Design, construction and performance of a full-scale compost wetland for mine-spoil drainage treatment at Quaking Houses

Acidic spoil-heap drainage, containing elevated concentrations of iron, alu minium and manganese, has been polluting the Stanley Burn in County Durham for nearly two decades. Following the success of a pilot-scale wetland (the first application of its kind in Europe), a fun-scale wetland was installe d. Waste manures and composts have been used as the main substrate which is contained within embankments constructed from compacted pulverized fuel as h. The constructed wetland, which cost less than pound 20 000 to build, has consistently reduced iron and aluminium concentrations and has markedly lo wered the acidity of the drainage. A third phase of activities at the site aims to identify and eliminate pollutant-release 'hot spots' within the spo il.