The Challenge
The 10Ha former coal yard comprising two bays has been earmarked for redevelopment to a light commercial/industrial use. Ground remediation works are required to enable the surrender of the existing Environmental Permit prior to the proposed site redevelopment.
To surrender Bristol Port’s existing permit for the site, it will need to be demonstrated to the Local Authority that ‘no additional pollution has occurred since the issue of the Permit and no further steps are required to return the site to its pre-Permit state.’ Significant coal fines remained on the site, partly mixed into the underlying granular drainage layer, creating a problematic waste stream that would be uneconomic to dispose of off-site as waste.
Our Solution
After agreeing on a risk-based remediation approach with the Local Authority, Soilfix designed and implemented the following materials-managed based remediation scheme to surrender the Environmental Permit:
- Controlled site strip to segregate remnant coal from the bays and former conveyor bund;
- Controlled excavation of the underlying granular drainage blanket layers and redundant drainage pipework, segregating based on coal content;
- Dry screening of 37,000m3 stripped coal and drainage aggregate;
- Transfer of 27,366 tonnes recovered coal fines to the main port for sea transportation to a mainland Europe Energy Recovery facility;
- Wet screening of 9,372m3 recovered aggregates to remove coal fines and produce Type 1 / 6F2 graded aggregates suitable for re-use during future site development;
- Verification testing of the basal formation and site-won coal / aggregates to confirm suitability; and,
- Implementation of stringent dust monitoring & controls due to the close proximity of an imported car storage area.
Soilfix successfully achieved the objectives of the remediation scheme to the satisfaction of the Local Authority, enabling the discharge of the Environmental Permit for the coal yards (a contract responsibility). Works were completed on programme to the client’s satisfaction, with zero lost time accidents.
