Oil Patch Bits: State and NRC complete cleanup of junkyard site

As reported by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation on Sept. 21, it and emergency response contractor, NRC Alaska, excavated, treated, and stabilized more than 18,000 yards of lead contaminated soil at the former Byford Junkyard site this summer. Elevated and dangerous concentrations of lead and petroleum contamination were found in soil and surface water at the site, posing an imminent and substantial health risk. People harvesting shellfish from the popular Zimovia Strait and property owners adjacent to the site were at the greatest risk of adverse health effects if the junkyard was not cleaned up. That risk has now been eliminated.

“NRC Alaska did an outstanding job successfully completing this challenging project in just five months,” said Bruce Wanstall, DEC’s project manager. “Nearly the entire four-acre site was excavated of contaminated soil. This soil was treated with EcoBond, a proprietary and non-toxic compound that reduces the lead solubility, thus stopping migration and protecting groundwater and surface water. Post-treatment tests show the soil, currently stockpiled onsite, is now non-hazardous and can be safely disposed of in a local monofill.”

Because the former junkyard owners and operators are deceased, DEC accessed the Oil and Hazardous Substance Release Prevention and Response Fund for $6.5 million to fund the cleanup and address the significant risks posed by lead at the site.

The state is now working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources and the City of Wrangell on disposal plans for the treated soil, currently contained on-site.