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Breaking News: The state Senate has tentatively approved its version of the state budget on a party line, 33-17, vote. A second vote will be held Thursday before the measure goes to the state House.

Posted: April 17, 2007

Toxic Soil Cleanup Near RDU Could Start Soon

Toxic Soil Cleanup Near RDU Could Start Soon

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Raleigh, N.C. — Officials with the Environmental Protection Agency met Tuesday to discuss a plan to clean up an estimated 100,000 tons of toxic soil near Raleigh-Durham International Airport in Morrisville.

Environmental officials say cancer-causing chemicals called polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) leaked from transformers at Ward Transformer facility between Interstate 40 and N.C. Highway 70.

Investigators found high levels of (PCBs) on 11 acres of land near the airport in the 1970s.
Since then, the chemical seeped into Lake Crabtree and has moved four miles downstream, causing warnings to go up about eating fish from the water.

Most of the soil will be excavated and heated so that the PCBs are destroyed. That process will begin in about two months.

There is still no plan for treating the contaminated water and sediment.

Reporter: Scott Mason
Photographer: Richard Adkins
Web Editor: Kelly Gardner

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12 Comments

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Latest Comments

in reference to what jasonicholas said. This stuff is more near than you think, ask around about the old dump site behind Carter football area and near where the RBC center is. There is a pond back there that I have seen pink and red due to "stuff", in the summer when the water line was low you could see the tops of the barrels, and I'm not old.

ladybug467
April 18, 2007 10:33 p.m.

The old saying goes "Haste makes waste". So I guess waste doesn't make haste.

Doctor Dataclerk
April 18, 2007 1:47 p.m.

Soon???

Uh, how about before someone gives birth to a four armed, twelve toed, two headed kid?

CherryDarling
April 18, 2007 1:37 p.m.

i agree with mntndreamn

tarheelblue919
April 18, 2007 11:54 a.m.

There needs to be a statewide clean-up of ALL lakes and waterways. Irresponsible planning & development along with runoff from lawns and streets/parking lots are poisoning our vital waterways (example: the Neuse River beginning in the Triangle). The majority of people could hardly care less as long as "it's not in my yard".

ReelThing
April 18, 2007 10:36 a.m.

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