The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that soil cleanup at the Smalley-Piper Superfund Site in Collierville, TN is scheduled to start May 30, 2012. The soil cleanup is expected to be completed by August 2012.
The cleanup is being funded by the EPA. Black & Veatch, an EPA contractor, will manage the cleanup performed by a team of subcontractors. EPA and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) will provide oversight.
The soil cleanup includes excavation, treatment, and offsite disposal of contaminated soil. Chromium and hexavalent chromium are the main contaminants and act as a source of groundwater contamination.
The contaminated soil is located in the area of the two former wastewater ponds at the site and is generally found at depths below 4 feet and extends to depths of 20 feet or more. About 3,000 cubic yards of soil will be excavated from these depths. The soil will be treated as necessary to reduce the leachability of chromium. It will then be trucked offsite to an appropriate disposal facility. The transport of soil is expected to begin in mid June. Once the transport of soil begins, there will be about 12 truck loads per day, two or three days per week for four to six weeks.
Before the excavated area is backfilled, an infiltration gallery will be installed in the base of the excavation of the former west pond. The infiltration gallery will be used later in the groundwater phase of the cleanup.
Dust control measures and air monitoring will be performed during the soil cleanup.
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Dredging Today Staff, May 21, 2012; Image: ecologywa