CLEANUP TEST SET TO BEGIN IN A WEEK AT SUPERFUND SITE

A cleanup test could begin next week at the PCB-contaminated Missouri Electric Works site in Cape Girardeau.

TerraTherm Environmental Services of Houston, Texas, will demonstrate its cleanup technology at the 6.4-acre site at 824 S. Kingshighway.

A mobile unit is expected to arrive at the site this week, said Rich Hansen, project spokesman. "It comes with all the equipment," said Hansen.

The Texas firm is doing the work free in an effort to secure the full-scale cleanup contract. The cleanup test was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.

It will mark the first activity at the site in years. The soil contamination was discovered in 1984. The site was placed on the federal Superfund priority list six years ago.

The cleanup test will involve thermal blankets and wells that will heat the contaminated soil. The whole process is designed to vaporize contaminants such as polycholorinated biphenyls or PCBs.

Two thermal blankets will be installed to deal with contaminated surface soil. The blankets will be spread on the ground.

Hansen equates the process to a powerful electric blanket hooked up to a vacuum cleaner.

That work is expected to be completed within two weeks. Then a dozen thermal wells extending eight feet into the ground will be installed to heat contaminated soil below the surface.

In the case of both the thermal blankets and wells, extreme heat will destroy most of the contaminants in the soil, Hansen said.

Any remaining vapors drawn out of the soil by a vacuum system will be filtered and emitted into the atmosphere via an exhaust stack.

"When it goes up the exhaust stack, virtually the only things emitted are water and carbon dioxide," Hansen said.

The thermal wells are scheduled to go into operation by Feb. 28, said Jim Steed, project manager.

The entire demonstration project should be completed within six weeks, with test results expected by May 31. The EPA will review the results.

Steed said the company's past cleanup projects have been safe and quiet operations.,

"There was virtually no dust, odors or noise from our operations," said Steed.