QUARRY RESTORATION USING LIME STABILISED BIOSOLIDS.
Alistair Forman1, Gary Cunliffe2
1Singleton Birch Ltd, 2Anglian Water Services
(free)
Anglian Water and Singleton Birch have been working together for more than 10 years in the field
of biosolids treatment. Anglian Water are the largest geographical water company and have over
5 million customers. Singleton Birch are the largest independent lime supplier in the UK and
supply lime extensively to the water industry and a wide variety of other applications throughout
the UK. Singleton Birch was established in 1815 and has been quarrying at the company’s base
at Melton Ross, North Lincolnshire since 1851 where quarrying involves progressive stripping and
restoration as the quarry moves forward.
A disused quarry owned by Singleton Birch and Anglian Water, close to the village of Elsham had
been left to return to nature, however in more recent years the quarry had become a target for fly
tipping and illegal off road motorcycling. In an effort to reclaim the five hectare quarry area and
return it to a useful purpose that would benefit the occupants of the village, Singleton Birch
approached Anglian Water with a proposal to restore the quarry in a joint venture, utilising Lime
Stabilised Biosolids.
Land restoration provides an excellent way of recycling the organic matter and nutrients in
sewage sludge by generating topsoil were a shortage exists. The Elsham Quarry Restoration
Project has proved that Lime Stabilised Biosolids produces a soil like material which becomes
more soil like as it ages, ideal for restoration applications. Now restored, Elsham Quarry is
grassed and planted up with a variety of trees with a number of footpaths which are utilised by the
local community.
