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Chemical Clean-Up

Posted on: Monday, 30 January 2006, 12:00 CST

By Naomi Paylor

A major clean-up of badly polluted land around homes in Yarm is due to begin.

For the past year, Stockton Council has been working with the Environment Agency, Health Protection Agency and other specialists at the site on West Street.

Preliminary investigations found that soil around the houses, built on a former gasworks, was contaminated with chemicals, including arsenic, lead and mercury.

And with the further analysis of the soil and water conditions now completed, the council intends to hand over responsibility to the Environment Agency within days.

They said the studies found no immediate or short term health risks and demolition is "not thought to be required" but the site must still be cleaned up. The council again said residents will not be expected to pay for the work.

Responsibility is being handed over to the Environment Agency as soil below the houses could potentially be contaminated.

Jeff Pacey, of the agency, said: "We will be contacting residents in the run-up to let them know what will be happening."

Cllr Steve Nelson, Stockton Council's cabinet member for the environment, said the agency has assured them the clean-up will be a priority. He said: "We have met each of the residents individually and they have been understandably anxious but very patient."

Defra has funded all the investigations to date and a council spokesman said the work is also expected to be provided by the Government.

A neighbour of the affected residents said she was pleased that steps would soon be taken to resolve the problem.

She said: "I think it will come as a relief that work will be starting soon. Hopefully they will wait until the weather gets a bit better so it won't be too much of a messy job."

Source: Evening Gazette - Middlesbrough

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