Lyn Fraley - 29-Mar-2007
- The Environment Agency has taken over
responsibility, as the enforcing authority,
for the contaminated land at Cinderhill
Tar Pits, near Belper in Derbyshire.
We are working with Amber Valley Borough
Council with the aim of addressing any risks
that the site may pose to human health and
the environment. We want to achieve this
at minimum cost to the public purse and
have provided our requirements to the Council
in connection with the planning application
that it is currently considering. Any works
will be proportionate to the hazard and
will ensure that the site meets the appropriate
standard should the Council wish to grant
planning permission for future development
and remediation. We are recommending further
ground investigation across the site by
any developer prior to development commencing.
The tar pits are privately owned and we
are in negotiation with the landowner to
improve the fencing at the site and further
restrict access. In the interim we will
be erecting signs telling people not to
trespass and to inform those who do stray
onto the site to keep away from the exposed
tars.
We shall now be considering the best way
to make the site safe. We plan to contact
residents groups and the organisations we
work with to find out what level of involvement
they would like and consider the issues
thoroughly before we decide on the best
way to deal with the site.
Cinderhill was previously used for the
disposal of acid tars from a local oil refining
process. These tars are only a risk to health
through frequent physical contact, such
as accidentally eating it or contact with
the skin.
We are looking at the potential risks to
health posed by contaminants at the site.
The key to bringing any human health risk
at the site within safe limits lies in preventing
the contamination reaching humans. This
can be achieved by either restricting access
to the contaminated area or sealing the
contamination by using something like a
physical barrier to cover or "cap"
the material.
Area Environment Manager, Mark Haslam,
says: "This type of contamination is
only a danger to people if they have frequent
physical contact with the exposed tars and
associated liquids on site. The solution
lies in separating people from the tars."
" We urge people to keep away from
the site. This simple measure alone will
keep them safe. We then need to work out
the extent of the risk and what it is possible
to do to ensure the site is safe. We shall
be talking to the community and seeking
expert health advice before we decide how
best to deal with it."
Notes to Editors
Cinderhill Tar Pits
Cinderhill Tar Pits are located next to
the A38, near Kilburn, east of Belper in
Derbyshire. Historically, the site was used
to extract clay. During the 1970s, the resulting
clay pits were used for the disposal of
a range of waste, including waste from the
oil refining industry that once operated
in the area.
The waste was deposited in the Tar Pits
under a Waste Management Licence from Derbyshire
County Council, which was responsible for
licensing waste disposal, according to the
standards in force at that time.
In 2000, new legislation came into force
that required local authorities to identify
any contaminated land within their district
boundaries and gave them powers to determine
the land as contaminated land, if appropriate.
In order to investigate whether the waste
material that had been disposed of at the
site presents any risks, Amber Valley Borough
Council commissioned the services of an
environmental consultant to undertake an
inspection of the area. Based on that inspection,
and the advice of officers, the Council
decided that the site was contaminated land
and designated the site as a Special Site
in February 2007. The effect of the designation
is that the Environment Agency becomes the
enforcing authority.
+ More
Environment Agency chairman tours Tiverton
flood archive
Mike Dunning - 29-Mar-2007 - A unique community
flood archive is having a special visitor
next week – Environment Agency chairman,
Sir John Harman.
Showcasing the project will be pupils from
Tiverton High School who have produced a
15-minute film tracing the history of flooding
in the town. The visual archive is very
much a community effort with young and old
using their combined talents to produce
a fascinating visual record of local flooding
history.
During his visit Sir John will meet the
youngsters who compiled and edited the archive
and meet several local elderly residents
whose old photographs and anecdotes added
colour to the project. Their recollections,
particularly of the 1960’s floods, were
captured on video and feature in the film.
The project resulted from a unique partnership
between the Environment Agency, Tiverton
High School and local people. Also involved
were Mid-Devon District Council and Upstream
Healthy Living.
Sir John will arrive at Tiverton High School
next Wednesday (April 4) at 12.40 and stay
for lunch after being shown a special screening
of the visual archive and meeting those
involved in the community project.
Earlier in the day he will visit the Environment
Agency’s Devon Area office at Exminster
before heading up the Exe Valley to Tiverton.
After lunch Sir John will visit a recently
completed £400,000 flood defence scheme
at Bampton that was constructed by the Environment
Agency’s own in-house workforce.
Improvements at Bampton include a series
of new walls, banks and a flood gate. The
project also features a traditional-style
Devon bank constructed from local materials.
Sir John will end the day with a visit
to the Exmoor National Park headquarters
in Dulverton where he will learn about schemes
such as the Exmoor Mire Restoration project
that is helping to combat climate change
and restore scarce upland bog habitats.
The project is run in partnership with the
Environment Agency, Exmoor National Park
Authority, Natural England and South West
Water.
For full details of Sir John’s visit including
the photo opportunity at Tiverton High School
call the Environment Agency’s regional press
office on 01392 442008
