Tata Steel land remediation in Port Talbot, Wales

KEY INFORMATION

Project name: Tata Steel land remediation project
Date: 2017
Length: 18 months 
Client: Andrew Scott Ltd, on behalf of Tata Steel 
Location: Port Talbot, South Wales

PROJECT SUMMARY

SOCOTEC supported Tata Steel’s Port Talbot steelmaking site with land remediation and enabling works.

A new power plant development was proposed to strengthen Tata’s UK operations in the region. Understanding the distribution of contamination within the land and developing an effective and targeted remediation plan was essential to ensuring that development plans could be delivered in a compliant and cost effective way. With experience in delivering a multi-disciplinary approach to earthworks and remediation projects, SOCOTEC’s expertise was called upon to provide environmental and geotechnical data as well as deliver integrated sampling, on and offsite testing and consultancy services.

PROJECT DETAILS 

Identified contamination risks included the presence of hydrocarbons, coal tar and metals, as well as asbestos in soils – all of which are common for brownfield sites with a heavy industrial history. 

To address these issues SOCOTEC developed a remediation strategy to segregate unsuitable soils while maximising opportunities for soil reuse where possible, and to minimise recontamination of remediated areas. SOCOTEC’s materials management and remediation method statement and verification plans ensured work progressed in line with current regulations and followed best practices. To maximise soil reuse, SOCOTEC conducted appropriate risk assessments and deployed an on-site mobile laboratory for the chemical analysis of soil samples.

To minimise recontamination of excavated and remediated areas, it also incorporated control measures into the design. This included membranes, perimeter drainage and targeted removal of contaminated waters from the wider area. 

Effective management of potentially contaminated soils, materials handling and material reuse can support the timeliness and cost-effectiveness of a project. SOCOTEC was able to implement an approach that maximised soil reuse, which significantly reduced expenses for Tata Steel in regard to hazardous waste disposal fees