Cleanup Nearly at Final Stage

Beginning in January, the soil at a PCB-contaminated Superfund site will be dug up and superheated to 900ºF. At that temperature the PCBs will vaporize. The vapors then will be trapped in oil and carted off-site. About 20,000 pounds of PCB oil, or approximately 30 drums, 55 gallons each, will be removed from 17,000 cubic yards of soil, which after treatment will be returned to the ground.

The on-site soil treatment at the former glue-factory in Wallington, NJ, will operate 24 hours a day until completion. Excavation of the soil will take place during business hours, Monday through Friday.

This is the process and schedule that U.S. EPA officials described during the week of November 30. According to the agency, January's is the final phase of the cleanup, which includes soil washing and removal of 600 buried barrels of hardened glue. The site is expected to get its clean bill of health in September.

The last phase of the cleanup will cost U.S.$8 million, bringing the total to $17 million. The federal Superfund program will pay 90% of the costs, with 10% coming from the state, according to the agency.

The site was added to the Superfund program in 1986 after efforts to get the owners to clean up the property failed. The EPA conducted an emergency cleanup, removing leaking underground storage tanks and exposed chemical drums shortly after the plant closed.