Sanford, Maine Dump Site Begins Cleanup: Town officials make the right choice

Bowing to pressure from local residents, the town of  Sanford recently made great strides toward a cleanup of a local hazardous waste site that has lingered for decades.

For twenty-two years, a property in Sanford has remained contaminated as state and local regulatory agencies pass the buck on cleaning it up. The seventeen-acre site, formerly home to a company that stripped copper from circuit boards in vats of sulfuric acid, is located next door to the Bernier family. The Berniers have lived in the neighborhood for fifty years and have fought for a cleanup for the past two decades.

The site is littered with nearly 4,000 tons of shredded circuit boards, and includes a 5,000 gallon underground storage tank, around which

petroleum has been detected. In 2007, an EPA study revealed high levels of copper in surface soil, groundwater, and surface water. Long term exposure to copper contamination in water can cause gastrointestinal and kidney complications. Despite this, former owners of the site have failed to pay taxes for years, refused to comply with fine orders, and have stated they have no intention of cleaning up the site.

This past winter, U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree took notice of the site and filed an appropriations request to remove the debris.
The appropriations request would only be granted if the city would take over ownership of the site, but the Town of Sanford refused to take over the site for fear of liability.

Toxics Action Center did our homework and found that under state and federal law, the city would not be held liable if they took ownership. We began working with the Berniers and their neighbors to bring this information to the press and shine a spotlight on the  issue.

Having lost liability as an excuse, and feeling the public pressure for them to act, the town council voted to foreclose on the property.
“Taking ownership of the property means that the Town Council had heard us loud and clear. We want a better Sanford, one that is environmentally sound,” said David Bernier. Now that the property is under municipal ownership, Rep. Pingree has filed her request, and Senators Snowe and Collins have moved to help as well, increasing the amount requested to $800,000.