Envirotreat has been commissioned by Speller Metcalfe (PC for West Mercia Police and Hereford & Worcester Fire Service), to undertake supplementary site investigation, remediation options appraisal, treatability trials, and remediation works in readiness for a new Fire & Police Combined Hub on a vacant Brownfield site adjoining the existing fire station.
The development site had complex contamination issues, partly that the site was a former (pre WWII) landfill, previous site investigations had shown waste (spent oxides) from the former town gas works had been deposited there, together with a range of contamination, predominately heavy metals. However more importantly was the presence of PFAS chemicals in both the soils and groundwater (1,000 ng/l compared to an EQS of 0.65 ng/l) on the site and existing fire station (part of which fell into the new development area).
The PFAS remediation strategy placed in front of both Worcester Regulatory Services (on behalf of Worcestershire Council) and LQM (on behalf of West Mercia Police and Hereford & Worcester Fire Service) was approved.
Remediation works commenced 6th March and were completed by the 21st April. The works consisted of design and installation of a E-Clay Permeable Reactive Barrier (circa 180m) and PFASorb treatment of soils (and associated groundwater) with identified elevated PFAS concentrations, following delineation.
PFASorb is a modified E-Clay specifically for the stabilisation of PFAS chemicals.
In total circa 4,500m3 of soils were treated in-situ.
Envirotreat Remediation Strategy.
Following completion of the works, Envirotreat supported the client with
- Watching brief during the earthworks as part of the CL:AIRE declared MMP
- Ongoing provision water treatment capability for deep excavations
- Soil classification and disposal as part of the cut and fill
- Continued groundwater monitoring.
Envirotreat Mobile Treatment Area
Groundwater Monitoring was completed in 2024 with all monitoring boreholes below the Remediation Target Criteria
Site History
The site consists of two parts, Part A, is land associated with the rear of the existing Fire Station (training tower, rear yard and parking area). Part B is land to the east of the Fire Station which at the time of remediation was cleared land.
The Phase 1 site investigation report prepared by LQM indicted that the area was undeveloped until the 1930’s when the alluvial sand and gravel deposits were apparently quarried, with the area subsequently infilled prior to 1965. Where it is believed to have been used as a refuse tip after World War II (an assumption backed up by anecdotal evidence). The was later confirmed by Envirotreat during subsequent site investigations and remediation, where landfill material was widespread across the development area.
An unknown structure was shown in Area A prior to 1955, before being demolished to make way for the Fire Station in 1964. The Adult Training Centre existed in the southern part of Area B in 1965, prior to being demolished in October 2009.
Original Redditch Fire Station in 1990 [source Redditch Fire station & Appliances. 1990]
Former Adult Learning Centre 2019 [source Google Maps]
New Police & Fire Combined Hub (with old Fire Station located behind it) [source Speller Metcalfe]
