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Shoreline Cleanup a Success at Aerovox Mill, New Bedford Mass.

Release Date: 08/07/2008
Contact Information: Jeanethe Falvey, 617.918.1020

(Boston, Mass. – August 7, 2008) EPA recently concluded a two month long cleanup effort at the shoreline of the vacant Aerovox mill located on the Acushnet River in New Bedford. The shoreline contained some of the highest levels of PCB and VOC contamination not yet remediated by the ongoing cleanup of the New Bedford Harbor.

During June and July, EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers removed approximately 8,500 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from the shoreline. Removed sediment was stabilized with cement and is now currently housed at EPA’s sediment storage cells at the Sawyer Street cleanup facility.

Air monitoring was performed for the duration of cleanup activities with no elevations in VOCs or PCBs detected. During operations, EPA and the Army Corps came upon more contamination than previously expected and were able to extend the effort to go after the additional contamination. While more work is anticipated in this area at a future date, a significant amount of highly contaminated sediment was removed.

For more information on the New Bedford Harbor Superfund Site please visit:www.epa.gov/ne/nbh