5 July 2007
Creosote Cleanup Begins
Sudbury Ontario - A long awaited environmental cleanup
project is finally underway.
At a public information session held at the Greater Sudbury Public Works Depot, residents were given an update on the progress of
cleaning up the residue of creosote left over from a Domtar rail tie operation beside Junction Creek on CPR lands dating from the
1930s and 40s. The $3 million project is expected to be completed 30 Jun 2008. The cost is equally shared by CPR, Domtar,
and the City of Greater Sudbury.
Creosote or coal tar, is a mixture of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Some of elements used to make creosote, such as
benzo(a)pyrene, are known carcinogens, residents were told.
What is unique is that the problem and the diligence in the clean-up resulted from a partnership between the Junction
Creek Stewardship Committee, the City of Greater Sudbury, Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), Domtar, and the Ministry of the Environment,
said Greg Clausen, acting general manager of infrastructure services.
"The creosote was discovered in 1999 by volunteers with the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee - they noticed black ooze on the
south side of the creek. They called me immediately," said Clausen.
"I went down to look at it but called in the Ontario Ministry of Environment too. The MOE then took samples which indicated that
creosote was present, scattered about in pockets on the property.
"Because the property was owned by CPR, we brought them in as partners," said Clausen.
CPR funded the firm Stantec in 1999 to do a preliminary assessment of the problem. Meanwhile the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee
organized a public meeting at Science North.
"I was a speaker at that forum," said Clausen.
Clausen said the non-profit group pressed for a more comprehensive clean-up model, one that returned the
creek to its natural state.
"The City of Greater Sudbury was a player too because in the early to mid-1950s the city put in a sanitary sewer
nearby and that realigned the creek. Therefore some of the property on the north side of the creek was in fact owned by the city and
during the excavation work some of the soil was spread about the site," said Clausen.
CPR contacted Domtar because the company had rented the land used for the creosote plant from them.
"It was obvious run-off from creosote dripping off railway ties was the source of the contamination by Domtar. Now
the three main partners, the city, CPR, and Domtar decided in 2001 to work together and we hired Golder and Associates (environmental
consultants) to do detailed studies and come up with an action plan," said Clausen.
"We thought cooperating and funding a solution was better than paying our lawyers to fight each other in court."
Golder found that parts of the creosote were of concern to human health but no samples exceeded a human health risk assessment
threshold.
However, organisms in the creek were at risk.
The MOE ordered the three partners to come up with an implementation plan.
"We hired Earth Tech (a consulting engineering company) in late 2002 and were set to have a completed clean-up by
2005. But then the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee really jumped in and insisted on a more comprehensive solution that included
ecological restoration work on the creek," said Clausen.
"We listened, revised our plan, the MOE agreed with the delay, and that's why we are now only underway this spring," he
said.
The plan includes excavation and disposal of impacted sediments, installation of a geosynthetic clay liner (if required), site
restoration, and on-going monitoring.
Many local residents support the cleanup.
At the recent launch of the Ward 1 Community Action Network at the Caruso Club, Councillor Joe Cimino said the top cleanup priority was
the creosote beside Junction Creek.
"People want it cleaned up but they also said they want a linear park or trail system developed afterwards so West End, Gatchell,
Martindale, and Copper St. residents can enjoy walking alongside a cleaner creek. So to me, the city's contribution is a good
investment in healthy lifestyles," said Cimino.
The city authorized a $500,000 contribution from the 2007 budget and is expected to contribute another $500,000 from the 2008 budget,
he said.
Cimino said he grew up on Martindale Rd. near the creek.
"As a kid I took great delight in wandering down Copper Street to a small pond where we caught tadpoles. I would like to see kids
today have that very same opportunity I had. I would like to see them experience the natural world too," he
said.
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