Soil remediation to be undertaken at former landfill site

Clean-up plans for an industrial landfill site in Connecticut, US, have been announced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Scovill Industrial Landfill Superfund Site is to undergo the removal of polluted soil and an investigation to better understand the level of contamination at the site. 

The site was formerly used - from 1919 to the mid 1970s - for the landfill of demolition debris, cinders, ash and other forms of industrial waste. Much of the land was sold off in the two decades between the 1950s and when the site was closed, resulting in the construction of commercial and residential properties on many parcels of land. The northern area of the site remains undeveloped - the Calabrese Parcel - because building works were halted upon the discovery of industrial waste in soil during excavation.

As well as targeted soil removal, a protective cap will be placed at the Calabrese Parcel to ensure no one is affected by the contamination. Environmental land restrictions are also to be put in place for the site while investigations continue. The EPA plans on undertaking soil remediation to prevent any future health implications.

The EPA has also advised that residents on other areas of the site - who are not in any immediate danger from contaminated soil due to the structures, roads and vegetated areas that have been built - not to dig in their gardens or perform groundworks without first consulting the authority. Once soil remediation works have been completed it is likely there will be not further danger.

Other plans for the clean-up project include limiting any removal of soil from the site to other areas without EPA approval, five-year reviews to evaluate the conditions of the site and how effective remediation works have been, prevention of commercial properties being turned into residential properties without approval and evaluation of whether there is any chance of exposure, via vapour due to isolated volatile organic compounds, at 119 Store Avenue.