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Buchans - Lead in Soil Remediation Activities and Air Monitoring

• Soil Remediation Activities
• Buchans Lead Levels (13 KB)
• Additional Information

Soil Remediation Activities

Background

Soil testing conducted in Buchans in the fall of 2009 by Conestoga Rovers and Associates (CRA), on behalf of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, had identified elevated levels of heavy metals in some of the samples. Further testing and a Human Health Risk Assessment completed in early 2010 concluded that some residential areas have soil lead levels that may pose unacceptable risks to human health.

The Provincial Government held two public meetings in Buchans on this issue and the Central Health Authority made blood lead testing available for any concerned residents. Based on the testing results, medical experts have determined there isn’t any evidence of immediate health concerns resulting from lead exposure. However, there were still several continuous sources of lead and other heavy metals from exposed tailings near the town that had to be addressed.

In 2010, the Provincial Government committed $9 million for projects to address the two main source areas that continued to contribute to the lead in soil levels in Buchans. These projects included:

• The capping of the Tailings Spill Area and remediation of the Mucky Ditch - completed by the Department of Environment and Conservation.
• The rehabilitation of the tailings dams and capping of exposed tailings -completed by the Department of Natural Resources.

This work has been substantially completed, with only finishing touches required in 2011.

The photos below depict the Tailing Spill Area before and after the 2010 remediation.

Before:

Note that this area has been hydro-seeded and vegetation is expected to geminate in the spring of 2011.

Plan Forward

Now that the source areas of the tailings have been addressed, the Department of Environment and Conservation has engaged a consultant to develop a Risk Management Plan for the residential and public areas with soil lead levels above the risk based criteria.

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Additional Information

For more information on the soil testing, please visit the following:

• Public Meeting to Provide Update on Remediation Plans and Testing in Buchans

Note: all links below are PDFs and will open in a new window.

• Buchans Human Health Risk Assessment Summary Report (4.6 MB)
• Buchans Human Health Risk Assessment Report (5.5 MB)
• December Soil Sample Results (2.1 MB)
• December 9 Update to the Residents of Buchans (165 KB)
• October 5 Presentation to Town of Buchans (335 KB)
• Data Table 1 – Results Summary Data (80 KB)
• Table 2 – Range Table (29 KB)
• Residential Surficial Soils (2.3 MB)
• Heavy Metals in Soils - Frequently Asked Questions (40 KB)

Authority

• Acts and Regulations
• Guidance Documents
  • Air Quality
  • Waste Management

Pollution Prevention consists of the following sections:

• Environmental Science and Monitoring
• Industrial Compliance
• Pesticides Control
• Waste Management
• Petroleum Storage and Management

Location

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