Officials: More hazardous material found in Greenwich High School fields
After years of remediation work, new hazardous materials are still being excavated at levels higher than what was previously found.
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Just a stroll from youth football action at Cardinal Stadium at Greenwich High School, the school’s former fields remain construction zones with danger beneath the surface.
Greenwich has removed and disposed 40,000 tons of soil from its public high school over the last 12 years due to the presence of contaminants including PCBs.
After years of remediation work, new hazardous materials are still being excavated at levels higher than what was previously found.
“We now have a high hazard waste as well that we have found out there, based on the soil characterization,” said Amy Seibert, the Greenwich Public Works commissioner.
The town first discovered the toxins in deep and surface soil in 2011, which included PCBs - outlawed three decades earlier - as well as arsenic, lead and others.
A 2019 investigation report indicated the fill used when building the school on a former wetlands site had contaminants of concern.
Officials have emphasized throughout the process that the school continues to be safe.
The town has spent $38 million in remediation since 2012. The Greenwich Budget Committee approved $2 million in additional funding this month to remediate the newly-found toxins.
“We asked for this so we could continue all this work, so we can get those things backfilled, seeded, sodded, and hopefully have good weather, see the grass grow, and get the heck out of at least that part of Greenwich High School,” Seibert said.
That work on fields 2 and 5 was expected to be completed in the summer, but will continue through the school year. More work is expected next summer.
News 12 reached out to town officials for more information on the nature of these chemicals and future project impacts.
