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PCB's

1. What are PCBs? 
  
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are synthetic industrial chemicals that are extremely persistent and difficult to break down and destroy.

They were used widely as ingredients in many industrial materials, such as sealing and caulking compounds, oils used to cool and lubricate parts in industrial processes, inks, and paint additives.

PCBs were also used to make coolants and lubricants for certain kinds of electrical equipment, such as transformers.

In 1977, public concerns over the use and disposal of PCBs led to a North American ban on manufacturing and importing PCBs.  Restrictions on their release into the environment and storage requirements soon followed. The provincial regulation was implemented in the early 1980s.

PCBs are still present in certain types of electrical equipment in use today until the equipment no longer works or is ready for disposal.   Disposal of this equipment is handled in accordance with ministry regulations.

For further information on PCBs go to the Health Canada "PCBs It's Your Health" webpage.

POTTERSBURG PCB STORAGE SITE 

2. Where did the PCB-contaminated materials stored at the Pottersburg PCB Storage Site come from? Why did the government take on the management of the PCBs in the 1980s?

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. The facility was created by

Westinghouse Canada in 1984, by order of the ministry, to contain PCB-contaminated material cleaned up from the Westinghouse property.

The ministry purchased the storage facility in 1985 to store PCB-contaminated soil originating from other industrial properties and sediments from the cleanup of Pottersburg Creek and Walker Drain in London.

The Pottersburg PCB Storage Site was created to ensure that the PCB-contaminated material would be safely stored until it could be destroyed.

3. Were the PCBs stored safely? 

Yes, the PCBs were safely stored since the cleanup was completed and the ministry continuously monitored and managed the storage site for over 20 years.

The site had several design features that ensured safe storage of the waste. 

For example, each of the four waste storage cells, or vaults, at the site had a non-permeable synthetic liner and a durable clay liner to prevent groundwater and rainwater infiltration.  The cells and containment system were maintained as a hydraulic trap, so that water from the cells was kept in the cells.  A contractor regularly monitored and managed water levels at the site so that the hydraulic trap was maintained.

Water that was pumped was first analyzed for PCBs, treated on site, tested again for PCBs, and if acceptable, discharged to the sanitary sewer.  

4. Why is the contaminated material being removed now? 

During the initial cleanup of the material in the 1980s, there was no technology or approved sites where PCBs could be safely destroyed. Secure storage was the only option available.  Over time, new technologies for the destruction of PCBs were developed; however, the costs of these methods were prohibitive for large quantities. 

Today there are safe and effective methods for permanently destroying PCBs and the cost is less than two-thirds of what it was 10 years ago. In 2008, new federal PCB Regulations came into force requiring stored PCBs to be sent for destruction by December 31, 2009.

The decommissioning of the Pottersburg PCB Storage Site also complements Ontario's Toxics Reduction Strategy.

DECOMMISSIONING PROJECT PLANS

5. What does decommissioning mean?

Decommissioning refers to the removal of all the sediments, soils and debris located within the four waste storage cells, or vaults, at the site; removal of the vault structures, and any other structures associated with the storage site, replacement of soils and returning the property to its original approved use (industrial).

6. Who is the project contractor? 

The project contractor is Quantum Murray LP of Toronto, Ontario.  Quantum Murray has experience in other PCB cleanup projects in Ontario and Victoria, B.C. For more information on Quantum Murray, visit the company's project website.

7. Why did you select this contractor?

The ministry did an extensive evaluation and awarded the contract to the bidder that received the highest score in the evaluation.  The contractor had the highest technical score and the lowest cost bid.

8. When did the cleanup begin?

The removal of PCB-contaminated sediment, soil and debris began in June 2009, after site preparation work was completed and the required permits and approvals were obtained. The site preparation work included installing structures over the vaults, installing sampling and monitoring equipment, enhancing stormwater management, paving access roads, and installing a truck wash.  To learn more about project activities completed to date, visit Quantum Murray's project website.

REMOVAL AND DESTRUCTION 

9. How long will it take to remove the waste materials?

The ministry intends to complete the project quickly while keeping any disruptions to the surrounding community at a minimum.  All the PCB waste is to be removed by the end of December 2009.

10. What is happening to the PCB-contaminated waste at the site?

The contractor is removing the PCB-contaminated material and transporting it to an approved destruction facility in Quebec. 

11. How much PCB-contaminated material is being removed?
 
The project was based on an estimated 35,500 cubic metres (78,000 tonnes) of PCB-contaminated soils, sediments and debris stored at the site. The ministry is closely monitoring the waste amounts that are being removed. Once the waste materials are removed, on-site infrastructure will be removed, and the storage areas will be backfilled with clean soil. A detailed assessment of the site will be conducted after the cleanup to ensure that it was properly decommissioned.

12. Where is the PCB-contaminated soil, sediment and debris going?  What is the transportation plan and route?

The ministry ensured, through the Request for Proposals process that the PCB wastes would be transported to a licensed destruction facility in Canada.  The final destination of the PCB waste is Bennett Environmental located in Quebec. 

The PCB wastes at the site consist of contaminated soils and sediments, with minor amounts of debris from the site's initial construction.  The waste is transported in secured containers that are leak-proof and impermeable. 

Companies that transport PCB wastes must be licensed, use trained drivers, and carry insurance.  The transportation of these wastes is regulated by the Ministry of the Environment, as well as federally by the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act.

13. Are communities along the trucking route advised that the trucks are coming through?

There is no need to notify communities on the trucking route. The trucks carrying the PCB waste are labelled with hazardous waste placards.  Placards are used as an identification system by the province, the federal government and agencies to identify hazardous materials.

14. When will the project end?

The contract requires that the PCB-contaminated soil, sediment and debris be removed from the site and taken to the destruction facility by December 11, 2009.  The site will then be assessed for further contamination and if none is found will be restored to the ministry's industrial property use standards.  The contractor must submit final project reports to the ministry by December 2010.

15. Can the project be completed on time?    

Work is on schedule to meet the December 2009 deadline for waste removal. Federal PCB Regulations require PCB wastes to be removed from storage and transported to a licensed Canadian destruction facility before December 31, 2009.

16. Will any of the PCBs to go to a landfill site?           

The contractor is allowed to consider taking wastes from the last two vaults to a licensed waste disposal facility as an alternative to destruction, only if comprehensive testing proves that each load of materials has PCB concentrations of less than 25 parts per million. 

17. Are there more PCBs on the site?

The site was part of the original Westinghouse industrial property and may have been impacted from historical industrial use.  The contractor sampled soils surrounding the vaults while preparing to build roads and thruways for the removal work to be done. An area containing PCB-contaminated soil was identified, and the material was removed and shipped for destruction.

The contractor must also conduct a Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment of the entire property after removal of the vault contents and structures, as part of the project. This assessment includes sampling of the property to determine if there are any PCBs remaining on the site that would need to be cleaned up. If so, the contractor will notify the ministry and outline the work that needs to be done to return the site to industrial property use standards.

Our goal is to return the site to the ministry's industrial property use standards.

18. Once the vaults are emptied will there be any PCBs left on the site?

All of the PCB-contaminated soil, sediment and debris stored in the vaults at the site will be removed, destroyed or disposed of in the appropriate manner. The entire property will undergo an environmental site assessment with the intention of returning the property to the original grading and to the ministry's industrial

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT / COMMUNITY LIAISON GROUP

19. How are you keeping the public informed throughout the project?

The ministry is committed to keeping the public informed. Several approaches are being used for communicating to the public about the project. 

The ministry has established this website for the project.  Visitors to this website can register to receive email updates so they will know as soon as something is posted.

The contractor is implementing a Community Engagement and Communication Plan for the project. The contractor holds public information sessions, prepares a quarterly newsletter and hosts a website to provide the community with up-to-date information on the progress of work.

The ministry established a Community Liaison Group to obtain input in developing the plan to remove PCB-contaminated material from the storage site.  This group ensures that the community is represented and involved during the removal work. 

The group includes scientific experts, health and labour officials, and residents, as well as representatives of the Middlesex-London Health Unit, the City of London and the ministry.  The majority of the members live in the community and have a vested interest in ensuring public health and the environment are fully protected as the project takes place.

The Community Liaison Group continues to inform the public, and provide input to the ongoing work at the site. The group's meetings are open to the public. 

The ministry posts summaries of the group's meetings to this website for those unable to attend. 

ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION

20. What is being done to protect the community during the removal of the PCBs?

The project contractor, Quantum Murray, is required to remove the material in a manner that is fully protective of human health and the environment.  The contractor erected two temporary enclosures over the vaults to collect and contain dust while the sediment, soil and debris is being removed and loaded in trucks headed to the destruction facility.  The enclosures also prevent stormwater from contacting the PCB waste and wash water from leaving the site.

The contractor also:

• Monitors air quality
• Controls and suppresses dust as needed
• Samples, collects and analyzes the soils on the site
• Monitors groundwater
• Controls erosion
• Monitors and manages stormwater
• Engages and informs the community throughout the project.

Trucks leaving the site must be washed to ensure no contamination is tracked onto surrounding roads.  The ministry is sampling soil and vegetation before, during and after decommissioning.

PHYTOTOXICITY SAMPLING IN THE POTTERSBURG STORAGE SITE AREA

21. What is phytotoxicity sampling?

The ministry samples soils and vegetation to determine if plants are absorbing potentially harmful levels of chemicals that could impact their growth and pose a threat to animals that consume the plants. The word "phyto" in general means "plants" and the word "toxicity" relates to those potential impacts from chemicals taken into the plant from sources such as soils or airborne materials that may land on plant surfaces.

22. Why is the ministry testing the soil and vegetation around the site? 

The ministry is conducting a three-phase sampling program of the surface of the soil (0-2cm depths) and tree foliage (leaves) at and around the Pottersburg PCB Storage Site. The purpose of the samples is to determine the background levels of PCBs associated with the current atmospheric deposition of particles in this urban area. The sampling is done before, during and after the decommissioning project to determine whether dust associated with the decommissioning of the Pottersburg PCB Storage Site has had any off-site environmental impacts.

This is just one of the many monitoring and protective measures that have been put in place to ensure the safety of the community and the environment as the decommissioning project proceeds.

23. Where do the samples come from?

Surface soil and foliage samples are collected from a number of industrial and public properties within a one-kilometre radius of the storage site. Sampling locations include a nearby daycare centre as well as the orchard located adjacent to the PCB storage site. Sixty (60) soil and twenty (20) foliage samples are collected from various sites in the vicinity.

24. Has the ministry sampled the soil for PCB contamination?

The first assessment took place in September 2008 before work began on the site. The sampling was repeated in August 2009 after two of the storage vaults were opened and the waste material they contained was removed for destruction. The third round of sampling will be done after all the waste materials are removed from the storage site.

25. When will the public learn about the results? How will they be made available?

The results of the first and second round of sampling have been summarized in written reports. The ministry has shared the reports with its partners, the City of London, Middlesex-London Health Unit, and the Community Liaison Group (CLG). The results of the first round were shared with the public at a public meeting held on February 18, 2009, and the results of the second round were presented at a CLG meeting held on February 10, 2010. The reports are posted on this website. The ministry will keep the public informed as to when the results of the third and final round of sampling will be made available.

26. What was the outcome of the first round of sampling?  

The overall results indicated that the levels of PCBs found were well below the ministry's industrial property use standards. The risk for exposure to PCBs in the soil for residents living in the study area is no different than in any similar urban community in the province.

The tests of area vegetation and fruit showed that levels of PCBs were below the laboratory Method Detection Limit of 0.05 parts per million.

A soil sample from one of the industrial properties showed a slightly elevated level of PCBs. This industrial property is known for historical PCB contamination.

27. When was the second round of the sampling conducted?

The ministry conducted the second round of sampling in August 2009 and October 2009 after PCB-contaminated sediment, soil and debris was removed from two of the four storage vaults at the site.

28. Was there any change in PCB levels based upon the second round of sampling?

The results were similar to those from the first round of sampling, with the exception that leaves collected from two apple trees very close to the project site had low concentrations of PCBs. PCBs were not found in apples from the trees. The ministry re-sampled the vegetation in October 2009 and detected low concentrations of PCBs in the leaves of just one of the two trees. PCBs were not detected in a cornfield near the project site. Concentrations of PCBs in soil near the project site were unchanged from 2008 to 2009.

29. What do the results mean for the community and the environment?

Sampling showed the project did not change PCB concentrations in soil within a one-kilometre radius of the site. The source of the low level PCB concentrations in the leaves of two apple trees may have been dust from soil that was stockpiled while the site was being prepared for the project. Grass seed was subsequently applied to the stockpile to control dust. The soil stockpile was designated for re-use on the site for backfilling and site grading (PCB concentrations within the industrial, commercial and community property use standard of 25 parts per million). PCBs were not detected in apples or in the leaves from an adjacent corn field. No evidence was found of off-site PCB deposition from the storage vaults.

MINIMIZING TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON CLARKE ROAD

30. What is the ministry doing to alleviate traffic congestion during high traffic periods, Monday to Friday? 

The traffic management plan was modified to meet the requirements of the Ministry of Labour, the City of London and Quantum Murray, for the safe movement of traffic in and out of the site.

The most significant change was the narrowing of traffic to one lane in each direction. This was done to address Occupational Health and Safety requirements identified by the Ministry of Labour. Other changes were made to avoid the need for drivers of vehicles to stop on the street, particularly during high traffic periods:

• Quantum Murray placed additional staff on-site, including near the entrance;
• The City of London granted permission for temporary parking of visiting vehicles along the roadside, adjacent to the site;
• Vehicles that belong to on-site workers must be parked in designated parking areas to minimize the number of vehicles turning into or parked adjacent to the site; and
• Efforts are being made by Quantum Murray to schedule deliveries such that workers have time to open up the site in the morning, before trucks arrive.

The ministry's contractor, Quantum Murray, is making every effort to ensure the safe flow of traffic so that both the public and the workers are protected. If you experience problems, please contact Todd Fleet at the Ministry of the Environment office at 519-873-5111.

POTTERSBURG-AREA STUDIES

31. What did the Ministry of the Environment find on completing the Pottersburg Creek and Walker Drain 2008 PCB Sampling Study?

The sampling results show that small amounts of PCBs are still present in Walker Drain, Pottersburg Creek and the Thames River. The levels in water and sediment are within or below the levels the ministry considers acceptable for human health. Levels of some ecological standards are exceeded but remain low enough that they are not a significant risk to the environment. Levels continue to decline in fish, clams and water. Levels in sediment are relatively unchanged from the post-cleanup period. Consumption advisories apply for Thames River carp downstream of Pottersburg Creek. Additional sampling is being done in Walker Drain, where the study found PCB levels are moderately higher than in Pottersburg Creek.

32. What is the status of the Blood Survey?

Please contact the Middlesex-London Health Unit for information on the Blood Survey.