IN 2001, one of the biggest audits of wildlife to take place in an industrial area was completed on Teesside.

The project, believed at the time to be the most comprehensive of its kind in Europe, was compiled by Inca on behalf of companies operating primarily in the chemical sector.

It arose out of the European Union directive on the Control of Major Accident Hazards (Comah) calling on companies involved with chemicals to produce strategies setting out precautions to prevent a major accident.

Comah reports contain a section concerning flora and fauna on and around the site and, using information dating back many years and contained on its database, supplemented by the companies, Inca produced environmental reports for more than 20 industrial sites on Teesside, including ICI, DuPont, Air Products, Union Carbide, BP Amoco, Enron and Corus.

The reports dealt with wildlife that included internationally important populations of wading birds, endangered little terns, mammals such as the harbour and grey seals at Seal Sands, invertebrates and plants.

The database details the potential impact on flora and fauna of chemicals handled each day by the Teesside chemical sector, which would allow companies and environmental agencies to take rapid action to mitigate their effects in the event of an accident.

Inca worked with the Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive on the reports. Geoff Barber, ecology manager with Inca, said: "This was an important piece of research both nationally and internationally.

"The work conducted here on Teesside is a leader for Europe. All member states have to undergo the same kind of process and the work which we have done will be seen as a benchmark."

Published: 30/03/2004