Former Plastics Manufacturing Site, Somerset
Works on this historic site involved the demolition and refurbishment of existing structures and extensive soil remediation.
Prior to the 1900s this former plastics manufacturing site housed a power grist mill, which was converted to a steam powered mill, producing sail cloths and included a small on-site gas works in operation between 1844 and the 1920s. The manufacturing of plastics on the site started in 1938 and the site included a number of building structures of various ages including grade II listed buildings and a mill pond, which was infilled sometime in the 1970s.
Contaminant sources included a number of above ground fuel storage tanks in addition to an oil accumulator located in the centre of the main compression shop. Extensive oil staining across the floors of the factory past and ore recent signalled the past presence of diesel and oil fuelled machinery.
Red Rock was commissioned to undertake intrusive investigations and determine remediation requirements. Contamination identified included petroleum and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as well as localised metals and cyanide in soils with some hydrocarbon presence in the groundwater.
A remedial betterment scheme was agreed with the Regulatory Authorities, which involved the on-site treatment of hydrocarbon-impacted soils with soil re-instatement after treatment and groundwater and surface water monitoring undertaken during the remedial excavations.
