The Avenue is
essential. A suggestion box system has recently been
implemented to give all staff working at the site a say in
improving the environmental performance of the project.
EMS notice board
Discharge to the River Rother from the bear pits
Although surface water usually passes through a series of
settling tanks and weirs prior to discharge (bear pits), during
high flow conditions following heavy rain water can partially
bypass the treatment or pass through too quickly to allow
for satisfactory settlement. This can lead to exceedance of
the discharge consent, particularly for TSS. Furthermore,
historic contamination of both The Avenue and a
neighbouring site is thought to be leached by rainwater into
cracked drains, also affecting compliance with consent
conditions.
Prior to working on the site, all staff are required to
complete an induction which includes details of the
environmental policy, the site environmental rules, and the
key environmental impacts, roles and responsibilities
associated with the work. In addition to the inductions, key
staff with particular responsibilities under the EMS are
provided with environmental training for undertaking their
roles. Employees will also be briefed on the content of this
Environmental Statement.
External communication
A number of forums and liaison meetings have been created
at The Avenue over the years to enable open
communications between the stakeholders of the site and
emda and the Project Team.
Regulator Liaison meetings have been held for many years
and include the Environment Agency, North East Derbyshire
District Council (NEDDC), Chesterfield Borough Council
(CBC) and the Primary Care Trust (PCT).
A critical aspect of the delivery of the project is securing
planning consent for the remediation and landscape
scheme, while reserving part of the site for built
development. emda has set up a Plannnig Liaison Group
that meets regularly to ensure effective communication with
key stakeholders. The group includes local councillors and
planning officers from the three local authorities affected by
the scheme, i.e. NEDDC, Derbyshire County Council (DCC)
and CBC.
25
26
Wetlands created at The Avenue
Presented below are the numbers of liaison group meetings in the period April 2005
to March 2007.
External communication
Number completed
April 2005 - March 2006
April 2006 - March 2007
Regulator Liaison Meetings
7
6
Regulator Liaison Reports
12
12
Planning Liaison Reports
3
7
Newsletters
0
1
In addition, a series of newsletters have been published and a website created
(www.theavenueproject.co.uk) which provides regular updates on progress of
the project. The website is also used to publish the monthly air monitoring data
and reports and this environmental statement. The last newsletter was
published in February 2007.
Avenue Visitor Centre
The local community has been involved in a number of ways at The Avenue. In
January and February 2005, emda and the Project Team invited views from the
public and the local community on the proposed masterplan for the site. The
planning consultation events concluded in an open day at The Avenue. Further
open days are planned for the future.
The overall goal of the project is “the remediation of
contaminated land that may represent a risk to human health
and the environment, taking into account the proposed enduse of the site”. This is supported by a number of secondary
objectives, which are to:
reduce the impact of the site to the River Rother
reduce flood risk to properties downstream of the site
through the construction of a flood embankment,
and incorporating flood storage into the design of the
final landform
Achievements
enhance the biodiversity value of the site
The ‘Brownfield Briefing Remediation Innovation Awards’ aim to recognise best
practice in remediation and use of remediation technology throughout the UK.
The awards are organised by the Brownfield Briefing publication and Newzeye,
and are divided into three categories of remediation techniques, with separate
awards for the most innovative method and conceptual design work carried
out before remediation begins. Jacobs Babtie (now Jacobs UK) won the award
for the best conceptual design for their work at The Avenue site and was
presented with the award in a ceremony in London in September 2006.
effectively manage asbestos containing materials
Brownfield Briefing RIA ‘Best Conceptual
Design’ Award
Brownfield Briefing RIA ‘Best Conceptual Design’ Award
The Avenue has been recognised as a beacon project, which uses the latest
technology from the UK and abroad, to solve the complex remediation
problems posed by decades of industrial contamination at the site.
The photo shows emda’s Mike Fenton,
Jacobs Design Manager, Brian Sims
and Jacobs Technical Director, Clive
Paxton receiving the award from
Quentin Leiper of the Institution of
Civil Engineers.
In March 2007 The Avenue Project won the Institution of Civil Engineers’ East
Midlands Merit Award for design and innovation. The award recognises and
encourages excellence in design and construction in civil engineering.
In 2006 Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and emda won first place
in the Conservation Category of the BTO (British Trust for
Ornithology) Business Bird Challenge for their work at The
Avenue. This award promotes biodiversity on industrial sites,
and recognises efforts to improve The Avenue’s
conservation value through the creation of a wetland
and development of good relations with local communities.
implement the remediation strategy that encourages
pollution prevention, waste minimisation and reduction of
resource consumption, including energy and potable
water consumption
prevent uncontrolled releases to the environment
prevent all potential statutory nuisance issues associated
with the site from affecting neighbouring communities
promote active employee involvement to achieve
continual improvement in environmental performance
inform interested stakeholder groups of project progress,
environmental performance and continual improvement
and provide forums for discussions with stakeholders.
reduce risks to human health and the environment from
the presence of historic mine-shafts
Looking ahead to next year
A number of activities and initiatives are due to be
implemented by the end of the next reporting period, in
March 2008. These comprise programme milestones
relating to the commencement of site works for the overall
delivery of the project, and activities that aim to improve the
environmental performance of The Avenue.
These include:
ICE Innovation Award
BTO Bird Challenge
Overall Project Goals
emda are planning to open a visitor centre near the southern boundary of the
site during an Open Day on 3rd August 2007. This will serve to provide
information about the project, but will also be available for use by the local
community for training and education purposes, and includes a classroom that
can be used for presentations.
The Avenue site has received a number of awards.
improved internal and external communication about
environmental performance and sustainability through
active employee involvement, the implementation of a
system of sustainability KPIs (see below), achievement of
an ‘excellent’ CEEQUAL rating (see below), and
organisation of open days
the completion of the detailed design of the
remediation, including the final design of the thermal
desorption plant, which features heat recovery systems
to increase fuel efficiency
the preparation and agreement of method statements,
an Environmental Management Plan and Health &
Safety Plan for the works
the preparation and undertaking of public information
exhibitions
the gaining of all other requisite licences and
permissions, including the Planning Permission, a Mobile
Treatment Licence for the operation of remediation
plants, consents for discharges to the River Rother and
the public sewer, etc.
the agreement of the target price and award of the
contract for the remediation of the site
the commencement of mobilisation of plant and
equipment to site, construction and assembly of plant
and equipment
the commencement of ecological protection works, i.e.
translocation of protected species from areas that will be
disturbed to receptor habitats
27
28
Glossary
the commencement of preparation works, including
vegetation clearance and construction of temporary
site roads
following commissioning of the relevant plant and
equipment, the commencement of breaking out,
crushing and screening of concrete in the former main
plant area
Acid rain
Rain containing acids that are formed from pollutants, particularly sulphur dioxide
and nitrogen oxide, that are released from industrial and domestic combustion
processes and vehicle emissions
Air quality objectives (AQO)
Maximum concentrations set for a number of air pollutants which are not or only
for a certain number permitted to be exceeded in the ambient air.
Baseflow
The part of the water flow in a stream that originates from groundwater rather
than surface run-off.
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
A chemical procedure for determining how fast biological organisms use up
oxygen in a body of water. It is used in water quality management and
assessment, ecology and environmental science. BOD is not an accurate
quantitative test, although it could be considered as an indication of the quality of
a water source.8
Bioremediation
A process that uses microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi, or plants, to degrade
contaminants into CO2 and water (complete degradation) or to other products
(incomplete degradation). Some fungi can bind contaminants into the humic soil
structure so that they are not or less available.
CEEQUAL
Blue Billy
‘Blue Billy’ is a term used for spent oxide due to its blue-green colour.
CEEQUAL is an awards scheme
which involves the assessment of
the environmental quality of civil
engineering projects. The key
objective of the scheme is to encourage the attainment of
environmental excellence in civil engineering projects, and
thus to deliver improved environmental performance in
project specification, design and construction.
BTEX
A group of volatile organic compounds made up of benzene, toluene,
ethylbenzene and xylenes
Chemical oxygen demand (COD)
A test that is commonly used to indirectly measure the amount of organic
compounds in water. Most applications of COD determine the amount of organic
pollutants found in surface water, making COD a useful measure of water quality.8
Coal Measures
Sequence of rocks from the carboniferous period which often, but not always,
includes coal seams of commercially exploitable thickness.3
Conceptual model
A representation of the characteristics of a site in a diagrammatic or written form
that shows the possible relationships between contaminants, pathways and
receptors.4
Cyanide
Molecules containing a carbon and nitrogen group (CN) that can be found in
various forms with different solubilities and toxicities.
Decontamination unit
At The Avenue, a decontamination facility with changing, washing and shower
facilities is provided to prevent transfer of contaminants to clean site areas,
clothing, etc.
Desorb
A term that describes the release of a substance from another material. For
example, in thermal desorption, contaminants are released from the soil matrix
through the application of heat.
Discharge consent
A permit, issued by the Environment Agency where waters are concerned and
issued by the sewerage undertakers where sewers are concerned, that allows the
release of water or liquid effluent in accordance with specified chemical, physical
and/or flow requirements.
Dispersion modelling
The mathematical simulation of how air pollutants disperse in the ambient
atmosphere. It is performed with computer programs that solve the mathematical
equations and algorithms which simulate the pollutant dispersion. The dispersion
models are used to estimate or to predict the downwind concentration of air
pollutants emitted from sources such as industrial plants and vehicular traffic.8
Encapsulation
Physical containment of materials to prevent their release to the environment.
Environmental aspects
An element of an organisation’s activities, products or services that can interact
with the environment; a significant environmental aspect is an environmental
aspect that has or can have a significant environmental impact.7
Objectives
The objectives of the KPIs are to:
enable communication of the sustainability progress of
the site
provide a standardised methodology for measuring
performance
a reduction in the amount of office-derived waste going
to offsite disposal or recycling of 5% per person,
compared to 2006/07 financial year quantities
provide focus on areas where emda can make a
difference
a reduction in the energy consumption and associated
CO2 generation associated with the operation of site
offices of 5% per person, compared with 2006/07 levels
allow a lifecycle costing approach, and
the implementation of water consumption sub-metering
for office and site operations
the development and implementation of a system for
collecting more accurate fuel consumption data,
including that of subcontractors
Large scale excavation, earth movement and material
treatment operations are not considered likely to commence
until the end of the reporting period.
Sustainability Key Performance Indicators
Although the project will significantly improve the local
environment, emda recognise that there is potential for
environmental impacts and harm to occur during the works.
With this in mind a set of sustainability Key Performance
Indicators (KPIs) is being developed, which aim to provide
the project with a means of monitoring performance against
sustainability goals.
The KPIs are being developed with regard to a number of
initiatives. For example, emda’s Regional Economic Strategy
(RES) established a vision for regional progress to ensure a
quality of life for people in the East Midlands region,
embracing social and environmental, as well as economic,
objectives. The indicators reflect this to ensure that the
project encompasses this overarching vision. A mechanism
for measuring progress in terms of sustainable economic
well-being has been developed by emda, entitled ‘Regional
Index of Sustainable Economic Well-being’. Among the
measures suggested are the long term costs of climate
change, loss of natural habitat and costs associated with
different sources of local pollution. The Avenue indicators
will contribute to this regional index.
Objectives have also been closely aligned with the
aspirations of ‘Regeneration of European Sites in Cities and
Urban Environments’ (RESCUE) Guidance for Sustainable
Brownfield Generation. Additional input has been made in
line with ‘One Planet Living’ Principles and Sustainable
Construction targets.
transfer sustainable knowledge throughout the lifecycle
assist in technology selection and decision making.
CEEQUAL uses a credit-based assessment framework,
which is applicable to any civil engineering project and
includes environmental aspects such as the use of water,
energy and land as well as ecology, landscape, nuisance to
neighbours, archaeology, waste minimisation and
management, and community amenity.
A CEEQUAL award publicly recognises the achievement of
high environmental performance. Awards are made to
projects in which the clients, designers and contractors (in
this case the remediation team) go beyond the legal and
environmental minima to achieve distinctive environmental
standards of performance.
To summarise, CEEQUAL will:
promote improved environmental performance in
specification, design and remediation of the site
demonstrate the commitment of emda to environmental
quality, and
celebrate the achievement of high environmental
standards during the project.
emda are fully committed to the attainment of a CEEQUAL
award, and it is intended to submit the project for
assessment around the middle of 2007. The site is aiming to
achieve a CEEQUAL rating of ‘excellent’.
The system of indicators will be applied under the
framework of EMAS.
29
30
Environmental management plan
A written plan that specifies the methods, measures, procedures and programmes
that will be employed in executing construction work to ensure works will be
undertaken in accordance with sound environmental management procedures,
including identification and mitigation of environmental impacts
Environmental management
system (EMS)
The part of the overall management system that includes the organisational
structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and
resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining the
environmental policy.5
Health & safety plan
A written plan prepared by a contractor that describes the procedures and
equipment the contractor will have in place at a site to prevent site workers from
becoming sick or injured while conducting an investigation or cleanup.6
Key performance indicators (KPI)
Lifecycle
Lifecycle costing
Masterplan
Soil stabilisation
A soil treatment technology that aims at physically encapsulating and/or chemically
immobilising contaminants in the soil by addition of binders such as cement.
Soil washing
A soil treatment technology which uses water with or without addition of
detergents or solvents to separate contaminants from the soil and concentrate
them into a sludge/fines fraction.
Spent oxides
During the gas purification process at The Avenue, iron oxides were used to clean
sulphur and cyanides from the gas stream. When the sulphur content of the iron
oxides reached a certain level, the material became ineffective in the gas
purification. It was then called ‘spent oxide’ and was removed from the process.
Sustainability
The Brundtland Commission,a UN Commission formerly known as the World
Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) defined sustainable
development as development that “meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
Sustainability relates to the continuity of economic, social, institutional and
environmental aspects of human society, as well as the non-human environment8.
Thermal desorption
A soil treatment technology which utilises heat to transfer (desorb) contaminants
in soil from a solid or liquid phase into the gas phase which is removed from the
soil and treated separately.
Volatile organic compound (VOC)
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic chemical compounds that have
high enough vapour pressures under normal conditions to significantly vaporise
into a gas phase8.
Financial and non-financial metrics used to quantify objectives to reflect strategic
performance of an organisation.8 They can be used to measure the environmental
performance of an organisation.
The length of time that something lasts or remains useful,7 in
environmental terms it includes all time and processes from manufacturing of
a product or service through its use to its final disposal.
A process that identifies that costs associated with the full life cycle of a product
or service from its manufacture through use to final disposal. In environmental
economics this process can also be used to allocate costs to environmental
impacts.
A comprehensive, often long-term strategy,8 it shows how the proposals for a site
will be realised in detail in the final design.
3Jones,
G., Robertson, A., Forbes, J. and Hollier, G. (1990) Collins Dictionary of Environmental Science, Harper Collins Publishers, Glasgow.
4Environment
Method statement
A description of methods and measures that will be employed in executing
construction work.
Normalisation
In statistics, normalisation refers to the division of multiple sets of data by a
common variable in order to negate that variable’s effect on the data, thus
allowing underlying characteristics of the data sets to be compared8. For example,
the total volume of water used in the site offices is divided by the number of staff
and visitors to make the figure comparable to the data of other time periods or
other organisations.
Perched groundwater
A groundwater zone that is separate from the groundwater table. At The Avenue,
perched groundwater can be found on top of lower permeability zones, for
example areas of clay in the underground.
Photochemical smog
The product of reactions induced by the energy of sunlight between pollutants
produced by combustion processes and vehicle emissions with components of the
ambient air. Compounds of photochemical smog include oxides of nitrogen (NO
and NO2), ozone and certain hydrocarbons.
PM10
Particulates with a particle size of up to 10 micrometer (um, 1000um = 1mm).
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)
A group of organic molecules that consist of two or more condensed aromatic
rings. PAH are commonly produced by fossil fuel combustion.
Remediation
Action taken to prevent, minimise, remedy or mitigate the effects of any identified
unacceptable risks5.
Remediation strategy
A plan that involves one or more remediation options to reduce or control the risks
from all relevant pollutant linkages associated with the site5.
Site Investigation / Ground investigation
Investigation of a site that can include drilling of boreholes and sampling of soils
and water.
Agency: Model Procedures for the Management of Land Contamination, Contaminated Land Reports 11
5Regulation
(EC) No 761/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2001 allowing voluntary participation by organisations in a Community
eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS)
6Oregon
Department of Environmental Quality, Retrieved June 22 2007 from Google web definitions Website: www.deq.state.or.us/wmc/cleanup/glossary.htm
7Macmillan
8Collins
English Dictionary, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2002
English Dictionary, 2004
31
This statement has been prepared by the
Avenue EMAS Team. For further information
about the project please visit The Avenue website
(www.theavenueproject.co.uk) or contact us at:
The Avenue
Derby Road
Wingerworth
Chesterfield S42 6NB
Telephone: 01246 207825
Email: [email protected]
The Avenue EMAS team from left to right:
Tim Murdoch, Louis Jacobs,
Phil Shaw, Anke O’Donnell

Download/View EMAS Statement

Transcription

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