Hazardous materials to be removed from North Vernon site

The Indiana Department of Transportation is slated to begin removing contaminants at a waste site near the U.S. Highway 50 bypass adjacent to Buckeye Street. Officials say that personnel and equipment will mobilize on Friday. Clean-up is scheduled to begin Monday.

INDOT says this “source reduction operation” will focus on two areas of concentration where discarded drums of lead paint, chromium, trichloroethylene, glass and debris pose an environmental concern. Officials say that materials from these two areas, inside of one acre, of concentration will be removed from depths to 15 feet by contracted hazardous materials professionals. Hazmat transports will then carry the waste to a specialty landfill in eastern Michigan. INDOT officials anticipate trucking activities to continue for 16 days. Once the removal is complete, officials say the site will be capped with clay and rimmed with monitoring wells.

INDOT says this work is part of Phase II of North Vernon’s U.S. 50 bypass project.