Tim Deere-Jones, marine pollution consultant, spoke on behalf of Friends of the Earth and claimed that Able UK's Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) regarding the level of pollutants in sediment at the TERRC site was flawed.

Speaking at the inquiry looking into Able UK's application to dismantle the ghost ships, he claimed that not all the harmful pollutants found in the Tees estuary had been tested for.

Mr Deere-Jones said: "The final report is flawed because it is not based on enough information.

"They have only measured for four out of nine polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

"If you are going to test for four as opposed to the nine that I have detected, that is not going to give the full picture."

The marine pollution consultant said that PCBs are harmful chemicals that attach themselves to sediment and that the sediment at the site is fine and made up from a lot of mud and clay.

He said: "There is a lot of mud, clay and organic materials all of which are fine particles which will have high levels of pollutants."

He said that because certain pollutants were not tested for, the decision as to where to dispose of dredged waste will be done "blind".

He also criticised Able for not testing for a metal called barium before the former American navy ships were brought to the site, as there is now no baseline from which to test for this metal.

But despite his accusations, Mr Deere-Jones admitted that he had not read part of the EIS and Richard Kingston QC, who represents Able, said that therefore it was "irresponsible" for him to comment.

The inquiry was expected to finish yesterday, but was adjourned for closing speeches to be heard on Wednesday, October 31.