NCD980602163_19811211_Warren County PCB Landfill_SERB C_Conservation Council of NC letter to Governor Hunt-OCR

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THE CONSERVATION COUNCIL OF NORTH cARO~1NA': '?-i~ ' ,• ~ ...
307 Granville Road, Chapel Hill, H.C. 27514
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Governor James B. Hunt
The Capitol
Raleigh NC 2760J
Dear Governor Hunt:
[phone] or 942-1080 (24 hours) December 11, 1981
Copies to: Burley Mitchell, "Buck" O'Shiel ds.
Steven Conrad, Don Huisingh
John A. Williams Quentin Lindsey
Don Everett (Reg K) Charles Holt
Kenneth Royall Joseph Mavretic
We are sure you are concerned about the political problems of bury-
ing PCB-laden soil in Warren County, and environmental organizations are
equally concerned about the possible long-term effects of moving the pol-
lutants to a new location, with attendant hazards of both transportation
(which are appreciable), removal, re-burial, and possible leachate in
the not-too-distant future.
Because EPA is being progressively weakened under the present admin-
istration, their approval of a particular landfill site does little to
reassure either the local residents or the scientists and geologists.
There is a new alternative--plasma torch de-activation by heat and
ultra-violet radiation--which was described to a group of scientists at
North Carolina State University in Raleigh just yesterday, which I think
we should seriously consider. It is done in place by mobile machinery.
(If you will remember, I called state officials about immobilization
in place by another layer of asphalt, soon after the deposition, and was
turned down, but that was what we eventually did--and are depending on to
this day for as much control as possible. But it is ineffective on the
soil shoulders, which are still leaching, according to scientists to
whom I speak, and to news articles which have noted higher levels in PCB in
mothers' milk in those areas.)
The new process needs a full scale demonstration for commercial suc-
cess, though 2 papers have been given in the last 6 months on pilot pro-
jects. These papers will be sent to me, and to you, as soon as possible.
I ordered them yesterday. Neutralizing NC's roadside PCB would be $500,000.
The process takes dry granular material, (soil), runs it through a
chamber in which electrically generated heat (1200°) and ultra-violet radia-
tion (like a laboratory decontamination UV light, only stronger) decompose
the PCB's into harmless water, carbon dioxide, and chlorine or hydrochloric
acid --which are neutralized in a basic scrubbing chamber--and return ·the
soil to the original location, to be compressed and covered with a light
layer of immobilizing material, if desired.
If this process is successful on a commercial scale, it has tremendous
potential for spilled, and improperly landfilled PCB compounds all over the
world. It would be comparable to the oil recycling facility in importance,
and favorable publicity. P(e.ase stud;;r i _t £13;f8ful~ before landfilling.
Sincerely, -~-fl,-r...z.-) ~taA.-1
// ; Jane· Sharp, President, CCNC