Pottersburg PCB Storage Site Decommissioning

Overview of the Pottersburg PCB Storage Site

The Pottersburg PCB Storage Site on Clarke Road in London is a closed, controlled, secure containment facility owned and operated by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE). In its 2008-2009 Budget, the Ontario Government announced $56 million will be spent over two years to remove and destroy PCB-contaminated soils currently stored at the site.

The facility was initially created by Westinghouse Canada in 1984 by order of the MOE to contain PCB-contaminated material cleaned up from Westinghouse.  The containment site was purchased by the MOE in 1985 to store PCB contaminated soil originating from a number of other industrial properties, as well as sediments cleaned up from Pottersburg Creek and Walker Drain in London.  There are 35,500 cubic meters (78,000 tonnes) currently stored on the site.

The decommissioning of the site was not done sooner because no practical technology existed to destroy PCBs.  While the PCBs are safely stored and not impacting public health or the environment, the technology now exists and the government is taking action.

In addition, the federal government has recently announced a proposed federal regulation to eliminate all equipment containing PCBs and to stop the long-term storage of PCBs by December 31, 2009. 

Protection

The protection of public health and the environment is the top priority during the removal of the PCBs from the storage site.  To ensure this priority is maintained throughout the project, the MOE partnered with the City of London and the Middlesex-London Health Unit.

The government is committed to ensuring the community is fully protected and engaged throughout the removal project. As part of this commitment, MOE has formed a Community Liaison Group to participate in developing the removal plan and ensure community interests are represented and involved during the removal work.

Transparency is Key

Through this website, the MOE will be providing regular updated information on the project, opportunities for you to participate and a venue for responding to questions you may have.  The Community Liaison Group will hold meetings that are open to the public.  There will also be a public information session once the RFP contract is awarded, to communicate the details of how the project will be carried out in late Fall 2008.
 
We encourage you to visit this web page often and be fully engaged as the project moves forward.