Walker area - chemical spill alert

[5150]

Didn't catch the exact details on the radio news, but there's something about avoiding the Tyne around the Walker area? Some toxic chemicals leaking into the river apparantly.

A heads up if someone can post the full details if they know them.

[tonynufc]

it was in last nights chronicle the area that's affected is cordoned off, i think it said the paths are safe to use. the area that has the worst of it is around the low tide mark

[5150]

Cheers mate, I had a look this morning and found the article on their website, here's the full write up for anyone else who hadn't seen it:


Old factory is blamed for contaminated riverside area

Apr 22 2008 by Adam Jupp, Evening Chronicle

CHEMICALS that have made a stretch of riverbank unsafe have been traced to the region’s industrial past.

Health protection investigators have ruled the area around the former St Anthony’s Tar Works is contaminated land.

The ground, on Walker Riverside in Newcastle’s East End, has been blighted by industrial chemicals which could pose a risk to the public.

And now signs have been put up along the riverside path – the Hadrian’s Wall Path national trail – advising people not to go on to a limited area of the shore.

Prof Tanja Pless-Mulloli, a professor of environmental epidemiology – the study of factors affecting the health of a population – was part of the team who assessed the chemicals at the site.

She said: “The chemicals, which were hydrocarbons, were consistent with the type of work that went on when the tar factory was open.

“What happened was the tide brought water into the site and when it went out it took some of the chemicals. On the shore they are not at acute danger level but the concentration is more than normal.

“There will be discussions on how best to get rid of the chemicals. You can no longer just dig up the area and put it in landfill. There will have to be some quite complex engineering done to remove it.”

The chemicals are most concentrated on the shore, especially at low tide, though the path that runs above and next to it is safe to use.

Council bosses are now in talks to secure funding to clean up the affected area.

Newcastle City Council’s director of regulatory services and public protection Stephen Savage said: “The city continues to remediate areas of land contaminated as a result of our industrial heritage.

“We await confirmation of government funding so that we can start the clean-up process as soon as possible.”

Health protection chiefs say direct contact with the contaminants can cause skin irritation but there is no immediate risk to health. And that is mainly because the mixture of chemicals – which includes benzene and naphthalene – are well below levels which cause acute health effects.

But long-term exposure to high levels of the contaminants over a period of years could cause health problems.

A team of experts from Newcastle City Council, the Health Protection Agency, Newcastle Primary Care Trust and Newcastle University are working together to keep the public safe and begin a process to clean up the site.

The council is in talks with the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs about obtaining funding that will ultimately pay for a clean-up operation.

The declaration of the site as contaminated land allows the council to apply for the money it needs for the cleaning operation.

Health Protection Agency consultant in health protection Dr Meng Khaw said: “Although concentrations found are below the levels which cause immediate serious health effects, they can be hazardous if absorbed in high enough quantities or over long periods of time.

“Direct contact with them can cause skin irritation.

“Because of this we are advising people to stay off the shore until it has been cleaned up.”

[willywetegg]

Cheers for that Lee, there must be so many places like that from our past.

Jim.

[jordy]

similar goings on at the gateshead side of the river,old chemical works to blame for that one though.

[SIXFOOTSTEVE]

We used to play around the tar yards when we where nippers ,minging place.

[The Great Wallsendo]

might explain a lot about those from the area.....

[mark]

the council's make me laugh though, chemicals schmemicals.

get offered pots of cash by a developer then a few years later go all green when they find out it might be a bit iffy

cna't wait for it all to kick off on the new housing estate they built by the staithes in dunston.

4 centuries of acid factories, lead smelters, munitions works, coking works, gas works..

wayne hemingway wasn't it that designed them, what's his label again, oh yeah, "Red or Dead" rather apt doncha think! the hedline writers are gonna have a field day with that one at some point in the future... unless having 3 eyes and 7 fingers becomes fashionable

glove makers and spec savers will make a mint out of it though

[Oblickta]

I worked on that site and cant remember any special precautions. There's a special membrane used now to protect against chemicals and gases but cant recall using it over there.

[mark]

I worked on that site and cant remember any special precautions. There's a special membrane used now to protect against chemicals and gases but cant recall using it over there.

I did a fair bit of the media stuff for the garden festival in gateshead, back then the most cost effective solution was to import several thousand tons of topsoil and just cover over it all.

there, job done, can't be seen anymore so it must be ok!

[SIXFOOTSTEVE]

I know what you're saying Mark ,I live in Dunston and we did look at the houses on the river when we thought about moving earlier on in the year and after a bit of research some of which was done in my local pub may I add talking to people who now live on the " Red or Dead " estates the major problem at present is the huge rat population which apart from living around the river seem to have stuck around from the old soap works which was demolished just before building work began around our end which is just a stones throw from the festival site . Oh and the sad fact that a lot of the properties are let out to the " professionals " who commute here during the week and treat the place like s**t .