EDS

Client: Advantage West Midlands

Location: Bilston, West Midlands

The Issue

A five hectare former industrial site that after closure had operated as a scrap metal yard and latterly also operated as an unlicensed tip. The fly tipped material was known to include general, domestic and industrial waste including hospital waste, asbestos, oils and greases, tyres, batteries and industrial capacitors. The site also contained several significant areas of Japanese knotweed growth.

The Objective

Identification and classification of all wastes on site. Controlled and auditable removal and disposal of all identified waste to appropriate recycling centres and waste facility sites. All materials to be removed to historical backfilled grade surface. All activities to be undertaken to ensure no contamination of the underlying strata occurred and all risks to site staff and the public were mitigated.

The Solution

• This large former industrial site had historically been largely demolished to ground level leaving some buildings and sub surface structures. The site has most recently operated as a scrap metal yard and in addition had large volumes of materials fly tipped across the wider site.
• The agreed strategy was to identify and classify all wastes such that the largest volume of material could be recycled with non recyclable materials being transported to controlled landfill sites. All waste was removed to historic backfilled levels.
• All Waste streams were fully managed with an auditable system allowing for classification and disposal or recycling of all waste streams generated.
• Further site clearance as required including tree clearance and timber processing.
• Demolition of identified existing buildings and underground structures and subsequent backfilling of structures, tanks and pits.
• Earthworks to extend existing PFA / soil bunds
• Dust, airborne asbestos and noise monitoring. Control levels and measures to ensure no events created risks to site staff or the public and no nuisance level events occurred were agreed prior to contract commencement and implemented and monitored during clearance works.