Clean-up at Oldbury pool could end early
Work on the clean-up of a contaminated Black Country pool is ahead of schedule, bosses said today.
More than 80 birds have died at the Rattlechain Lagoon waste disposal site in Oldbury. Residents blame the deaths on birds ingesting white phosphorus.
Chemical company Rhodia UK Ltd, which owns the site, has now started a programme of environmental improvements, with work progressing ahead of schedule.
The lagoon in John's Lane has been owned and managed as a waste disposal site for more than 60 years, although it has not been actively used since 2006.
Rhodia, which took ownership of it in 2000, has been working on a solution to cover the waste contained in the sediments at the bottom of the lagoon to help prevent birds ingesting them as they feed. The company is installing a 'geotextile' sheet – a type of synthetic fabric cover – on the bottom of the lagoon and cover it with a layer of sand to further isolate the waste contained in the sediments at the bottom of the lagoon and help protect visiting wildlife.
John Moorhouse of Rhodia said: "We're very happy with progress, and are currently ahead of schedule which will hopefully be welcome news to our neighbours.
"We understand that the site has been a lot busier than people living and working nearby have been used to, and we are keen to minimise disruption."
