Soil from Slag

18th February 2010

Welsh Steelworks Produces ‘Soil’ from Slag to Create New Landscape

The redevelopment of a former steelworks site in Europe is setting a benchmark for sustainable regeneration by producing its ‘own soil’ from post-industrial slag or colliery spill.  

After 200 years of industrial activity, The Works at Ebbw Vale, South Wales, has completed a dramatic stage in its £350million regeneration project by coming up with a formula to produce two different types of soil suitable for either grassland or woodland by mixing the existing industrial spoil on site with green compost.  

To achieve this, The Works became the first scheme in Wales to take part in a trailblazing project promoted by Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to use high quality compost to regenerate brownfield land with much of the compost coming from recycled green waste collected from households in the local region of Blaenau Gwent. The compost was mixed with the basic steel slag and colliery spill, which had been screened to remove large objects, to create the two different types of soil.  

A total of 65,000 cubic metres which equates to nearly 100,000 tonnes of soils have been manufactured at Ebbw Vale and used to create 11 hectares of urban greenspace. With much of the compost coming from green waste collected from local households, it has provided a significantly cheaper and sustainable alternative to importing topsoil to The Works site.  

Richard Crook, Project Director of The Works, told Eco:  

"After 200 years of industrial activity on the former Ebbw Vale steelworks natural soil cover had been lost, the entire site was a wasteland, devoid of vegetation and covered in ones of slag and colliery spoil where little could grow. “Experimental work was undertaken in a 12 month lead up to the scheme to identify suitable organic and mineral materials that could impart the necessary physical and chemical properties on the industrial spoil to produce a range of manufactured soils which could be regarded as ‘fit for purpose’. Investigations confirmed that green waste compost was useful in improving the cohesion of the basic steel slag and colliery spoil. This proved essential in ensuring the stability of the manufactured soils and preventing their mass movement on steep slopes together with reducing the threat of erosion. “Key to the success of the soil strategy on Ebbw Vale has been the recognition that the manufactured soils needed to first and foremost fulfil an engineering or ‘structural’ function, and secondly, that this must be achieved without compromising their ability to support the proposed vegetation communities contained within the scheme. We’re delighted that we’ve achieved both.”  

The Works has been described as an exemplar of sustainable regeneration. Virtually everything on the site has been recycled – ranging from the steel in the reinforced concrete to the concrete itself which has been crushed to be reused on site. Green methods were also used to bio remediate contaminated material on site which has been impacted with oil or hydrocarbon. Approximately 100,000 cubic metres of material was remediated which was reused on site structural fill. Jocelyn Davies AM, Deputy Minister for Housing and Regeneration said: 

“The Works is one of the most ambitious regeneration projects ever seen in Wales and a leading example of sustainable development in practice. Virtually everything on the site has been recycled – from the steel in the reinforced concrete to the concrete itself which was crushed to be reused on site. We want to make The Works at Ebbw Vale a future carbon neutral site, so to find out we are well on our way to this by recycling everything on site is great news."  

Another innovative way that parts of the site is being landscaped is through the transformation of the former steelworks basements. One of the basements originally used for cleaning the steel roll is being redeveloped into a garden. The Vertical Garden was the winning entry of a UK wide competition to design a garden feature within the basement. The basement, which is 4m deep and up to 18.5m wide, is one of nine, and the intention is to find novel and sustainable new uses for the other eight basements which will form an area at The Works known as Basement Park. The vertical garden will be unveiled at the National Eisteddfod 2010 which is being held on The Works site later this summer.  

The Works is set to play a key role in the regeneration of Ebbw Vale and the wider region, bringing a range of benefits, new facilities and job opportunities for local communities. The developments on site will include a Hospital, Learning Zone (post 16 education facility), Leisure Centre, Theatre and up to 720 new Homes. Several developments have begun on site and are ongoing. The Works Ebbw Vale is a partnership between the Welsh Assembly Government and Blaenau Gwent Council.

A Drop in the Ocean

Gordon Brown to co-chair climate change funding panel

16th February 2010

A new initiative has been announced to advise on Climate Change, amid the ongoing controversy over the scientific rigour of some global warming data. Commenting on the formation of a United Nations High Level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing, which British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will co- chair with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, Asad Rehman, Senior International Climate Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, told Eco:

"$10 billion a year might sound like a wave of new money for poor countries to tackle climate change, but in reality it's a drop in the ocean compared to what is required."What's worse is that most of this money from rich countries will be plundered
from existing aid budgets - what is really needed is new public money to ensure developing countries can grow cleanly and adapt to the impacts of climate change which are already putting the livelihoods, homes and families of their people at risk.

"Gordon Brown has a chance for genuine leadership this year in pushing the international community to adopt a tax on financial transactions, which would provide billions of dollars of new money to governments to tackle climate change head on - now is the time for him to grasp it."

Friends of the Earth is calling for rich countries to increase their level of ambition to cut their emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2020, without carbon offsetting. This is the minimum the science says is required.

The green campaigning charity is also calling on rich countries to reaffirm their commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, under which rich countries accept their responsibility for causing climate change and agree to cut their emissions first and fastest.

Friends of the Earth is also calling on the world's rich countries to recommit to the UN negotiating process, enshrining the principles of democracy and inclusion, rather than pursuing action through alternative forums such as the G20 or the Major Economies Forum.

Tipping Point

15th January 2010

Scientists working in the Arctic report that the release of methane from thawing permafrost has increased by a third over the past five years. This heralds the alarming prospect of global warming accelerating as methane is a potent greenhouse gas, many times more powerful than carbon dioxide. Arctic soils currently lock away billions of tonnes of methane, and the scientists fear that as the methane is released and further warms the atmosphere, still more thawing occurs, setting of a positive feedback loop until a tipping point is reached at which runaway global warming becomes unstoppable whatever emission reductions are discussed in global negotiations.

Paul Palmer, a scientist at Edinburgh University who worked on the new study, said: "High latitude wetlands are currently only a small source of methane but for these emissions to increase by a third in just five years is very significant. It shows that even a relatively small amount of warming can cause a large increase in the amount of methane emissions.......This study does not show the Arctic has passed a tipping point, but it should open people's eyes. It shows there is a positive feedback and that higher temperatures bring higher emissions and faster warming.....Our study reinforces the idea that satellites can pinpoint changes in the amount of greenhouse gases emitted from a particular place on earth. This opens the door to quantifying greenhouse gas emissions made from a variety of natural and man-made sources."

Global warming is occuring twice as fast in the Arctic than anywhere else on Earth, and some regions have already warmed by 2.5C, and temperatures there are projected to increase by more than 10C by 2100 if carbon emissions continue to rise at current rates."

The new study, published in the journal Science, shows that methane emissions from the Arctic increased by 31% from 2003-07. The increase represents about 1m extra tonnes of methane each year.

Free Link Exchange!

If you do not have the budget to pay for advertising we offer a free link exchange. Just copy our link below onto your site, let us know with the link you would like us to feature, and we will feature your link on our site as long as you keep our link on yours! We reserve the right to decline links to sites we regard as unsuitable.

Our link to copy into your site:

http://www.ecozine.co.uk

Older and Greener

30th January 2010

A year-long study conducted by Age Concern and Help the Aged, and energy company E.ON, has revealed the UK’s over-60s as the nation’s surprise energy saving pioneers, with 91% (2) of the age group helping the environment simply by being switched on about energy efficiency.  

Furthermore, two thirds (66%) of over-60s cite ‘sensible use of energy in the home’ as one of their top energy concerns and a fifth (20%) have considered green technologies (e.g. solar panels or wind turbines) to reduce their impact on the environment. 

The research findings, launched today, show that older peoples’ no-nonsense approach to waste is key to their success in saving energy and cash without scrimping on comfort.

As well as having common-sense energy saving habits, their waste-not-want-not upbringing has also contributed, with ‘not being wasteful’ (34%) their most important reason for being energy efficient, followed by ‘using energy more sensibly’ (20%) and ‘saving money’ (17%).

The top five energy saving actions practiced by over 60s were:

For retired Tina Watkin, 65, from Bradford who lives on Pension Credit, being energy efficient is just a good habit: 

“I never leave lights on when I’m not in a room, and I use energy efficient light bulbs. I also try not to waste water. I never use half loads in the washing machine and when I've finished washing up, I use the dishwater to wash the car or wheelie bins and sometimes to water the flowers.” 

Andrew Harrop, Head of Public Policy for Age Concern and Help the Aged said:

 “It’s great news that such a high number of older people are taking positive steps to become energy efficient.  Many of us would do well to take our lead from older people – many of whom are clearly streets ahead when it comes to keeping waste to a minimum. 

“It’s interestingly that the research shows for many it is an engrained desire not to be wasteful that is driving their good energy efficient habits.” 

Amy Cross, from E.ON’s Community Relations team, told Eco:  

“As an energy company, we’re always exploring ways to give people of all ages the support and tools they need to save energy, reduce their bills and protect the environment too.   

“This research has shown that it doesn’t matter what your motivations are, you can still do a lot to reduce your impact on the environment and your bills. It’s really nice to see that many older people are already leading the way in being energy efficient; with more than 90% naturally doing the little things that make a really big difference, we could all really learn a thing or two from them.”