Project H- Restoration of acid tar lagoons

Package Overview

Acid tar lagoons are a major source of contamination that is a hazard to human health, controlled waters and the natural environment. Under the 1990 Environmental Protection Act such sites are designated “special sites.” Due to the complexity of the problems associated with these sites adequate, robust and durable long term remediation options have not been developed. Previous attempts to break the pollutant linkage by capping sites have often failed technically due to the mobility of the tars, excavation is environmentally unsustainable, while total encapsulation and destructive techniques are financially prohibitive. The project used an existing acid tar lagoon as a case study site. This site is located on fluvio-glacial sands and gravels, is partially restricted public open space, is bounded by residential housing and a stream. As such this site contains many of the most problematic elements of such sites within the UK: development blight, severe contamination, low value, access restrictions, multiple risk receptors nearby, etc.

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or visit the work packages own website at www.acidtarlagoons.org.uk

Package organisation:

Simon Talbot	Principal Investigator	Greater Manchester Geological Unit (GMGU)	0161 2757152 simon.talbot@gmgu.org.uk
Colin Smith	Principal Investigator	University of Sheffield, Geotechnical Engineering Research Group	0114 222 5717 c.c.smith@sheffield.ac.uk
Nigel Lawson	Researcher	University of Manchester	0161 275 3633 nigel.lawson@manchester.ac.uk
Xu Hao	PhD Student	University of Sheffield, Geotechnical Engineering Research Group	0114 2225056 h.xu@sheffield.ac.uk