It was established by Minister of Munitions Winston Churchill to produce mustard gas during World War I.
From 1967, the Avonmouth Works was home to the largest and most efficient zinc blast furnace in the world.
[1] The site remained operational until 2003 when the production of zinc, cadmium, lead and sulphuric acid ceased.
The site is being redeveloped as a 485,000 square feet (45,100 m2) supermarket distribution centre for Asda and a recycling plant for SITA UK.
During the later part of World War I, it was proposed to make Avonmouth Docks the UK centre of production of dichloroethyl sulphide, also known as mustard gas.
[2][3] Hence covered by the Official Secrets Act, as a cover the Ministry of Munitions under its minister Winston Churchill nationalised many small smelting works under the new National Smelting Company (NSC).
Before the outbreak of World War I, much of Britain's zinc had originated in Australia, but had been smelted in Germany.
The NSC was hence publicly commissioned to build a new zinc smelting works and sulphuric acid plant at Merebank, Avonmouth Docks.
The plant came into operation from Spring 1918, producing 20 tonnes (22 tons) of dichloroethyl sulphide using the Despretz–Niemann–Guthrie process per day.
[5][6] At Chittening there were reported 1,213 cases of associated illness, including two deaths which were later attributed to influenza.
[7] After World War I, demand for zinc and sulphuric acid greatly fell, and after running into commercial difficulties it was taken over by a group of British industrialists with interests in metals and chemicals, who succeeded in reviving its business under the name Commonwealth Smelting Company.
From 1967, the Avonmouth Works was home to the largest and most efficient zinc blast furnace in the world.
[10] With smelting cheaper elsewhere in the world, the site ceased production in the 1990s, but remained open as a stock-holding and distribution centre until 2003.
Zinc Ore bucket overhead delivery line - from ships at the docks.
[11] The site was closed off for a year while experts from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory conducted a series of tests.
In late 2013 MoD clearance was given, allowing the site to be redeveloped as a 485,000 square feet (45,100 m2) supermarket distribution centre for Asda, and a recycling plant for SITA UK.