Review of Old Richmond County Dump Site Under Way

Staff with the Department of the Environment met with community representatives in St. Peter's last night to share information on an old dump site located near the proposed location of the new Richmond Academy in Louisdale.

"There's been a good exchange of information and we're going to work co-operatively with the community to address environmental concerns," said Lawrence MacDonald, regional manager, Eastern Region, with the Department of the Environment.

Community representatives received information on chemical analysis conducted to date, which indicates no cause for concern. "The meeting also enabled staff to gather information from residents that will help in conducting a further assessment of the site," MacDonald said.

During a preliminary inspection of the site, which closed in 1970, staff found no visible signs of leachate. Lab results taken from the water supply also indicate that chloride, which is used as an indicator of potential contamination, was very low and the water meets all health-related drinking water standards.

In response to the Department of Education's request for assistance, the Department of the Environment has also brought in a hydrogeologist to conduct a more detailed inspection. Staff are also meeting with the Department of Natural Resources during this information gathering stage.