By Steve MacInnis, Cape Breton Post, March 11, 1999
A spokesperson for atlantic Shopping Centres Ltd. says the company is confident its health risk assessment plan will contain any seepage of contamination at its expanded Sydney Sobeys store.
John Keizer said the company's design features a host of preventative measures to ensure toxic contamination does not seep into the building now under construction at the Sydney Shopping Centre.
The company was ordered by the Department of Environment last week to submit an assessment plan after soil samples revealed elevated levels of poly aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons.
The department expressed two primary concerns - disposal of soil off site and the construction design of the store's floor.
The site is located adjacent to the which is considered Canada's worst toxic waste dump. The toxic cocktail was created after nearly a century of unregulated dumping from steel making and by product manufacturing.
Soil tests on the construction site showed levels of the highly toxic benzo A pyrene at six times higher than recommended levels.
Keizer said the store's design included a vapour abatement system complete with perforated piping covering the entire floor. He said the piping reclaims vapours and sends them to a central collection area before being vented out through the roof.
In addition to a ground layer of 12 inches of gravel, there will also be a two inch layer of concrete covered by heavy composite board.
"There will be no opportunity for gases to penetrate," he said, adding the main floor will consist of 8 inches of concrete.
With 95 percent of the ground work completed, Keizer said the soil on site will be reused in constructing the parking lot and the building's foundation.
He said the site is secured from public access adding extra security will also be added
Construction of the 42,000 sq.ft. addition is expected to be completed by early summer, he said.
Keizer said reports of a retaining wall being constructed along the banks of Muggah Creek are inaccurate and also offered an explanation of the black goo which alerted environment officials to the site
A shopper noticed black goo coming fromt he holes drilled by Nova Scotia Power for new hydro poles. Keizer said the goo came froma sewer main struck during hte work
Meanwhile, Department of Labour officials have met with the on-site occupational health and safety committee to discuss their concerns for the job.
Owners confident store safe from
contaminants
Halifax Chronicle Herald, March 11, 1999
SYDNEY (CP) - The owners of a Sobeys grocery store being built
on contaminated land say they have a plan to ensure the store is
safe.
John Keizer, spokesman for Atlantic Shopping Centres Ltd., said
its health risk assessment plan will ensure toxic chemicals found in
the soil don't seep into the building now under construction.
Soil samples tested last week revealed elevated levels of poly
aromatic hydrocarbons and petroleum hydrocarbons at the site.
Nova Scotia's Environment Department ordered the company to
submit an assessment plan detailing how it would dispose of soil
from the site and how the store's floor would keep out
contaminants.
The site is located next to the ,
considered to be Canada's most toxic waste dump. A toxic
cocktail of cancer-causing chemicals was created after nearly a
century of unregulated dumping from steelmaking and byproduct
manufacturing.
Soil tests at the construction site, where an existing grocery is
being expanded, showed levels of the highly toxic benzo A pyrene
were six times higher than recommended.
The store's floor design will ensure the chemicals stay outside, said
Keizer.
The plan calls for a piping system that covers entire floor and sucks
up vapours emitted by the soil. The vapours are then vented out of
the building through the roof.
SERL employees turfed from JAG
