Poisoned soil removed from pool after a five-month wait

Swimmers have asked why the earth was not tested before it was dumped in two empty pool tanks in 2013, and why it is only being removed now when the pool is open.

The soil, which came from the construction of Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre, contains benzo(a)pyrene, a chemical found in cigarette smoke and believed to cause cancer if ingested.

Oxford City Council used it to fill two disused pool tanks at Hinksey in November 2013, but only tested it for toxicity in June 2014, then again in November and December after it was revealed it had dumped the earth without planning permission.

The council has said it poses no significant risk to human health, but is removing the soil as a precaution.

But Paul Gustafson, who campaigned to stop the two pools in question being closed, said: “Whoever had this soil dumped there needs their backside kicking.

“Why wasn’t the soil tested before they put it in, and why have they waited until nearly June to carry out this work?

“The council have had all winter to do this, but in their wisdom they have decided to do it in the summer swimming season.

“Swimmers don’t want to look at JCBs all day long.”

Debbie White from Appleton is an instructor at Oxford British Subaqua Club, which uses Hinksey Lake in the park, and also regularly takes her children Amelia, 13, and Alex, 11, to swim at Hinksey Pool.

She said: “We haven’t heard anything but I would be very interested to know more about it.”

City council leader Bob Price said the contamination of the soil was “not significant”.

He said: “When they did tests there was a mild suggestion there was stuff we wouldn’t normally want to have in the ground, not that it is ever going to be used.

But given the fact it is a public area, we thought we’d take it out of there.”

Asked why the work was only carried out now, Mr Price said: “We could have done it earlier but it has come on now.

“Timing does depend on the contractors as well.”

Benzo(a)pyrene is a byproduct of burning organic substances including cigarettes, petrol and wood.

According to a study by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, if metabolised (chemically modified inside the body) it can form a number of chemicals that may by toxic, and may be associated with an increased risk of some cancers.

The council’s executive director for direct services Tim Sadler said the £70,000 works were due to be complete “in the next few weeks”.

The pool is run on behalf of the city council by leisure company Fusion.