Portrack Incinerator

The incinerator was opened in 1975 to burn the domestic waste of the four local authorities of Middlesbrough, Stockton on Tees, Redcar & Cleveland and Hartlepool.{{cite web |title=Portrack Meadows |url=http://www.teeswildlife.org/mainpages/m-tees.htm |work=Tees Wildlife |access-date=20 April 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120141438/http://www.teeswildlife.org/mainpages/m-tees.htm |archive-date=20 November 2008}}

It was praised as an environmentally friendly answer to waste management on Teesside.{{cite web|first=Paul |last=Delplanque |title=What a load of rubbish! |publisher=Evening Gazette |location=Teesside |url=http://rememberwhen.gazettelive.co.uk/2008/05/burning_issue.html |work=Gazette Live |date=9 May 2008 |access-date=20 April 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511183955/http://rememberwhen.gazettelive.co.uk/2008/05/burning_issue.html |archive-date=11 May 2008}}

The plant burned approximately 200,000 tonnes of waste every year and had the potential capacity to generate 20 megawatts (MW) of electricity although it never actually did so.

Ash from the incinerator was sent to landfill and ferrous metal baled and sold on as scrap.

During the 1980s, a former quarry at Whitton was used as a site to dump the incinerator's ash.{{cite web|title=Honey Pot Wood |url=http://www.stockton.gov.uk/citizenservices/environment/parksandopen/countrysidesites/honeypotwood/ |work=Stockton-on-Tees |publisher=Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council |access-date=21 April 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202055649/http://www.stockton.gov.uk/citizenservices/environment/parksandopen/countrysidesites/honeypotwood/ |archive-date=2 December 2008}}

In the early 1990s, Northumbrian Water and Internal Technology Europe Ltd. applied for planning permission to build a sludge incinerator alongside the waste incinerator.

These plans were refused, despite an appeal in 1992.{{cite web |author=Mr. Baldry |title=Sludge Incinerators |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1992/oct/27/sludge-incinerators#S6CV0212P0_19921027_CWA_86 |work=Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) |date=27 October 1992 |access-date=2 September 2009}}

The incinerator was closed down in November 1996, after failing to meet new emission regulations.

The plant was then demolished and its site cleared between 1998 and 2000.

The incinerator's {{convert|300|ft|adj=on}} tall chimney was demolished on 14 March 1999.{{cite web |title=Symbolism of a new skyline |url=http://www.wiki-north-east.co.uk/article.aspx?id=1719094 |work=Wiki NorthEast |date=15 March 1999 |access-date=21 April 2009}}{{deadlink |date=February 2015}}

The budget for the demolition went into the red in early 2000.{{cite web |first=June |last=Kelly |title=The knock-down price |url=http://www.wiki-north-east.co.uk/article.aspx?id=1738660 |date=8 January 2000 |access-date=25 September 2009}}{{deadlink |date=February 2015}}

The north part of the site was used as the Stockton civic amenity dump, until it closed in December 2001.

The incinerator was superseded by the Teesside WTE Power Station a couple of miles down river at Haverton Hill.

{{Infobox park

| name = Portrack Meadows Wildlife Reserve

| photo =

| photo_width = 250

| photo_alt =

| photo_caption =

| type =

| location = Stockton-on-Tees, England

| area =

| created =

| operator = Tees Valley Wildlife Trust

| visitation_num =

| status =

| website = [http://www.teeswildlife.org/ teeswildlife.org]

| map = England

| map_width =

| map_alt =

| map_caption = Location within England

}}

After the Portrack Incinerator site was cleared it was transformed into a site for recreation and wildlife and named Portrack Meadows Wildlife Reserve.

The site is managed by Tees Valley Wildlife Trust who have placed several interpretation boards around the site for the visitor.

At the site's blocked-off northern road entrance is a public sculpture entitled Germination (2005) commissioned by Tees Valley Wildlife.{{cite web |url=http://www.andrewmckeown.com/index.php?id=73 |title=andrew mckeown - sculptor |publisher=Andrew McKeown |access-date=3 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091028095028/http://www.andrewmckeown.com/index.php?id=73 |archive-date=28 October 2009 }};

{{cite web|url=http://www.andrewmckeown.com/index.php?id=82 |title=andrew mckeown - sculptor |access-date=3 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091028095048/http://www.andrewmckeown.com/index.php?id=82 |archive-date=28 October 2009 }};

{{cite web|url=http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/the-environment/green-bits/2005/11/16/new-shoots-84229-16449365/ |title=New Shoots |publisher=Evening Gazette |location=Teesside |date=16 November 2005 |access-date=3 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122073418/http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/the-environment/green-bits/2005/11/16/new-shoots-84229-16449365/ |archive-date=22 November 2008 |df=dmy-all}};

{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/apr/04/andrew-mckeown-sculptures-secret-britain |title=Seeds of change |first=Carlene |last=Thomas-Bailey |work=The Guardian |date=4 April 2009 |access-date=27 July 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2005/06/29/The+North+East+Archive/6947270.Sculptures_grace_restored_incinerator_site/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001102721/http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2005/06/29/The%2BNorth%2BEast%2BArchive/6947270.Sculptures_grace_restored_incinerator_site/ |url-status=dead |archive-date= 1 October 2012 |title=Sculptures grace restored incinerator site |publisher=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=29 June 2005 |access-date=27 July 2009 |df=dmy-all }}

Many trees were planted around the incinerator to screen it off, but when the site was cleared to give other plants a chance to grow, many of these trees were pollarded.

After clearing the incinerator site it was planted with hedgerows, oak trees and sown with wildflower seeds.{{cite web |url=http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/the-environment/green-bits/2005/05/18/chain-gang-84229-15587994/ |title=Chain Gang |publisher=Evening Gazette |location=Teesside |date=18 May 2005 |access-date=3 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007084403/http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/the-environment/green-bits/2005/05/18/chain-gang-84229-15587994/ |archive-date=7 October 2008 |df=dmy-all}};

{{cite web |url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2005/04/14/The+North+East+Archive/6955439.Turf_s_up_as_mayors_help_create_avenue_of_oak_trees_at_nature_site/ |title=Turf's up as mayors help create avenue of oak trees at nature site |publisher=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=14 April 2005 |access-date=3 July 2009 |df=dmy-all}}{{dead link |date=March 2017 |bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

However the concrete base of the incinerator still remains under the site—a fact that may account for the extremely dense vegetation.

{{gallery |align=center

|File:Portrack meadows-800.jpg |Portrack Meadows with the A19 Tees Viaduct in the distance

|File:Portrack_meadows-sculpture-800.jpg |Germination sculpture at the entrance at the north end of the Portrack Meadows site

}}

{{reflist|33em}}

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{{Geographic location

|Northwest =

|North =

|Northeast =

|West = Portrack,
Portrack Marsh Nature Reserve

|Centre = (Portrack Incinerator),
Portrack Meadows Wildlife Reserve

|East = Tees Newport Bridge,
Middlesbrough

|Southwest = Maze Park Nature Reserve

|South = Tees Viaduct

|Southeast = River Tees }}

{{Electricity generation in North East England}}

{{Incineration in the United Kingdom}}

{{Tees Valley Wildlife}} }}

Category:Incinerators

Category:Nature reserves in County Durham

Category:Buildings and structures in Stockton-on-Tees