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PCB Cleanup to Begin at O’Sullivan’s Island Site, Derby CT

Release Date: 10/09/2008
Contact Information: Jeanethe Falvey, 617.918.1020

(Boston, Mass. – October 9, 2008) The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is set to begin a cleanup of PCB contaminated soil located on O’Sullivan’s Island in Derby, CT.

The area of contaminated soil to be addressed is related to a cleanup originally performed at the site between 1983 and 1985. The original cleanup activities included excavation and off-site disposal of over 900 buried 55 gallon drums containing various hazardous materials. At that point in time, EPA took appropriate precautions to isolate and prevent access to the remaining soil contamination due to the lack of an off site PCB certified disposal facility. During that initial remedy approximately 200 cubic yards of excavated contaminated soils were fenced off and stored in place.

O’Sullivan’s Island is located at the confluence of the Housatonic and Naugatuck Rivers in Derby, CT. It is currently used for recreational purposes such as fishing and walking or jogging on nearby trails. The Town of Derby has expressed interest in further recreational redevelopment of the island and an expansive environmental cleanup of the area is one of the primary tasks. With this increased use of the property, EPA has determined that there is greater potential risk of direct human contact with the contaminated soil and it must be taken off site.

For the duration of the cleanup, the site will be secured further to prevent unauthorized access and the PCB contaminated soil will be excavated, packaged and shipped off-site to an EPA approved disposal facility. This cleanup is expected to be fully complete within 6 months. Costs for this cleanup are expected to remain under $300,000.

For more information on EPA’s Removal Program and other short term cleanups going on in New England, please visit:
www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/er/index.htm