Of blaes and bings: The (non)toxic heritage of the West Lothian oil shale industry

Jonathan Gardner

doi:10.4324/9781003365259-5

Of blaes and bings: The (non)toxic heritage of the West Lothian oil shale industry

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review

Abstract / Description of output

This chapter explores the changing human valuations of oil shale waste – blaes – in the district of West Lothian, Scotland. Around 150 million cubic metres of this material remain here in vast heaps known as bings, the remnants of a short-lived but globally significant oil industry, active between 1851 and 1962. In following the changing perceptions and uses of blaes through its creation, exploitation, discard, and reuse, it becomes apparent that it is not easy to definitively apply the categories of ‘toxic’ and ‘non-toxic’ to such materials and their heritage associations. In exploring the shifting valuations of blaes and bings over the last 170 years, the chapter proposes a geosocial understanding of the heritage of hydrocarbon exploitation and its waste in the Anthropocene and suggests that such materials may yet prove useful to us in the face of the climate crisis.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Toxic Heritage
Subtitle of host publication	Legacies, Futures, and Environmental Injustice
Editors	Elizabeth Kryder-Reid, Sarah May
Place of Publication	London
Publisher	Routledge
Chapter	2
Pages	35-49
ISBN (Electronic)	9781003365259
ISBN (Print)	9781032429977
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003365259-5
Publication status	Published - 21 Jul 2023

Publication series

Name	Key Issues in Cultural Heritage
Publisher	Routledge

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Oil shale
waste
geosocial
bings
pharmakon
West Lothian
monuments
John Latham
heritage

Access to Document

10.4324/9781003365259-5Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND)

Gardner2023ToxicHeritageBlaesBingsFinal published version, 4.73 MBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND)

1 Finished

Reimagining British Waste Landscapes
Gardner, J.
1/10/20 → 30/06/24
Project: Research

2 Abstract
2 Article

Gaining ground: Bomb rubble, reclamation and revenance
Gardner, J., 25 Oct 2023, In: Journal of Contemporary Archaeology. 10, 1, p. 25-48 24 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Introduction: Making ground: The archaeology of waste landscapes
Edgeworth, M., Gardner, J. & Benjamin, J., 25 Oct 2023, In: Journal of Contemporary Archaeology. 10, 1, p. 1-7 7 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
What makes a wasteland?: ruins, rubble and regeneration
Gardner, J., 9 Jan 2021, (Unpublished).
Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract

2 Oral presentation
1 Participation in conference
1 Public Engagement – Public lecture/debate/seminar
1 Types of Public engagement and outreach - Public lecture/debate/seminar

The Spoils of Progress: Reimagining Edinburgh's Waste Landscapes
Jonathan Gardner (Invited speaker)
12 Oct 2023
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Public Engagement – Public lecture/debate/seminar

File
Of blaes and bings: Reimagining the West Lothian oil shale industry
Jonathan Gardner (Speaker)
6 Jan 2023
Activity: Academic talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
(Conference Session organisation) Making Ground: the archaeology of waste landscapes.
Jonathan Gardner (Organiser), Matt Edgeworth (Organiser) & Jeffrey Benjamin (Organiser)
31 Mar 2022
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference

File

Cite this

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title = "Of blaes and bings: The (non)toxic heritage of the West Lothian oil shale industry",

abstract = "This chapter explores the changing human valuations of oil shale waste – blaes – in the district of West Lothian, Scotland. Around 150 million cubic metres of this material remain here in vast heaps known as bings, the remnants of a short-lived but globally significant oil industry, active between 1851 and 1962. In following the changing perceptions and uses of blaes through its creation, exploitation, discard, and reuse, it becomes apparent that it is not easy to definitively apply the categories of {\textquoteleft}toxic{\textquoteright} and {\textquoteleft}non-toxic{\textquoteright} to such materials and their heritage associations. In exploring the shifting valuations of blaes and bings over the last 170 years, the chapter proposes a geosocial understanding of the heritage of hydrocarbon exploitation and its waste in the Anthropocene and suggests that such materials may yet prove useful to us in the face of the climate crisis.",

keywords = "Oil shale, waste, geosocial, bings, pharmakon, West Lothian, monuments, John Latham, heritage",

author = "Jonathan Gardner",

note = "Funded by University of Edinburgh and the Leverhulme Trust (Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship)",

year = "2023",

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doi = "10.4324/9781003365259-5",

language = "English",

isbn = "9781032429977",

series = "Key Issues in Cultural Heritage",

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Of blaes and bings: The (non)toxic heritage of the West Lothian oil shale industry. / Gardner, Jonathan.
Toxic Heritage: Legacies, Futures, and Environmental Injustice. ed. / Elizabeth Kryder-Reid; Sarah May. London: Routledge, 2023. p. 35-49 (Key Issues in Cultural Heritage).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review

TY - CHAP

T1 - Of blaes and bings

T2 - The (non)toxic heritage of the West Lothian oil shale industry

AU - Gardner, Jonathan

N1 - Funded by University of Edinburgh and the Leverhulme Trust (Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship)

PY - 2023/7/21

Y1 - 2023/7/21

N2 - This chapter explores the changing human valuations of oil shale waste – blaes – in the district of West Lothian, Scotland. Around 150 million cubic metres of this material remain here in vast heaps known as bings, the remnants of a short-lived but globally significant oil industry, active between 1851 and 1962. In following the changing perceptions and uses of blaes through its creation, exploitation, discard, and reuse, it becomes apparent that it is not easy to definitively apply the categories of ‘toxic’ and ‘non-toxic’ to such materials and their heritage associations. In exploring the shifting valuations of blaes and bings over the last 170 years, the chapter proposes a geosocial understanding of the heritage of hydrocarbon exploitation and its waste in the Anthropocene and suggests that such materials may yet prove useful to us in the face of the climate crisis.

AB - This chapter explores the changing human valuations of oil shale waste – blaes – in the district of West Lothian, Scotland. Around 150 million cubic metres of this material remain here in vast heaps known as bings, the remnants of a short-lived but globally significant oil industry, active between 1851 and 1962. In following the changing perceptions and uses of blaes through its creation, exploitation, discard, and reuse, it becomes apparent that it is not easy to definitively apply the categories of ‘toxic’ and ‘non-toxic’ to such materials and their heritage associations. In exploring the shifting valuations of blaes and bings over the last 170 years, the chapter proposes a geosocial understanding of the heritage of hydrocarbon exploitation and its waste in the Anthropocene and suggests that such materials may yet prove useful to us in the face of the climate crisis.

KW - Oil shale

KW - waste

KW - geosocial

KW - bings

KW - pharmakon

KW - West Lothian

KW - monuments

KW - John Latham

KW - heritage

U2 - 10.4324/9781003365259-5

DO - 10.4324/9781003365259-5

M3 - Chapter (peer-reviewed)

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A2 - Kryder-Reid, Elizabeth

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ER -

Of blaes and bings: The (non)toxic heritage of the West Lothian oil shale industry

Abstract / Description of output

Publication series

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

Reimagining British Waste Landscapes

Research output

Gaining ground: Bomb rubble, reclamation and revenance

Introduction: Making ground: The archaeology of waste landscapes

What makes a wasteland?: ruins, rubble and regeneration

Activities

The Spoils of Progress: Reimagining Edinburgh's Waste Landscapes

Of blaes and bings: Reimagining the West Lothian oil shale industry

(Conference Session organisation) Making Ground: the archaeology of waste landscapes.

Cite this