Soil contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) will be excavated and removed from airport lands as cleanup efforts continue in North Bay in the coming weeks.
"Remediation efforts for PFAS are now underway at the Jack Garland Airport lands," the City of North Bay recently shared on its social media channels.
"Over the coming weeks, the work will focus on excavating and removing contaminated soils, which will be safely transported to a disposal site for destruction. Additionally, absorptive material is being injected at the excavated hot spots."
Jacobs Consultancy Canada Inc. developed the remediation plan for North Bay.
"The first phase, which focuses on preventing PFAS from leaving the site, includes soil, groundwater, and surface water remediation in the most contaminated areas, also known as 'hot spots,'" according to a report prepared by Karin Pratte, the city's director of water, wastewater and environmental services.
"This project will ensure the removal and treatment of the most contaminated soil at the North Bay Jack Garland Airport lands."
According to the Department of National Defence, drilling began in early autumn "to better understand the level and extent of per- and polyfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) in the area." A news release from DND stated work was to take place at locations on 22 Wing CFB North Bay, on Carmichael Drive, and south of 22 Wing between Ayr Street and Airport Road.
This drilling program targeted a bedrock valley that is a key feature affecting the movement of PFAS in the area. Monitoring wells were installed at the drilling locations to allow for groundwater sampling and testing.
"Future work will involve installing adsorptive materials along the site’s boundary to treat groundwater before it leaves the area," per the city.
DND and the City of North Bay signed an agreement in 2021 to begin the remediation of the PFAS-contaminated area at Jack Garland. The $20-million contribution agreement is funded by DND at 97 per cent ($19.4 million) and the city at 3 per cent (to a maximum of $600,000).
According to a City of North Bay staff report, "The shared responsibility agreements allow the city to submit a second proposal, if required, through the shared responsibility framework for additional costs of the remediation once a more detailed project estimate can be obtained."
As part of the 2021 agreement, in September, North Bay City Council approved a $7.31-million contract for soil remediation work at the Jack Garland Airport by Clean Harbors Canada.
The remediation is necessary as DND used firefighting foam containing PFAS between the early 1970s and mid-1990s at the airport site while Transport Canada owned it from 1939–'98. The City of North Bay has owned the Jack Garland Airport property since 1998. It is confirmed locations on the Jack Garland site exceed current guidelines for PFAS in soil, groundwater, and surface water.
In 2017, testing on Lees Creek showed a waterway polluted with PFAS from the military base located just upstream. The creek empties into Trout Lake just a few hundred yards from the city's drinking water plant.
Health information exists for only a small number of PFAS. What is known is that some PFAS may affect many systems and organs, such as the liver, kidney, and thyroid; the immune and nervous systems; development and the reproductive system; metabolism; and body weight.
"The potential health risks from exposure depend on how much and how many of the PFAS you are exposed to and for how long," according to Health Canada. "Each person's specific attributes including age, habits, and overall health can impact how their body will react to chemical exposures."
