First Full Year

Project Update

A lot has happened in our first full year of operations. Following the extended period of bad weather in 2014, we completed construction of the Class B facility and received all certifications and approvals from DEP and all other regulating agencies. Full scale remedial operations, including processing and placement of product, began in late 2014.

In addition to rotating the location of placement activities, ensuring sufficient time for the underlying sludge in each area to properly consolidate, we focused on stabilizing the most dangerous areas of the old impoundments where saturated sludge behaves a lot like quicksand, suddenly giving way when you walk or drive on it.

This delicate activity is allowed to go forward when warm dry weather (this summer) permits safe surcharge of the exposed sludge. From day one, it has been a high priority to address these hazards early on, and we are on schedule to eliminate these dangerous areas by the end of next year. An extensive network of geotechnical instrumentation is in place, providing real time monitoring of site conditions. It is reviewed daily and, similar to the predictive modeling performed by our experts, has shown no signs for concern, nor the need to adjust the capping sequence or operations.

We have been extremely fortunate in building a talented and responsible team of employees with diverse life and work experiences. Their health and safety is our primary concern and every person on site is empowered to participate in creating the safest workplace possible.

The market's reaction to the new facility has been robust and the sales volume consistently strong. The site can accommodate and turn around more than 100 trucks a day with no waiting time. The site was laid out to eliminate truck queueing and idling on public roadways, and the design has performed perfectly. We are very happy with truck driver compliance with on-site requirements, and our customers regularly express their appreciation for the efficient turnaround service we provide.

We are also very pleased with the truck tire washing system and the fact that there is no off site tracking of materials. No dust from trucks has been observed or reported on area roads. In dry periods, the onsite water truck wets the facility with up to 75,000 gals per day, keeping the rest of the site dust free.

All inbound materials are thoroughly tested before arrival and have met the strict standards required by the DEP for the Facility. Likewise, all processed products are thoroughly tested prior to being placed and have met 100% of the tight specifications required by the Project LSRP. All materials are documented and records can be provided in real time to DEP, the Borough, the County, and the LSRP.

The landowners have conducted riparian mitigation as specified in their Land Use permits. This ongoing effort will ensure healthy transition zones from surrounding wetlands to the remediated site.

On particular note, we recycled a significant amount of soil from the Borough. It is our aim to assist host communities with their recycling needs and, in this instance, helping them to remediate their own property both at the excavation and placement ends.

Please take a moment to review the attached pictures from the Recycling Facility and the surrounding remediation activities taken in November 2015, following the sequence of arrival, inspection, weighing, offloading, screening, processing, stockpile management, transfer to placement location and placement.

We look forward to serving your soil recycling needs.

The Employees of Soil Safe