EDS - Knottingley

Date: 11 Jun 2009

Multi national organisation Euro Decommissioning Solutions (EDS), who specialise in the safe deconstruction, dismantling and decontamination of high risk sites for the chemical, oil and pharmaceutical industries has been appointed by Yorkshire-based St Paul's Developments to undertake a comprehensive decommissioning and dismantling programme on a former chemical plant in Knottingley including the demolition of a 50m brick chimney.

The former circa 30 acre Oxiris Ltd chemical factory site was acquired by St Paul's Developments in October 2008 following an announcement earlier in the year by site owners German-based Arques Industries that the factory would be closing due to increased competition with Asia.

Since their start on site in March 2009, EDS has utilised their vast, global expertise to demolish some 70 traditional concrete, brick, steel and timber constructions in addition to the 50m brick chimney. One of the tallest, if not the tallest reaching ultra high reach excavator in the UK, with a 60m telescopic boom and 120 tonne base, was utilised to demolish the chimney on 9th June 2009. Further decontamination and clearing of the site to slab level is currently take place, with the project scheduled for completion in September of this year.

Greg Lannon, Operations Manager for EDS, said; "This project is a highly complex and delicate operation due to the volume and variety of chemicals within the site. The site operated around five production units which manufactured cresols, sulphonic acids, thiophenes, phenolic ethers and polyacrylate over seven separate plants or zones. In order to conduct the programme of works to the highest level of safety, we undertook detailed studies of each chemical zone in order to locate residual products accurately. Additionally, we employed two former plant workers on a consultancy basis, who have a combined site experience of some 60 years, to advise on our approach to each zone. This nature of project is where our specialist knowledge and safe practice really comes into play."

David Elliot, Managing Director (Technical) of St Paul's Developments, continued; "We instructed EDS to carry out the works on the Knottingley site due to their extensive experience in the high-risk, large-scale decommissioning and dismantling arena. The project has run smoothly and on-time and after the works are complete we will be undertaking further detailed sub-surface site investigations and chemical testing in order to compile the remediation strategy to submit with a planning application for the future mixed use development."

50m brick chimney about to be demolished by the tallest high reach excavator in the UK

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