On PCB contamination cleanup Soil excavation 50 percent complete
The Environmental Chemical Corp., the U.S. Army Corps’ contractor in the ongoing cleanup of Cemetery No. 2 in Tanapag Village, has already completed 50 percent of its work in excavating the soil contaminated with polycholorinated biphenyl.
According to David Cavagnol, regional manager for EEC, the company is targeting to restore by October 15 the areas that will be used by the public in the coming All Soul’s Day.
The contractor has already accommodated burial in the cemetery twice despite earlier order that it will be close to the public pending the completion of the cleanup.
Since contamination in the cemetery has been diffused, EEC workers have dug about three to four feet in some areas in the cemetery to make sure that the cleanup level is achieved, Mr. Cavagnol said.
Soil testings in the cemetery are continuously conducted to determine whether the 1 ppm cleanup level has been achieved.
A representative of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 9 is also on the island to coordinate the cleanup.
During Phase I of the project, an estimated 5,000 tons of PCB-contaminated soil will be removed and temporarily stockpiled near the cemetery.
Treatment of the soil using the indirect low thermal desoprtion process is expected to begin early 2001.
ECC has successfully cleaned up a much larger and more complex U.S. EPA Superfund site in New Jersey where an approximately 95,000 tons of contaminated soil was safely and successfully treated using the same process.
The Army Corps has awarded the $3.1 million contract to EEC of Aiea, Hawaii, for the removal and treatment of PCBs found in the soil of the cemetery. (LFR)
