Last Truckload Of PCBs Leaves London Site
December 14, 2009 11:00 AM
McGuinty Government Meets Commitment To Remove PCB Waste
The last truckload of PCB-contaminated waste left the Pottersburg PCB Storage Site today.
Canada's largest PCB containment facility stored PCBs cleaned up in the 1980s from industrial properties and the Pottersburg Creek in London's east end. In 2008, Ontario committed to closing the Clarke Road site within two years.
Decommissioning began in February 2009 and the first truckload of waste left the site in June. Numerous safety measures were in place to protect community health and safety throughout the project. Those precautions were backed up by constant monitoring of local air, dust and surface and ground water.
More than104,000 tonnes of PCB-contaminated waste stored in vaults was safely removed from the site. In all, over 2,800 truckloads went to a licensed facility in Quebec for destruction.
The next step of this project will be conducting an environmental site assessment to determine the work that needs to be done to return the site to industrial property use standards.
Decommissioning began in February 2009 and the first truckload of waste left the site in June. Numerous safety measures were in place to protect community health and safety throughout the project. Those precautions were backed up by constant monitoring of local air, dust and surface and ground water.
More than104,000 tonnes of PCB-contaminated waste stored in vaults was safely removed from the site. In all, over 2,800 truckloads went to a licensed facility in Quebec for destruction.
The next step of this project will be conducting an environmental site assessment to determine the work that needs to be done to return the site to industrial property use standards.
QUICK FACTS
- The PCB-contaminated wastes were securely stored in underground, clay-lined vaults to protect the community and the environment from these extremely persistent chemicals.
- The manufacture and import of PCBs was banned in North America in 1977.
LEARN MORE
CONTACTS
- Contact information for the general public
416-325-4000
1-800-565-4923
- Joe Kim
Minister's Office
416-314-6736
Joe.Kim@ontario.ca - Kate Jordan
Communications Branch
416-314-6666
Kate.Jordan@ontario.ca
Ministry of the Environment
ontario.ca/environment
ontario.ca/environment
"It's great news that the last load of PCBs is leaving the Pottersburg site. Today marks a significant milestone in the removal and elimination of these toxic materials."
– John Gerretsen
Minister of the Environment
"This is good news for the people and the community. We are accomplishing what we set out to do."
– Khalil Ramal
MPP London-Fanshawe
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