Lynemouth coastline safe to enjoy again after 70 years of historic waste removed
Lynemouth coastline safe to enjoy again after 70 years of historic waste removed
Clean-up work to remove decades of historical pollution at Lynemouth coastline has now been successfully completed by BAM.
The £5m scheme, initiated by Northumberland County Council, to stop historic deposits of landfilled waste from decades of colliery waste being washed into the sea included the excavation, treatment and removal of hazardous colliery waste from known ‘hot spots’ along the coastline. Circa 1000 tonnes of hazardous and non-hazardous material including asbestos containing materials, hydrocarbons, rubber and plastic have been removed.
Much of the pollution originates from the early 1900s, when Ellington and Lynemouth Colliery both tipped waste on the Lynemouth foreshore, which had artificially extended the coastline toward the sea. Coastal erosion has exposed this waste to the beach and marine environment, posing a significant risk, particularly with two Marine Conservation Zones close to this area of shoreline.
Where possible rock, brick and stone was removed from the colliery spoil so that it could be used to backfill the excavations and restore the land to its near-original profile.
In total 95,000 tonnes of colliery spoil was excavated and processed to restore the natural coastline and ensure the area can once again be safely enjoyed by the public while protecting the surrounding marine ecosystem.
The clean-up work was delivered by construction and civil engineering firm BAM UK & Ireland along with the permanent works designer, Royal Haskoning.
Gareth Farrier, Northern Region Director BAM Nuttall said:
“A huge amount of hard work has gone into completing the project at Lynemouth, and it truly stands as a testament to the effort, dedication, and unwavering commitment of every single member of the team.
Paul Jones, Director of Environment and Transport at Northumberland County Council, said:
"This major clean-up project has significantly improved the environment along this part of the county’s coastline which has been blighted by past industrial activity.
“This has been a key scheme in our ongoing commitment to improving the environment in Northumberland and this area has undergone an impressive transformation over the past few months."
This success has been made possible through a shared vision and collaboration with our partners, Northumberland County Council and Royal Haskoning, to transform this stretch of coastline into a safer and cleaner environment – one that the local community and wildlife can once again enjoy.”
