New cyanide cleanup plan proposed for former Kaiser Aluminum smelter site in Mead
A plume of the potentially deadly chemical was first discovered in
"It was hoped that could be enough, that the groundwater would naturally cleanse itself," said
But recent testing, coinciding with wholesale giant
None of the homes in the area, or the recently constructed
"This stuff does eventually make it to the
"The option we selected is a good balance of costs and benefits," Schrieve said.
Treated water would then flow through an underground pipe to an infiltration pond, according to the plans, where it would filter back into the soil.
A preliminary report from the
When
Silver said the system has already been tested on a small scale for effectiveness in treating continuation of cyanide and fluoride, another chemical that's been discovered in the groundwater as a result of the smelting process.
"
The system would produce about 1,000 tons of sludge per year, which would either be trucked to a landfill or a hazardous waste facility, based on an analysis results of its toxicity by Ecology officials.
The public will be allowed to offer comment on the plan through
"They can't do anything until the property is cleaned up. That's my curiosity, is who are these people really been driven by?" said Spencer, who's owned a home in the area since 1984. "I don't have any problem, neither would the neighborhood in terms of the development of that property. But it's going to impact us in terms of traffic."
The area surrounding the
If officials move forward with the proposed cleanup plan, wells on the site will be monitored to determine the system's success, Schrieve said. But it's unclear how long they'd have to operate to reduce cyanide levels to the threshold established by environmental regulators.
"This site, whether the pump and treat system is approved, is going to be monitored forever," he said. "The pump and treat system, it's going to be run for years. Whether it's five years, 10 years, 30 years, we're going to have to see."
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