EPA is moving forward with N.B. mill demolition

BOSTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said that it is moving forward with the demolition of the Aerovox Mill in New Bedford anticipated earlier this year.
The mill was one of two primary facilities that improperly disposed a significant amount of the PCB waste that has settled at the bottom of the New Bedford Harbor, EPA said in a news release. Contamination inside the building resulting from its operations has “necessitated the careful demolition and disposal of all building materials,” the agency said.
The initial phase of the demolition process, involving the removal of hazardous materials from inside the building, is expected to be completed this month. The deconstruction of the building is set to begin by August.
In addition to the mill demolition, in the lower Acushnet River, where it meets New Bedford Harbor, EPA will also resume its eighth season of Superfund dredging to remove contaminated sediment from the harbor floor. Dredging activities just began and are expected to continue through September.
According to the release, seven areas are targeted for dredging this year; two just north of Manomet Street in New Bedford, four stretching across the harbor immediately north and south of the former Aerovox Mill and a smaller area at the end of Sawyer Street. &#8226