Watchdogs step in at Chungwha
DEMOLITION work at the former Chunghwa Picture Tubes site at Eurocentral, Holytown, has been halted due to an alleged breach of environmental law.
Contractor Morton Demolition is said to have been stripping and crushing panels from the building containing harmful Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS), which it is claimed should have been disposed of in a more environmentally-friendly way.
The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) has ordered a stop to some parts of the work and will conduct an investigation which could see the site owners, Eurocentral Partnership, forced to pay an extra 1 million for what are considered more appropriate methods of disposal.
A spokesperson for SEPA said: "Until further information is provided by the company involved, SEPA has advised that the demolition of certain sections of the buildings stop.
"The sections in question are the Kingspan panels, which SEPA believes contain Ozone Depleting Substances.
"The investigation will include the types of wastes being generated at the site, the destination of any wastes that have left the site and any waste that remains on the site.
"While our vigilance means this hazardous waste should now be dealt with properly, SEPA would remind all contractors that waste from any planned demolition activities must be disposed of legally.
"We can advise on best practice, encourage and support waste minimisation and enforce when rules are broken, but it is the responsibility of every business to ensure that its activities do not have a detrimental impact on the environment."
Environmental consultant Peter Jones told the Times and Speaker that crushing such panelling was extremely hazardous and was outlawed under EU legislation in 2004.
Most buildings built before 2004 contain panelling which, if destroyed incorrectly, could have seriously damaging effects on the environment.
Peter said: "SEPA will now ensure that the rest of the demolition proceeds in a legal and more environmental manner and that means shipping the panels to a fridge recycling plant at a cost of about 8 per square metre.
"To destroy ODS you need to heat it to 1600 C for two minutes and there are only two specialist incinerators in the UK that can handle hazardous material such as this. It will be a very slow and costly procedure.
"Chunghwa is just one example of the ODS panels entering the waste stream. There are many other demolition sites where panels are being illegally landfilled or shredded.
"ODS destroy the ozone layer, our natural protection from the sun, and as it deteriorates more people get cancer, there are more droughts, more forest fires – it's really bad news for us."
The site at Eurocentral is earmarked for a new 330 million office and industrial development and project contractors Bowmer and Kirkland are said to be co-operating with SEPA's investigation.
A spokesperson for Eurocentral added: "The development project's contractors are working closely with SEPA to ensure that demolition and disposal activity on site is being carried out with their ageement and that all materials taken from the demolition site are being disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner.
"Demolition activity has not been delayed and remains on programme for completion next month.
"The first of the new industrial buildings, in what is the UK's largest speculative business space development, remain on target to be completed on site by the spring of next year."
For more information on environmental legislation, log on to www.netregs.gov.uk or contact your nearest SEPA office.
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Weather for Motherwell, Scotland
Thursday 23 February 2012
Today
Light rain
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