The clean-up of the 2.5km2 Olympic Park, much of it contaminated through decades of industrial use, is almost complete and on track to beat its tough sustainability targets.

The unprecedented clean-up began three years ago and has enabled construction to start on or ahead of schedule on all of the permanent Olympic Park venues. The 'big build' is now ramping up with venues coming out of the ground and work underway on 21 bridges, roads, a new energy centre and network and other infrastructure for the area in legacy.

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ODA Director of Infrastructure and Utilities Simon Wright said: "Delivering one of the UK's most complex and greenest clean-up operations on time and on budget is a major milestone. It has ensured that the ‘big build’ is on track by creating, from mainly contaminated land, the foundation for the venues, parklands and homes that will transform this part of east London for the Games and legacy.

"We have worked closely with the regulatory bodies and local authorities while cleaning more than one million tonnes of contaminated material to protect the health and safety of the workforce, public and future generations that will live, work and play on and around the Olympic Park."

The cleaning and clearing of the Olympic Park utilised sustainable techniques to recycle and reuse over ninety per cent of the demolition material and 80% of soil on site. This significantly reduced lorry journeys in the local area as only a minimal amount of contaminated material was taken to landfill sites.

(CD/KMcA)