Arsenic levels at a former mining site in the Tamar Valley are posing a health risk to employees and the public using the site, a new study suggests.
The Devon Great Consols, part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape UNESCO World Heritage Site, was mined extensively in the 19th century for copper and arsenic.
It has since been transformed into a public leisure facility following the construction or redevelopment of various trails, tracks and facilities for walking, cycling and field visits.
However, new research by the University of Plymouth has shown some parts of the site contain arsenic levels more than 400 times that permitted for park-type soil within government guidelines.
Read more at University Of Plymouth
Image: Masters student Xiaqing Chen conducting air quality tests at the site. CREDIT: University Of Plymouth