Clearwell Quarries is committed to protecting and regenerating the environment in which it operates.
Like all modern quarries Clearwell Quarries Limited has recently undertaken and extensive Environmental Impact Assessment. This study investigated the likely impacts of quarrying on the local flora and fauna as well as the surface water runoff and groundwater movements. Extensive archaeological mapping was also carried out over the entire site. Noise, dust and traffic impacts were also studied together with visual impact surveys.
Regeneration of the Environment
Clearwell Quarries has a long term committment that worked out parts of the quarry are progressively restored to agriculture or to small wildlife reserves. A landscape design agency is used to help with the layout and plantings for future restoration work. This is one of the ponds which has been created to give a nesting and feeding site to wild ducks, coots, moorhens and other freshwater flora and fauna.
The old stone hill quarry is being turned into a natural limestone grassland, planted with wild flower seed mix. it has managed sheep grazing in the late summer to encourage a natural spread of the meadow plants. Most of the Clearwell side of the site has been graded and soiled down with some seeding completed. The surrounds and margins are planted with a variety of natural limestone trees and shrubs, also attracting wildlife with its cover and food sources. The rough grass banks and wooded banks are good hunting grounds for the local buzzards.
Ongoing Protection of the Environment
On an ongoing basis dust pollution is controlled through a variety of means. All dry rock crushers and mills are injected with high volumes of foam to suppress dust generation and screening operations are fitted with large capacity dust extractors. Internal haul roads are surfaced and well watered and all trucks leaving the quarry are washed down before entering the public roads.
Enclosing crushers, mills and screens in specially clad buildings controls noise pollution from static quarrying machinery. Only modern well-maintained mobile construction equipment is used in the mining and loading operations, which also limits the amount of noise generated from the site. Limiting the working hours of the quarry from 7.00am to 6.00pm during the week as well as not quarrying during the weekend further limits the impact of noise on the neighbouring population.
Current quarrying practice involves the excavation of a single bench. Rehabilitation of the excavation is ongoing and at any one time no more than a few hectares of quarried land is left un-restored. Topsoil and overburden stripping is usually carried out once a year and at the same time restoration of the previously mined areas takes place. Unlike many hard rock quarries it will be possible, after the quarry has been completed, to restore it for agriculture. Some of the land will also be suitable for nature conservation and will be planted with hedgerow and copse. When reinstated, the land will be managed to bring it into good agricultural heart.
As well as holding regular Liaison Committee Meetings with local representatives the quarry also carries out routine environmental audits. Together with English Nature Clearwell Quarries carry out a detailed monitoring program of the local Slade Brook, a recently notified Site of Special Scientific Interest.