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| the_crab_die_off_and_teesworks [2024/04/02 18:11] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1 | the_crab_die_off_and_teesworks [2025/02/18 00:42] (current) – nefcadmin |
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| The Thai steel company SSI was unable to continue steel making on the banks of the River Tees without financial support, as the UK government opted not to step in to keep the steel making going. Subsequently the South Tees Site Company (STSC) was set up to maintain the assets abandoned by SSI. The broader South Tees site was defined as the 4,500acres of what had been largely the different steel works, including British Steel (Chinese owned), PD Ports' Teesport, NWL's Bran Sand water treatment plant, Hanson Cement, Redcar Bulk Terminal, BOC, landfill sites and a number of other businesses within it. | The Thai steel company SSI was unable to continue steel making on the banks of the River Tees without financial support, as the UK government opted not to step in to keep the steel making going. Subsequently the South Tees Site Company (STSC) was set up to maintain the assets abandoned by SSI. The broader South Tees site was defined as the 4,500acres of what had been largely the different steel works, including British Steel (Chinese owned), PD Ports' Teesport, NWL's Bran Sand water treatment plant, Hanson Cement, Redcar Bulk Terminal, BOC, landfill sites and a number of other businesses within it. |
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| {html}<img src="./Teesworks/1911South-Tees-Master-Plan-Nov-19.2/1911South-Tees-Master-Plan-Nov-19.2-036.jpg" alt="Map shown on page 36 of 2019 South Tees Regeneration Masterplan" width="100%" />{/html} | {{this>Teesworks/1911South-Tees-Master-Plan-Nov-19.2/1911South-Tees-Master-Plan-Nov-19.2-036.jpg|Map shown on page 36 of 2019 South Tees Regeneration Masterplan}} |
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| STSC was essential to safeguard the dangers the site presented as it still had 1000s of tonnes of chemicals left over from the previous site operations and as such the site is classified as an Upper Tier COMAH (Control Of Major Accident Hazards). Most of the hazardous chemicals were remnants of the coke oven byproduct plants where the coal tar, which is distilled from coal during the making of coke, is processed. [[https://www.northeastfc.uk/index.php?page=Teesworks+-+COMAH+Status|The site COMAH status]] highlights what makes the site so dangerous. These abstracts show the dangers present with information about relevant dangerous substances which could cause a major accident: | STSC was essential to safeguard the dangers the site presented as it still had 1000s of tonnes of chemicals left over from the previous site operations and as such the site is classified as an Upper Tier COMAH (Control Of Major Accident Hazards). Most of the hazardous chemicals were remnants of the coke oven byproduct plants where the coal tar, which is distilled from coal during the making of coke, is processed. [[https://www.northeastfc.uk/index.php?page=Teesworks+-+COMAH+Status|The site COMAH status]] highlights what makes the site so dangerous. These abstracts show the dangers present with information about relevant dangerous substances which could cause a major accident: |
| In October 2021 the entire crab population up and down the coast from the mouth of the Tees was wiped out. A huge number of dead and dying crabs washed up very rapidly onto beaches and fisherman returned from normally plentiful crab areas with no catch. So this was not only a natural disaster, but also a livelihood disaster for local fishermen. | In October 2021 the entire crab population up and down the coast from the mouth of the Tees was wiped out. A huge number of dead and dying crabs washed up very rapidly onto beaches and fisherman returned from normally plentiful crab areas with no catch. So this was not only a natural disaster, but also a livelihood disaster for local fishermen. |
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| {html}<img src="./DieOff/211005a.jpg" alt="South Gare 5th October 2021" width="50%" />{/html} | {{this>DieOff/211005a.jpg|South Gare 5th October 2021" width="50%" />{/html} |
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| //The picture was taken 5th October 2021 on South Gare Beach showing the thick covering of dead crabs that appeared overnight// | //The picture was taken 5th October 2021 on South Gare Beach showing the thick covering of dead crabs that appeared overnight// |
| The South Tees site was rebranded Teesworks, and Teesworks UK has been adopted for the company responsible for developing the site. | The South Tees site was rebranded Teesworks, and Teesworks UK has been adopted for the company responsible for developing the site. |
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| {html}<img src="./Teesworks/1911South-Tees-Master-Plan-Nov-19.2/1911South-Tees-Master-Plan-Nov-19.2-004.jpg" alt="Map shown on page 4 of 2019 South Tees Regeneration Masterplan" width="100%" />{/html} | {{this>Teesworks/1911South-Tees-Master-Plan-Nov-19.2/1911South-Tees-Master-Plan-Nov-19.2-004.jpg|Map shown on page 4 of 2019 South Tees Regeneration Masterplan}} |
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| Since SSI collapsed in 2015, the contamination of the South Tees site has been highlighted on many occasions, for example to underline the need for compulsory purchase order to bring it into public ownership, in the [[this>Teesworks/1911South-Tees-Master-Plan-Nov-19.2.pdf|South Tees Regeneration Mater Plan]] to show the need to remediate the site. So when the crab die-off happened it was surprising that people didn't immediately question whether some of the stated large amounts (1000s tonnes) of chemicals highly toxic to the aquatic environment weren't the cause. Instead the accelerated dredging that happened in late September 2021 was assumed by many local people to be the cause. Once people started to think about Teesworks, this was conflated with the dredging, allowing Teesworks to state without fear of correction that they had not carried out any dredging prior to the crab die-off. | Since SSI collapsed in 2015, the contamination of the South Tees site has been highlighted on many occasions, for example to underline the need for compulsory purchase order to bring it into public ownership, in the [[this>Teesworks/1911South-Tees-Master-Plan-Nov-19.2.pdf|South Tees Regeneration Mater Plan]] to show the need to remediate the site. So when the crab die-off happened it was surprising that people didn't immediately question whether some of the stated large amounts (1000s tonnes) of chemicals highly toxic to the aquatic environment weren't the cause. Instead the accelerated dredging that happened in late September 2021 was assumed by many local people to be the cause. Once people started to think about Teesworks, this was conflated with the dredging, allowing Teesworks to state without fear of correction that they had not carried out any dredging prior to the crab die-off. |
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| {html}<img src="./Teesworks/1911South-Tees-Master-Plan-Nov-19.2/1911South-Tees-Master-Plan-Nov-19.2-055.jpg" alt="Map shown on page 55 of 2019 South Tees Regeneration Masterplan" width="100%" />{/html} | {{this>Teesworks/1911South-Tees-Master-Plan-Nov-19.2/1911South-Tees-Master-Plan-Nov-19.2-055.jpg|Map shown on page 55 of 2019 South Tees Regeneration Masterplan}} |
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| However, Teesworks had been carrying out extensive land based operations prior to the die-off([[Teesworks - Timeline of groundworks including prior to October 2021]]). These included removing heavy oil tanks, driving piles into the ground, demolishing structures and blowing up structures as part of the demolition operations. Teesworks in 2021 held 1000s of tonnes of highly aquatically toxic liquids in the decaying remnant SSI structures, specifically coke oven by-product plants, tanks, and pipework across the site. | However, Teesworks had been carrying out extensive land based operations prior to the die-off([[Teesworks - Timeline of groundworks including prior to October 2021]]). These included removing heavy oil tanks, driving piles into the ground, demolishing structures and blowing up structures as part of the demolition operations. Teesworks in 2021 held 1000s of tonnes of highly aquatically toxic liquids in the decaying remnant SSI structures, specifically coke oven by-product plants, tanks, and pipework across the site. |
| The presence of coal tar and related coal derived hydrocarbons is what makes decontaminating so difficult. Coal tar is in the class of ground contaminants called dense non-aqueous liquids ([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dense_non-aqueous_phase_liquid|DNAPLs]]), as it is only slowly soluble in water and being heavier than water sinks to the first impermeable layer it finds. In 2003 the Environment Agency produced a handbook ([[https://clu-in.org/conf/itrc/dnaplpa/dnapl_handbook_final.pdf|An illustrated handbook of DNAPL transport and fate in the subsurface]]) to explain the likely ways in which DNAPLs contaminate ground and explain how such complex materials should be decontaminated from any brownfield sites - this schematic shows the complex way in which coal tar is able to sink in the ground, but can travel into a river. | The presence of coal tar and related coal derived hydrocarbons is what makes decontaminating so difficult. Coal tar is in the class of ground contaminants called dense non-aqueous liquids ([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dense_non-aqueous_phase_liquid|DNAPLs]]), as it is only slowly soluble in water and being heavier than water sinks to the first impermeable layer it finds. In 2003 the Environment Agency produced a handbook ([[https://clu-in.org/conf/itrc/dnaplpa/dnapl_handbook_final.pdf|An illustrated handbook of DNAPL transport and fate in the subsurface]]) to explain the likely ways in which DNAPLs contaminate ground and explain how such complex materials should be decontaminated from any brownfield sites - this schematic shows the complex way in which coal tar is able to sink in the ground, but can travel into a river. |
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| {html}<img src="./Supporting/Release of coal tar DNAPL into Triasic Sandstone.jpg" alt="Schematic from Environment Agency - 2003 An illustrated handbook of DNAPL transport and fate in the subsurface" width="100%" />{/html} | {{this>Supporting/Release of coal tar DNAPL into Triasic Sandstone.jpg|Schematic from Environment Agency - 2003 An illustrated handbook of DNAPL transport and fate in the subsurface}} |
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| The handbook first states that all sources of DNAPLs must be located then it gives two decontamination options, either literally remove all the sources of DNAPLs from a site or entomb the DNAPLs so they are unable to contaminate surrounding ground combined with long term monitoring to ensure leakage is not happening. [[https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-avenue-landscaping-and-remediation-project-one-of-the-uks-most-significant-brownfield-projects|The Avenue Coke Works Remediation Project]] took the first option, as the land was going to used for housing and nature, as it was considered that a clean site was required. Sites such as St Anthony's Tar Works in Newcastle after two failed decontamination attempts when contamination was still being found on adjoining properties after decontamination, took the second option, by placing an impermeable buried wall underground and capping the surface to ensure no coal tar can escape. | The handbook first states that all sources of DNAPLs must be located then it gives two decontamination options, either literally remove all the sources of DNAPLs from a site or entomb the DNAPLs so they are unable to contaminate surrounding ground combined with long term monitoring to ensure leakage is not happening. [[https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-avenue-landscaping-and-remediation-project-one-of-the-uks-most-significant-brownfield-projects|The Avenue Coke Works Remediation Project]] took the first option, as the land was going to used for housing and nature, as it was considered that a clean site was required. Sites such as St Anthony's Tar Works in Newcastle after two failed decontamination attempts when contamination was still being found on adjoining properties after decontamination, took the second option, by placing an impermeable buried wall underground and capping the surface to ensure no coal tar can escape. |
| The River Tees is a highly turbid river, so it is impossible to see if coal tar is seeping up onto the riverbed, however the image below shows a river next to a coke oven with a puddle of coal tar with house bricks for scale. | The River Tees is a highly turbid river, so it is impossible to see if coal tar is seeping up onto the riverbed, however the image below shows a river next to a coke oven with a puddle of coal tar with house bricks for scale. |
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| {html}<img src="./Supporting/DNAPL Coal tar on bed of river - house bricks for scale.jpg" alt="Photographs provided by Dr Michael Rivett, GroundH2O Plus Ltd, Birmingham (rivett@groundh2oplus.co.uk )" width="30%" />{/html} | {{this>Supporting/DNAPL Coal tar on bed of river - house bricks for scale.jpg|Photographs provided by Dr Michael Rivett, GroundH2O Plus Ltd, Birmingham (rivett@groundh2oplus.co.uk )" width="30%" />{/html} |
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| Teesworks has taken the gamble that coal tar will not travel into any of the water on or surrounding the site. | Teesworks has taken the gamble that coal tar will not travel into any of the water on or surrounding the site. |
