EPA removing contaminated soil from Detroit greenway site
Joe Louis Greenway grows more, this time at former La Choy plant
More development is underway on the Detroit urban trail network known as the Joe Louis Greenway, this time at the former La Choy foot plant site that has since been demolished.
(FOX 2) - Forever chemicals found in the soil at a shuttered industrial site that will one day be part of Detroit's Joe Louis Greenway are scheduled for removal.
The EPA will spend several weeks removing PCBs and other materials used in manufacturing before being phased out due to the health hazards they present.
What we know:
The city of Detroit has spent years working on the Joe Louis Greenway, which will one day be a nearly-30-mile path around the city, moving through both Highland Park and Hamtramck as well as along the city's famous riverfront.
Part of the work is on pause because of contaminated soil found in a vacant lot at 8013 W. Chicago. The location is just north of where the trail has already been paved.
After being requested to take a look, the EPA confirmed elevated levels of Polychlorinated biphenyls within a 400-foot by 90-foot area on the property.
The EPA plans to transport the contaminated soil off-site before Detroit can truck in new soil that will serve as the foundation for the future greenway.
The clean-up is expected to take four to five weeks.
Joe Louis Greenway scores $10M grant for construction in Highland Park
Once complete, the 27-mile pathway will pass by various Detroit landmarks, through communities like Hamtramck and Highland Park, as well as along the Detroit River.
What are PCBs?
Local perspective:
PCBs were outlawed in 1979 after being used in U.S. manufacturing for 50 years.
The chemicals are man-made and used because they didn't catch on fire, were highly stable, and insulated electrical currents. Their applications were wide, stretching from electrical and hydraulic equipment to paint products.
Unfortunately, they don't break down in the environment and can remain in the soil, water, and air for long periods of time.
They have been associated with cancer and other negative impacts on the body. The EPA outlined the full range of their health consequences here.
The Source: Previous reporting and information from the EPA were cited for this story.