At the Pearl Harbor Restoration Advisory Board meeting last night, the Navy reported on a site where they found PCB contamination. PCB is a persistent chemical in the environment related to dioxin and that can cause cancer. They proposed to remove contaminated soil and dispose of it at an "approved landfill".
When asked which landfill they were referring to, they said most likely it would be PVT. There was lots of discussion about whether the landfill was permitted to take such superfund waste. The Navy said it would cost too much to bring in a thermal disorption unit (something to cook off the PCB into nonhazardous material), which is what was used for other PCBs at Kalaeloa. I argued that the PVT landfill should not be there in the first place and that the Navy should find other alternatives that doesn't leave behind toxic material, especially in an environmental justice impact zone like Wai'anae. I suggested that they study shipping the soil to a facility that has the thermal unit and treating it there. They said they would look into it.
The Navy is accepting comments on this draft "Removal Site Evaluation and Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis Substation P" Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, Kalaeloa. DEADLINE August 11, 2011.
Tell the Navy "Don't ship PCBs to the PVT landfill".
Contact for Comments and Question:
Ms. Denise Emsley 09PAO, Public Affairs Office, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii.
Phone: 808-471-7300, email: denise.emsley@navy.mil
Community acceptance of the remedy is one factor the Navy must consider in their decision making. So, if Wai'anae folks don't want PCBs in PVT, they need to oppose this option.
Copies of the documents are available at Ewa Beach Public library and UH Hamilton Library.
P.s. The EPA is the agency that authorizes PVT to accept these superfund type waste. They can also cancel the approval to accept Superfund waste. Contact Kandice Bellamy (bellamy.kandice@epa.gov) 415-972-3304
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