Environment Agency urges for full site assessments prior to
demolition
Environmental update 04/07/2011
The Environment Agency is urging demolition contractors to make
sure they carry out a full environmental assessment of every site
prior to starting work, to ensure they prevent potential pollution
spills or contamination.
The call comes after Demolition Network Ltd was found guilty at
trial for an oil spill which caused serious pollution to the Peak
Forest Canal in Hyde in March 2009. The company was fined £15,000
and ordered to pay costs of £16,635.
The company was demolishing a site in Hyde. Shortly after works
started to clear soil from the top of a tank which had been
earmarked for removal, oil started leaking into the canal,
eventually affecting a 3.5 km stretch.
Although the company acted responsibly and contacted the
Environment Agency to alert them to the pollution, as well as
appointing specialist contractors to clean up the oil, this
incident could have been avoided if the company had taken full
account of pre-demolition reports prepared for the site and the
Company could also have sought advice from the Environment
Agency.
There was a significant environmental effect, with 3.5
kilometres of canal covered with a film of oil; the canal was
closed for about six weeks until works were completed. A
boatyard was also affected as it could not accept customers during
the period of the works. The Environment Agency said, "operators
working near drains or watercourses should take every precaution
when dealing with storage tanks where the state and contents are
unknown. This was a serious incident, which could have been avoided
if the company had carried out the right checks and sought advice
and guidance. The Environment Agency is here to support companies
who carry out activities which could have an impact on our
environment. I would encourage any organisation to contact us for
advice rather than have to fund an expensive clean up, and face
possible prosecution."