Problem
Former railway years can offer a tremendous opportunity for development because of their prime locations. The legacy of steam engines, diesel and electrical locomotives, however can be a source of contamination. Commonly coal and ash were dumped around sidings, solvents and lubrication oil handling was poorly thought and fuel spillages were common.
Solution
Stage 1 - Detailed Site Investigation
Before prescribing a remedial strategy, the site was comprehensively investigated-both soil and groundwater. Detailed chemical and biological data were generated to assess the potential for bioremediation and to define end-points with the regulator. Laboratory analysis verified the approach and the remedial strategy was adopted. Remedios technology was able to diagnose site issues rapidly and enable a competitive edge on reaslising solutions.
Stage 2 - Appraising the Remediation Strategy
After the site investigation had been developed, estimates of volumes were made and developed into the plan. The research scientists were then able to design the mechanisms by which remedial action would be carried out.
Stage 3 - Gaining Regulatory Approval
Having developed the site knowledge and assessed the clean-up mechanisms, Remediosmet with the regulator and reached site specific threshold values that would be protective for future users-ieresidents. Bespoke risk assessment models were tailored to site specific features to calculate these targets.
Stage 4
Remedios have a unique selling point in that they are able to take laboratory findings and make these directly applicable to what is happening at the field scale. This flow diagram is for the site-specific Remediation Plan for this site and explains to the operators and the Remedios staff on site the data that need to be collected and how these will be used in determining the volumes of material that will undergo remediation.The speed of the technology used by Remedios is unique in Remediation Diagnostics.
Stage 5
To allow the highest value to be realised from the site the process must be both effective yet economically viable. Once again planning underpinned all of the stages where weekly formal meeting brought each party to understand the issues on the site. Charts were used to explain when certain management steps were required and forecasts for requirements could be related to weather conditions and other site activities. The completion of the last biopile saw the remediation of 20,000 cubic metres equating to about 30,000 tonnes. This soil had met the strict criteria that had been negotiated with the regulator within a suitable timescale. Had landfill been required the cost would have risen to many millions of pounds.
Stage 6
To prevent on site migration of materials from neighbouring areas protective membrane runs along the eastern part of the site. In places over 4 m deep this membrane enables environmental management and risk reduction of the site. Once again this is bespoke and sensitive to the site issues. As well as preventing gas migration it will inhibit any other fluids reaching the site from those areas around that have not undergone a remedial strategy.
An intensive study of gas was also carried out after re-instatement and again this was conducted under the guidance of the regulator to make sure that future uses of the site would in no way be compromised.
Stage 7
Remedios oversaw a tremendous development and as such there must be an audit trail to ensure best practice throughout. To this end soil samples were collected throughout each of the treatments and after re-instatement. Gas analysis data from daily sampling were collated. Volumes of materials and where they were moved to were recorded. Each decision was justified and clearly stated using the best scientific and engineering values. When material was removed from the site this was recorded and logged. This report serves to show the best practice and enables the client to have a working document that explains the steps taken. Despite the extent of contamination, the volume of materials and the relatively restricted amount of space Remedios were able to deliver a unique product both in time and to cost
Further information can be found within the pdf attached to this article.
railway-yard.pdf (928 Kbytes)
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