Big 2012 Olympics clean-up now almost finished
THE clean-up of the huge Olympic Park which has been contaminated through decades of industrial use is almost complete, the Delivery Authority has announced. Contamination included oil, petrol, tar, cyanide, arsenic and lead, as well as some low level radioactive material
THE clean-up of the huge Olympic Park which has been contaminated through decades of industrial use is almost complete, the Delivery Authority has announced.
Contamination included oil, petrol, tar, cyanide, arsenic and lead, as well as some low level radioactive material.
The authority's infrastructure director Simon Wright said: "We have cleaned a million tonnes of contaminated material to protect the workforce, public and future generations that will live and work here."
The cleaning involves reusing 90 per cent of the demolition rubble and 80 per cent of soil on the site to reduce lorry journeys through the streets of East London to landfill sites.
The Environment Agency's Rosemary Redmond said: "This part of East London was blighted by fly-tipping, poor water quality and little public access.
"The clean up also involved removing 'invasive' species which prevented native wildlife thriving."
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A small amount of soil containing traces of radioactive material, classed as 'exempt' under current environmental law, has been buried in a sealed cell under a bridge embankment on site.
Further small pockets of contaminated material already identified are being cleaned and reused on site where possible, with minimal amounts taken to landfill sites.
