Stonington working to remove contaminated debris from demolished mill
Stonington — Town officials continue to negotiate a contract to remove contaminated debris from the demolition of the former Connecticut Casting Mill in Pawcatuck, with hopes of beginning the removal work within the next two weeks.
Town Engineer Scot Deledda presented the Board of Selectmen on Wednesday night with an update on the negotiations and other issues involved in the work.
The dilapidated mill on Stillman Avenue began to collapse into the Pawcatuck River last month after a lightning strike and heavy rain. That forced the town to quickly hire a firm to tear down the mill before more of it could tumble into the river, which could have created a flooding threat and sent contaminated dust into nearby neighborhoods in Pawcatuck and Westerly.
The debris is known to contain asbestos and possibly PCBs, and the demolished material is being tested. Since the demolition, the town has secured the material by having the Pawcatuck Fire Department water down the site on days without rain.
“We have a team of professionals working this problem every day,” First Selectman Rob Simmons said.
He said the town is negotiating with firms to remove the debris. Deledda said the town is looking at the cost per ton for removal, what facilities will accept it and how to properly categorize the waste, which will determine the cost. That could range from $130-$160 per ton to more than $400 per ton if it contains PCBs. Deledda said discussions are continuing with the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Deledda said the EPA wants to know where the contamination was in the building, which is difficult to do now that it's a pile of debris.
“With the cost in mind, we are trying to do this in an efficient manner for the town,” Deledda said, adding that the town “wants to expedite the material off the site to relieve the stress on the community and the fire chief.” Pawcatuck fire Chief Kevin Burns has been overseeing the property since the collapse and demolition.
The Board of Selectmen authorized Simmons on Wednesday to sign a contract to remove the debris if it occurs before the next meeting in two weeks. The town has approved up to $600,000 for the removal.
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