Dive Brief:
- The removal of waste from a landfill in Wheatfield, NY has been put on hold due to adverse weather conditions. The waste contains material originating from Love Canal, a toxic waste site in Niagara Falls, NY.
- A spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) said that a contractor at the site of the clean-up halted the trucks filled with waste because residents and officials objected. The materials were en route to an incinerator near Sarnia, Ontario.
- A supervisor said he thinks the new destination for the toxic waste is somewhere in Texas, in order to avoid the outcry in Sarnia.
Dive Insight:
The DEC could not confirm a change in the plans at this point. The agency did say that it expects to be informed soon if plans have changed regarding the location or transport of the waste.
The removal of the waste is expected to get underway by the end of January, as a temporary shelter will be raised over the site to make the work easier for the workers.
The landfill in Wheatfield contains industrial waste amassed from numerous companies over the years. The corporations are expected to help pay for the remediation.
It appears that Canada does not want to receive any waste associated with Love Canal. Last year, Clean Harbors abruptly pulled the plug on the transportation of toxic waste at the Love Canal Superfund site. The hazardous waste was in the middle of being transported by the truckload to a waste processing facility in Corunna, Ontario.
