Strong progress made on remediation work at former Esso fuel terminal in Bowling

Voluntary remediation of the former fuel terminal in Bowling, Dunbartonshire, is making strong progress with the excavation work expected to be 50% completed by the end of this year.

The site forms a key part of West Dunbartonshire Council’s (WDC) vision for regeneration in the area under the Glasgow City Region City Deal.

Since remediation work began in January, around 180,000 tonnes of soil has already been excavated for treatment and the project has also attracted interest and favourable comment from remediation industry specialists because of the innovative techniques being used. 

A number of Scottish regulators and specialists including a group from the UN have visited the site as guests of main contractor DEME Environmental to learn more about the cutting-edge soil wash technology. The technique involves soil being gathered, tested and remediated as necessary using a specialist soil washing process located on site. Once cleaned, the remediated soil is returned to the ground with any waste material separated and removed from site. 

As a result, 90% of the soil being remediated on site is expected to be re-used – underlining one of the key sustainability features of the Bowling remediation project, which is believed to be the largest of its kind currently underway in Scotland.

Environmental remediation specialist, DEME Environmental, is carrying out the work on behalf of Esso , as part of the agreed sale of the site to WDC, which is committed to voluntarily remediating the brownfield site to approved standards agreed with WDC for future beneficial use.

James Hadwen, Esso’s manager for the remediation project at Bowling, said: “We are very pleased with the progress that is being made on the programme of works. It is credit to all the team involved for helping to reach this stage of the project and our focus remains on continuing to move the work forward in the most timely and effective way possible.

“We also look forward to West Dunbartonshire Council’s work on site getting underway later this month as part of its regeneration plans. The voluntary remediation of the Bowling site will enable the area to subsequently be re-developed for future beneficial use and we will continue to engage with the local community to keep them informed of the programme of works.”

More information about the programme of works is available at a dedicated website for the project – www.bowlingterminal.co.uk.

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Issued on behalf of Esso by BIG Partnership. For more information, please contact Karen Grant on 07805 436 957 or at karen.grant@bigpartnership.co.uk

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