Global Forum for Sports and Environment
Boats start to remove Olympic Park waste
The newly-opened Three Mills Lock on the Prescott Channel will be used by 350 tonne barges to take waste from the Olympic Park to a specialist recycling centre in Rainham, Essex. Materials set aside for recycling and reuse including timber, cardboard, plastics and packaging will be loaded at a new jetty on the Waterworks River opposite the Aquatic Centre and travel down to the Thames. Environment Manager Richard Jackson said: 'The waterways will be a key feature of the Olympic Park, characterising the parklands and open spaces for spectators in 2012 and the local communities after the Games. ”During the "big build", they will also play a key role in our logistics strategy, with barges bringing construction materials into the Park and waste out again. This is vital in helping us meet our sustainability targets and will cut down on the number of lorries travelling on the roads.” The Three Mills Lock and Water Control Structure was officially opened last month and enables large freight barges to enter the Park during the construction phase. A multi-million pound dredging programme was carried out to clear the water freight route and remove 30,000 tonnes of silt, gravel and rubble as well as tyres, shopping trolleys, timber and at least one motor car. British Waterways Director London, Mark Bensted said: “I hope that the lock will help make a real difference, removing lorries from local roads and promoting water transport as a viable option to contractors both in the build up to the Games and in Legacy.” Source: London 2012 LINK : |
25 June 2009--The Olympic Delivery Authority’s (ODA) target to maximise sustainable transport was given a boost this week as the movements of waste from the Olympic Park were switched from road to water.