Development Company responds to IFC asbestos concerns

Wednesday 05 April 2017

The Jersey Development Company has moved to assuage fears over contaminated material excavated in the building of the International Finance Centre after workers spotted in hazmat suits sparked widespread concerns amongst islanders.

Environmental campaign group Save Our Shoreline Jersey (SOSJ) said last week that they were alarmed following reports of an alleged lack of safeguards in treating hazardous material including asbestos, which had been discarded and buried on the IFC’s current site many years ago.

Amongst their worries was the fact that nearby pedestrians were not protected and whether vehicles might carry dangerous substances outside of the company on their wheels.

“We are not sure whether wheel washing is done in pits (with the water being saved and then decontaminated), or whether there is runoff. However, we do know runoff caused by rain causes some of the contaminated dirt to leak out under the hoardings; when this water evaporates, if there are any asbestos fibres, they can be dispersed into the atmosphere,” SOSJ wrote.

Pictured: The Jersey Development Company said that their workers were required to wear protective clothing during the IFC excavation.

They later added: “We are of course pleased that some safeguarding measures are being taken for workers, but are not in any way assured the public is receiving the same level of consideration. We were assured verbally that contaminated piles of soil would be tented off; this has not happened.”

But the Jersey Development Company (JDC) released a statement yesterday regarding the full excavation operation, which they say is being undertaken by approved contractors with licences to remove the soil, whilst overseen by the States’ Environment and Infrastructure Departments.

“There are currently two soil piles on site: one uncovered (piled up) soil on the site which is not contaminated and will be used at a later date for backfill and a second pile (covered) which has been tested and is waiting to be delivered, then processed, at La Collette, this has been dampened down, covered and handled with all the necessary licensing requirements as stipulated by UK guidelines, Environment Department and the DFI,” the JDC explained.

Pictured: A pile of excavated soil at the site of the future International Finance Centre complex.

They added that the licensed process required workers to wear protective clothing, and that the site was also monitored by appropriate asbestos air monitoring equipment 24 hours a day.

Having finished the excavation process, workers are no longer required to wear protective suits. The contaminated soil will now be moved to La Collette, where it will be handled by Department for Infrastructure personnel, as well as UK contamination operatives.