Bosses of the firm building Edinburgh's scandal-hit trams project were told TWO YEARS ago that they risked dumping toxic waste illegally.
It was revealed earlier this month that main contractors Bilfinger Berger dumped 800 tons of contaminated soil in ordinary landfill in a move that could have saved the firm up to £1million.
Evidence has now emerged showing the German firm were warned the stockpile contained heavy metals and chemicals and regarded the waste as contaminated until days before it was dumped in a facility for "clean" soil.
Edinburgh City MSP Neil Findlay said the revelation "beggars belief" and called for action to be taken against Bilfinger.
It is the latest in a long line of disasters to hit the trams project, which is already more than five years behind schedule and £200million over budget. A document seen by a Scottish newspaper shows Bilfinger Berger manager Brian Walker was warned in March 2010 that a stockpile of soil at the Baird Street site, close to Murrayfield stadium, contained heavy metals and chemicals. In their Waste Acceptance Classification report, experts Raeburn Drilling stated it contained harmful quantities of cadmium, fluoride, antimony and other materials such as mineral oil.
Bilfinger began talks to have 10,000 tons of toxic soil taken 15 miles to a specialist landfill site, Avondale, in Polmont, near Falkirk, where it would be handled by a specially licensed hi-tech environmental clean-up firm – preventing toxins from seeping into the environment.
But this treatment costs 10 times more than dumping at a conventional facility.
Bilfinger turned instead to engineers Stanger and have claimed their report, dated January 31 this year, led them to believe the soil was clean. Days later, 40 lorry loads of tainted soil were sent to a facility in Pumpherston, West Lothian, where only clean – or "inert" – soil can be taken.
The Stanger analysis was contested by government environment agency SEPA after whistle-blowers contacted them.
SEPA's own analysis of the data suggested the soil was contaminated – leading them to stop the removal operation on February 8, causing a five-week shutdown at the Murrayfield site.
They warned the material risks getting into drinking water and could cause an environmental disaster.
The stockpile has remained at the site, yards from scores of homes and a primary school, ever since.
Labour MSP Findlay is to present a damning dossier on the dumping scandal to Local Government Minister Derek Mackay. He wants heads to roll if laws or regulations have been broken.
He said: "I'm stunned and extremely concerned that the original report seems to be getting swept under the carpet. "As each day goes on I am more and more concerned about what has gone on. It seems to me that Bilfinger got a report from Raeburn and didn't like the look of it, as dealing with the soil in the correct manner would cost a lot of money.
"Why have Bilfinger ignored the Raeburn report and said that no one has ever pointed out that the soil is contaminated? The dangerous materials in the soil don't just evaporate, they remain in the soil, which is the whole point of having the materials treated by specialists. The facts are quite plain – 10,000 tons of soil that was judged to be contaminated by a highly reputable company are sitting just yards from people's houses and a primary school. It beggars belief that a company of this size, handling a project of vital importance to Edinburgh and Scotland, should operate like this."
When Bilfinger Berger was asked about the Raeburn report, the newspaper was originally told it was commissioned "for estimation purposes" and that "it didn't include a WAC test" – which the report itself contradicts.
Motherwell firm Raeburn yesterday confirmed they had been commissioned to carry out a WAC report. A spokeswoman said: "We were asked to carry out a waste classification for material at the site. We stand by our report, on what was tested and what was found."
Edinburgh City Council told the newspaper three weeks ago there was "absolutely no doubt" that the soil is contaminated.
When Bilfinger Berger was asked to explain why they chose to ignore the Raeburn report, they repeatedly refused to answer directly. A spokesman for the firm said yesterday: "Bilfinger Berger continue to cooperate fully with SEPA and are keeping the council fully up to date with the situation as it develops. In the meantime, we would like to reassure local residents that there is no risk to public health."
The trams project, connecting Edinburgh airport to the city, has been a financial disaster. It should have cost £375million, with trams running by summer 2009. But after a catalogue of blunders and four route changes, the cost has rocketed to £776million and the line will be less than half the size intended.
The line, which will now run from Edinburgh airport to York Place via stops including Murrayfield stadium, will not be ready until 2014. Taxpayers across Scotland are paying £500million, with the rest paid by Edinburgh City Council.
The tram project has been mired in controversy throughout its life.
Bilfinger Berger are a multinational German construction and engineering company. The firm's involvement with the Edinburgh trams project has been hugely controversial, with hundreds of disputes emerging between them, Edinburgh City Council and other contractors. The works have been dogged by delays and a dispute between the firm and now defunct tram company TIE, which pushed the project hundreds of millions of pounds over budget.
The original budget for taking the line from Edinburgh airport to Newhaven was £545million. However, the cost has grown steadily as the length of the line has reduced dramatically. Estimates for partial completion now approach £800million, leading critics to brand the project a "white elephant".
Alex Salmond has said a public inquiry will be held into the project once there is "greater clarity" about the scheme.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2012/03/23/tram-project-bosses-knew-dumped-soil-was-toxic-two-years-ago-confidential-report-reveals-86908-23798556/2/
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