Brownfields

Remediation of the Avenue Coking Works in Chesterfield (UK)

In July 2009, DEC in joint venture was awarded the remediation of one of the most polluted sites of Europe, the former Avenue Coking Works in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The contract has a value of 82 million pounds, and signifies an important breakthrough of DEC into the United Kingdom.

The Avenue Coking Works is the site of a former coking plant that was opened in 1956 and ceased operation in 1992. It was a fully integrated plant producing smokeless fuels and processing by-products that were produced through the carbonisation of coal. The by products concerned were sulphuric acid, ammonium sulphate, pure benzene and toluene, xylene, naphthalene, and other acids and organic compounds.

Heavy contamination of the site, and the consequential contamination of the adjacent River Rother, after many years of industrial productivity, has resulted in the Avenue site being regarded as one of worst single point sources of pollution in the UK.

In July 2009, DEC in joint venture with Sita Remediation (NL) and Volker Stevin (UK) was awarded the effective remediation of the site. The joint venture was chosen for its innovative techniques and its extensive experience with these types of remediation programmes.

The contract consists of the design and construction and requires the excavation and treatment of two million cubic meters of contaminated soil. On a surface of 98 hectares around the former coking works, the soil is saturated with hydrocarbons and tar. All contaminated soils is treated on site, to limit transport and storage.

An extensive range of techniques will be used: thermal treatment, physical-chemical soil washing, bioremediation and separating techniques using mobile treatment plants on site.

The heavily contaminated groundwater is also treated with a water purification unit (biological and chemical oxidation techniques). VSD Avenue will inspect the air quality and will perform odour analysis.

Key figures:

• 2 million m³ earth moving works
• 270.000 m³ thermal treatment
• 74.000 m³ bioremediation
• 327.000 m³ separating techniques and soil washing

Also visit the official website of the project.
Read our press release on the project, dated July 2009.
Read the article (pdf, 321 KB) that was published in September 2009 in the Brownfield Remediation Guide.