§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 12 January 1998,Official Report, columns 3–4, on the site for the Millennium Experience, if he will list the pollutants found on the site during the reclamation work. [25044]
§ Ms Angela EagleA large proportion of the Greenwich Peninsula site has been chemically contaminated to varying degrees as a result of former industrial activities, principally the generation of coal, gas and associated by-products. By-products included the manufacture of sulphuric acid and ammonium sulphate fertiliser in a dedicated chemical works as well as the production of coal tar and a range of organic chemicals such as benzene and naphtha in a separate tar works.
As a result, the principal contaminants found on the site are: wastes from tar production and distillation including coal tars and a variety of derivatives; materials from gas purification including foul lime clinker waste and spent oxide; carboniferous materials including coal, coke and clinker.
The contaminants were identified during a comprehensive site investigation undertaken both by the original site owners, British Gas, and by English Partnerships.
Remediation has been carried out to ensure that adequate precautions have been taken, in line with legislation and Government policy, to protect ground and surface waters, construction workers, visitors, residents, and general public and building materials from future harm from these contaminants.