No, this is not another article about how Veolia are blocking people’s democratic right to view public accounts in England, nor is the case about allegations of Veolia violating human rights in Palestine (those are different stories…).
This time Veolia are in court to face charges in connection with an explosion at the Red Scar Industrial Estate.
In a short article, entitled Firm in court over explosion we read how:
Veolia Environmental Services Cleanaway Ltd is due to answer charges of failing to take safe measures to prevent a fire or explosion at Preston Crown Court. The charges relate to the massive blaze at the site in July 2007. The prosecution is being brought by the Health and Safety Executive.
You may recall the headlines from the summer of 2007:
Huge mushroom cloud over Red Scar
M-way closed after chemical fire
Chemical explosion at reported Veolia plant closes UK motorway
Chemical Blast Forces Motorway Closure
Chemical fire causes motorway chaos
1Shlomo on Nov 26, 2009 at 1:32 pm:
Veolia appeal for planning conditions to be lifted
Landfill owner appeals county requirements
By THERESA CHURCHILL — H&R Senior Writer
The Illinois Pollution Control Board has agreed to hear an appeal of certain conditions sought by Macon County in exchange for permission to expand the Veolia Environmental Services Valley View Landfill near Harristown.
The county board wants to require a visual barrier between the landfill and the surrounding neighborhood as well as additional wells to measure the landfill’s leachate.
Leachate is the liquid that drains or “leaches” from a landfill, and wells are used to extract the liquid before it can contaminate groundwater.
Veolia is arguing that requirements to install visual barriers and drill additional wells for measuring leachate elevations instead of simply using the leachate extraction wells are not reasonable and not within the county’s authority to impose…
…Assistant Macon County State’s Attorney Randy Waks said Monday that he knew the visual barriers and the leachate wells were big issues to Veolia because of the cost but was a bit surprised to see additional issues in the appeal…
For more detail, visit http://www.herald-review.com/news/local/article_36c62f34-c479-5f8f-b0ea-dfa8233d652a.html
2peter ambler on Nov 27, 2009 at 9:45 pm:
shut the plant down compleetely its a health hazard .has any one found out what impact it really had on the environment .and health . peter ambler
3Shlomo on Dec 8, 2009 at 3:16 pm:
Veolia plead guilty
http://www.lep.co.uk/news/Chemical-blast-firm-admits-blame.5890557.jp
Chemical blast firm admits blame
Published Date: 07 December 2009 By Rachel Dearden
A multi-billion pound waste handling company has pleaded guilty to its part in a massive inferno which brought Preston to a standstill. Schools and motorways were shut and people were ordered to stay indoors when 30ft flames tore through the site in Red Scar in July 2007. Almost 70 firefighters tackled the blaze which saw missiles thrown 200 metres into the air.
Veolia Environmental Services Cleanaway, which ran the site, admitted two charges of breaching the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmosphere Regulations at Preston Crown Court yesterday.
The court heard lithium batteries – which had been collected by the Ministry of Defence in Belfast and transported to Preston via York just two days previously – had been stored alongside highly flammable chemicals, contrary to regulations.
At around 4am on the morning of July 2 2007 the batteries spontaneously combusted, causing the organic peroxides and oxiders to catch light. As the flames took hold, lids of storage containers and burning missiles were flung into the sky, some landing outside the perimeter fence. Thick black smoke billowed across the M6 and M65 motorways, which were shut for three hours while firefighters battled for more than six hours to bring the flames under control.
The case is the first prosecution of its kind to be brought jointly by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), The Environment Agency and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service.
Judge Stuart Baker will sentence the company on Wednesday.