Stalybridge chemical plant comes down

Engineering consultancy RVA Group is overseeing and coordinating the decommissioning and demolition work being carried for client Total Petrochemicals UK Ltd at the latter’s historic polystyrene manufacturing site close to the centre of Stalybridge, near the city of Manchester, UK.

Extensive pre-demolition survey and identification work began in June 2013, along with the appointment of a demolition contractor. The dismantling operation itself began in September and is currently ahead of its scheduled mid December completion date.

As with many other decommissioning projects, it poses a range of technically difficult challenges including the removal of hazardous materials from the 1950s vintage manufacturing site, as well as the recovery of process plant and equipment for re-use and the removal of associated utilities equipment, pipebridges, cables, pipework and process plant structures, tank farms, workshops, laboratories and offices.

The location, adjacent to the River Tame and the Huddersfield Canal, live railway lines as well as a primary school and busy public highway, presents many additional logistical considerations including the removal of two bridges spanning the river.

Commenting on the new contract RVA Group managing director Richard Vann said: “We’re becoming the specialist consultant of choice for ambitious dismantling operations in the UK as well as internationally. This is due to our hard-earned experience with large-scale, high-hazard and complicated projects.