The award-winning environmental remediation and ecological restoration firm, Envirocon, Inc. has put Allsite’s remediation site structures to work at an EPA Superfund site on the shores of the Great Lakes. Envirocon’s landfill remediation project at this lakefront landfill contamination project focuses on oil and tar removal along the shoreline.
Allsite’s remediation site structures for this project consist of two structures, the largest with a footprint of nearly 60,000 sq. ft., and a second structure of 14,000 sq. ft.. On the larger building a portion of one side dips 3-4’ lower, so leg extensions were used to level out the structure. The tension fabric buildings provide sheltered and fully enclosed work space that also easily accommodates Envirocon’s large equipment. Allsite is the leading provider of structures for environmental remediation applications, and our temporary fabric structures are sturdy enough to handle whatever comes their way, including the high winds and heavy snowfalls that hit this Northern lakefront.
The Superfund Site and Project
The lakefront environmental remediation project area had been a site of industrial operations for 150 years. From the early 1880s through the early 1900s, sawmills ran here. A coal and manufactured gas factory left residual oils and coal tars as well. Near the lakeshore is a landfill made up of sawdust, sand, and demolition wastes. This is the Superfund site, which also covers 10 acres of contaminated sediment in the bay.
Under the surface of the soil and in the groundwater are varying concentrations of metals and organic chemicals: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In addition to the soil and groundwater, part of a nearby residential zone was also polluted. Public access to a portion of the bay and shore is restricted. When feet or watercraft kick up the sediment, the effect is a release of oil and tar, forming oil slicks. The contaminants can irritate the skin and cause increased sensitivity to the sun’s rays. Thus, working with the owners of the plant, and the oversight of the state and the EPA, a $40 million cleanup project is now well underway.
The initial phase of the project involved pumping out contaminated groundwater, removing contaminated soil from a buried ravine, and refilling the area. To address the groundwater toxins, Envirocon was contracted to contain and stop the movement of contaminants, put wells in to pump up the contaminated groundwater, and clean both water and soil on site. Clay and asphalt help stop snow and rainwater from seeping through the ground. A metal barrier erected along the shoreline contains the groundwater before remediation crews clean it and return it into the adjacent bay.
Progress is Made at Environmental Remediation Site
Envirocon is one of the two firms undertaking the joint venture to complete the Superfund project. This has involved:
- Fully staffed work crews throughout 2017, involving 12-hour shifts with some round-the-clock operations;
- Working on a sediment stabilization area comprised on 60,000 square feet;
- The deployment of warning buoys;
- The deployment of tension fabric structures to house the Dredge Water Treatment System (DWTS) for each of two mechanical dredge plants, and the set-up of processing areas within the Allsite remediation site structure to control odors.
As the use of tension fabric structures had been successful in Phase 1 of the site cleanup (prior to the dredge phase), Allsite provided similar structures for Phase 2. The material processing project required dry conditions, protected from the elements. Allsite’s remediation site fabric structure performs year-round, protecting and supporting the vital non-stop environmental remediation work, while meeting all local, state and federal codes for building safety and compliance.
A Community Looking to a Cleaner Future
When complete, the remediation site cleanup operation will allow the nearby town to reclaim its lakeshore biking trail, which had to be detoured around the initial remediation work. After the dredge work, some local buildings will be removed as continued containment work is carried out. Ultimately, the community wants to move ahead with waterfront development. A 2019 plan includes expansion of the town’s marina and a pavilion for public use. The completion of the project means that the public health and safety, and the enjoyment of the lakefront, will be made possible after many years of concern about the industrial toxins on the landfill, offshore, and in the groundwater. We are also pleased to be able to help Envirocon leave a better habitat for the common tern, a Great Lakes native on the endangered species list.
The Remediation Site Structure as an Ideal Worksite Enclosure
Allsite Structure Rentals provides environmental remediation site solutions that will protect an active worksite from the elements, store equipment and supplies and provide cover for work in progress, containing odor, fine particles, noise, and other disruptions at cleanup sites.
The available remediation site structures range in size, from widths of 50 to 156 feet. With peak heights of up to 54 feet, an Allsite tension fabric structure can accommodate the storage and operation of heavy equipment, and cover obstacles as needed, while keeping work operations and contaminated areas out of the public view.
The frame, constructed with high-strength, yet flexible extruded aluminum, facilitates installation of the structure on most any surface. The structure’s advanced design and materials make it not only durable, sturdy and reliable, but also make it easy to transport and provide for quick assembly, making the structure easy to relocate as needed around the worksite or transferred to be used at another project site. Our tension fabric buildings comply with the code and permitting requirements of municipal, state, or federal agencies.
We invite you to find out more about how our remediation site structures can support your environmental remediation project. For additional information, download our Environmental Remediation Project Brochure. To let Allsite help with your environmental remediation site structure needs, contact a knowledgeable sales consultant at 888-599-5112 or request a quote today and someone will contact you.
