Site cleanup to take two Contaminated soil getting treatment By SALWA FARAH THE PLASTIC has been peeled back and workers are now treating contaminated soil on CN Rail prop- erty beside the overpass. But don’t expect to see Terrace’s toxic waste site disappear anytime SOO. Brian Maki, manager of Petroleum Enviro Services ex- plained that it will likely take two yeais for the process to be com- pleted. * The soil will be checked weckly by a sub-contractor and will con- tinue to be monitored by Petroleum Enviro Services once a month. Clean up crews are expected lo be on the CN Rail ‘site for the next week, — The soil there is contaminated with wood preservative oil that soaked inte the ground when it was ‘being used to dip and treat poles by the old MacGillis and Gibbs Com- pany. Pentachlorophenol from the oil has dissolved into the ground water and is flowing in a plume under ‘Keith Ave. and beneath southside homes. The soil is being treated to pre- vent further oil leaching into the water table. Workers will be construcling two treatment cells where the con- ‘taminated soil will be moved into. “and treated. “The soil will be treated through ‘a= degradation = process using + . ' . ‘ By DAVID TAYLOR The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, June 25, 1997 - A3 EQUIPMENT on the CN Rail contaminated ‘site just southeast of the Sande overpass will be working this week to construct treatment cells within the dirt piles so nitrogen will eat up remaining preservative oil. Technician Ryan Hillaby from Petroleum Enviro Services supervises the clean up. oxygen,’’ said CN’s Mary Jane Skulski. Water and air will be circulated in the soil to help multiply bacteria naturally present in the dirt. As of yel, nothing has been done to treat the ground water. “T believe that the water table catttinues to be monitored by CN,” said Skulski. While most of the business along Keith Ave. bave filed plans for the clean up, Copperside Foods, Norm’s Auto Refinishing and the Greyhound bus depot have not yet complied. And there's no evidence of government pressure to make then comply. “Phe government people just shrug their shoulders,” said Gor- don Hull, owner of the bus depot property, adding he’s nat sure what can be done to clean up ground water, Environment waste management officer Alex Grant said that the businesses are still required to pres- ent proposals. “We haven't changed our posi- tion that we expect them to do as- sessinents on their property,” said Grant, who wasn’t specific about when he will approach the com- panies or how he will enforce com- pliance. Big stink costing city a bundle ‘THE SMELLY problems at ‘Terrace’s sewage treatment ‘facility are costing the city a ‘pretty penny, but they ‘shouldn’t break the bank, So far, the city has had to truck iti hundreds of gallons ‘of hydrogen peroxide, rent a big air pump at $1,000 per ‘month and buy at least three ‘$10,000 smaller pumps. : All this to get rid of a masty odour that was actual- ‘ly waking ucarby residents up at night. The city’ has ; .also had. to ieee When you can't breathe, nothing else matters | BRITISN COLUMINA LUNG ASSOCIATION 731-LUNG or 1-100-665-LUNG School District No. 82 (Coast Mountains) All playing fields at the Terrace/Thornhill area schools will be fertilized monthly. This program will run from May through Oct. 1997. we vse wee eee eee eee eer ere ee ens Asa GRITS ie Seenc hore 8} radio system access fae of $48, long distarwe charges an ngth- maximum 30 calls per month - local calls anly, Horne Fret calls must be to prima jnleg ticable only to calsmade en the BC TEL Mobility network, Tyio-in-O} fork over thousands in con- sultant’s fees to find out what was causing the smell. And when the Skeena sub- sides, Terrace will have to spend even more moncy 10 find out the best way to reduce pollution in the river. Finally, after all this, the city will probably end up extending the sewage outfall pipe further into the river — not a cheap task. But director of engitecr- ing, Stew -Christenset