This summer has been an extremely busy one for the men and women of BNL's Environmental Restoration Division (ERD), with several remediation projects in different stages going on simultaneously at the BNL site.
Excavation complete
We've completed work on the first phase of our biggest construction project this summer, involving the excavation of 55 former waste pits. These pits, known as the Chemical/Animal Pits and Glass Holes, were used from the late-1950s to 1981 for the disposal of chemical containers, rinsed laboratory glassware and animal carcasses.
As of mid-August, all 55 pits and holes had been successfully excavated, yielding more than 8,000 cubic yards of material and potentially contaminated soil. ERD is now focusing on the characterization, sorting and off-site disposal of the excavated waste and soils. The project is scheduled to be completed later this fall.
Progress on projects
Work is also progressing on the capping of the Lab's Interim Landfill. This landfill was used in 1966 following the closure of the Former Landfill (which was capped in 1996) and during the construction of the Current Landfill (closed in 1990 and capped in 1995). This project is expected to be completed this fall as well.
Construction is also well underway on a cleanup system in the central part of the Lab site. Soil and groundwater in this area contain remnants of fuel oil and solvents from a 1977 spill. Two technologies, air sparging and soil vapor extraction, are being combined to remediate the area. The system is scheduled to begin operation early this winter.
Work, investigations continue
As these projects near completion, work will continue on several others as we move into 1998. The largest project planned involves the cleanup of radioactive soils at the Lab's Hazardous Waste Management Facility and in other areas of the site. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and BNL are proposing to excavate contaminated soils above cleanup goals (approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation) and dispose of them off-site. A public meeting on this project will be held later this fall to review the various alternatives that were evaluated and solicit community input.
The investigation phase of the Operable Unit V (Sewage Treatment Plant/Peconic River area) project is near completion, and the results are scheduled to be released for public review and comment later this fall (see story, page 1). A public meeting on remediation alternatives for the area is scheduled for early 1998.
An investigation of the western portion of the Lab site is also nearing completion. The Operable Unit III investigation is the final groundwater investigation underway at BNL, and will address the remaining groundwater plumes, including the High Flux Beam Reactor tritium plume. A report documenting the results of the investigation is scheduled to be released in early 1998, and DOE and BNL are currently evaluating options for remediating a groundwater plume that extends beyond the Lab's southern boundary (see story, page 3).
So while this past summer, and year, have been productive, more work
remains to be done. The next issue of cleanupdate will include an updated
schedule of the Superfund process at BNL, including all remediation work
planned, completed and underway.