NCD980602163_19820831_Warren County PCB Landfill_SERB C_US-EPA Press Release re Bacteriological treatment of PCB contaminated soil-OCR

UNITED ST ATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTI9 N AGENCY
REGION IV
August 31, 1982
n+1EDIATE RELEASE
345 COURTLAND STREET
ATLANTA. GEORGIA 303155
Hagan 1bompsob 404/881/3004
Atlanta, GA -Bacteriological treatment of PCB contamiilated soil has been
ruled out for the North Carolina PCB roadside spill, EPA otficials said today.
"Toe bacteriological technique is unproven arxl as such \ is not currently
approved for EPA furxled projects urxler Super fund", said Tom Devine, director
of EPA' s Air and Waste Management Division in Atlanta, Geo~gia. •~ support
research and developnent programs in this area, but we cannot recoomend
experimentation on so large a site arxl the possible exposuize of so many
citizens along the 210 mile spill route", continued Mr. neJine.
High tanperature incineration which has also been considered for this
project has been rejected because the vollllle of material td be burned is such
that the remedy would not be cost effective ard could take lup to four years.
"A brief review of the facts in this case might also be instructive", said
Mr. Devine.
-'!be decision to locate the landfill in Warren County was made by EPA and
State officials.
-EPA approved the design and plans for the landfill under the federal
Toxic Substances C.Ontrol k.t.
-EPA and the State entered a Superfund arrangement to fund the landfill
construction and the removal and disposal of contaminated soil.
-'lbese decisions have been thoroughly reviewed by a federal district court
in North Carolina.
-In the IOOst recent case the Judge wrote:
"The interests of thousands of other citizens of North Carolina are
also at stake. 'lbose citizens living along the roadsides where the
PCBs have been dtmped have been long-suffering as the political
process sought a solution to the problem. To prohibit the reIOOval
of the PCBs now -or even delay such -would increase .the burden
on those woo have endured so much for so long. State and federal
authorities have carefully and meticulously gone about the task of
solving this unpleasant puzzle in a most coomendable manner."
"In view of the history of the case, we feel con£ ident that our approach
is entirely correct arrl appropriate," Mr. Devine concluded
Ill