CONSULTANTS are to carry out an environmental impact assessment into plans to dump hazardous waste in underground caverns in the North-East.

Coastal Caverns UK want to use 15 brine caverns 1,000ft below ground at Seal Sands, Teesside, to store toxic waste.

The caverns were excavated for the production of brine from embedded salt formations as part of the chemical industry and are now disused.

Coastal Caverns, which specialises in waste disposal in underground cavities, anticipates all waste disposed of at the site to have been generated in the surrounding industrial area.

RPS, an environmental consultancy which has been appointed by Coastal Caverns, has prepared a draft Scoping Report as a precursor to preparing a full Environmental Impact Assessment for the project.

The Scoping Report has been circulated to a number of statutory consultees including Hartlepool Borough Council, the Environment Agency, Health and Safety Executive, English Nature, English Heritage and the Countryside Agency.

An RPS spokesman said: "Coastal Caverns is committed to proceeding with this project in an open and transparent manner, according to all relevant environmental and planning legislation and accepted best practice.

"As part of this commitment a number of non-statutory consultees including PD Tees-port, the Countyside Agency, Northumbrian Water, Inca, Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, Teesmouth Bird Club and the RSPB, have also been circulated with the Scoping Report.

"Coastal Caverns is confid-ent, based on known geologic-al information and experience from similar salt caverns, that the proposed project presents no threat to the environment."

Coastal Caverns is yet to officially apply for a waste disposal licence.