3292 Production Way, Floor 4 604 444 6400 tel

Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 4R4 604 294 8597 fax

www.aecom.com

To Laurie Ford, P.Eng., Metro Vancouver

Paul Dufault, P.Eng., Metro Vancouver Page 1

CC Integrated Design Team

Subject Lions Gate Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant – Project Definition Report
Technical Memorandum 1.6.1c
Management of Environmental Contamination

From Lesley Reid, M.Eng., P.Eng., CSAP

60272810
Date May 10, 2013 Project Number 456928

Reviewed By Rick Bitcon, P.Eng.

1. Introduction
This discussion paper (DP) provides commentary on considerations related to managing
environmental contamination on the site of the future Lions Gate Secondary Wastewater Treatment
Plant (LGSWWTP), based on site development concepts presented in Build Scenarios A, B and C
(refer to DP 1.13.4 Conceptual Development of Three Build Scenarios).

2. Extent of Contamination on the Site

The extent of contamination on the existing site was documented in DP 1.6.1b Contaminated Site
Considerations and is reprinted here for ease of reference.

A summary of the surface areas and volumes of impacted soil and groundwater that are remaining on
site and require risk mitigation is shown in Table 14 (Revised) of the Confirmation of Remediation
Report and is summarized below in Table 1 (Piteau 2010). The Areas of Environmental Concern
(AEC) locations are shown in Figure 14 of the Confirmation of Remediation Report (Piteau 2010),
which is reprinted in Figure 1 at the end of this discussion paper.

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May 10, 2013

Table 1 - Summary of AEC Status Post Remediation

AEC Soils Groundwater Overall

Contaminant of Area Volume Contaminant Area Extent
2 3 2 2
Concern (m ) (m ) of Concern (m ) m
AEC 2 (former LEPH 20 30 LEPHw, 120 120
Underground acridine,
Storage Tank and pyrene
cardlock)
AEC 3 (former gas LEPH, HEPH, 20 10 20
benzo(a)anthracene,
pump and oil shed)
benzo(a)pyrene
AEC 11 (fill and
other activities)
- 11A (Except @ Metals and PAHs 2100 7400 Metals and 370 2100
BH08-13)
PAHs
- 11A (@ LEPH and HEPH 20 10
BH08-13)
- 11B Copper and Zinc 320 400 320
- 11C Metals 640 1900 Zinc 300 640
- 11D Metals 1430 3700 1430
- 11E Copper and 100 100
Zinc
- 11F Copper 200 200
- 11G Cadmium 50 50
- 11I PAHs 53 37 53
Notes:
AEC = Area of Environmental Concern
LEPH = Light Extractable Petroleum Hydrocarbons
HEPH = Heavy Extractable Petroleum Hydrocarbons
PAHs = Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Additional contamination not previously identified may be present on site and should be assessed by
a licensed professional, if encountered during construction activities.

3. Management of Environmental Contamination

A risk based Certificate of Compliance (CoC) was issued for the site on March 23, 2011 by the
Ministry of Environment. This CoC is based on the current use of the site and development of the site
as a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) will require an amendment to the CoC. New regulations
under Technical Guidance 6 requires the application of groundwater used for drinking water to be
considered for soil and groundwater impacts on the site, therefore additional risk evaluation and
application for a drinking water exemption may be necessary, as part of amending the CoC.

st
Scenario A includes the potential for light industrial/commercial development along 1 St, which may
have implications for the amended risk-based CoC for the site and numeric remediation standards.
All three scenarios have park land to varying degrees, which would similarly inform requirements of
the amended CoC.

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All three scenarios envisage major construction on the west and south sides of the site for structures,
such as digesters, tanks and buildings. Generally, the structures are founded near the groundwater
table, which is quite shallow at 1 to 1.5m below grade (or 1 to 1.5m above sea level (ASL)).
Contamination on the site is also quite shallow with impacted soils not extending beyond 4.0m below
grade.

3.1 Excavation and Disposal

The recommended handling of impacted soil will be influenced to a large extent by construction
methods selected by the contractor(s) and geotechnical requirements to support structures on the
site.

If construction methods require excavation of site soils, specific health and safety procedures will
need to be implemented to protect construction workers who will come into contact with impacted
soils, groundwater and vapours in the excavation. Impacted soils will need to be segregated during
excavation for disposal at an approved facility.

In some areas impacted soil is overlain by non impacted materials, therefore segregation and specific
handling of soils may be required during construction. In previous remediation activities on the site,
excavated rocks were washed on site and returned to the excavation to reduce disposal costs.

3
The total volume of impacted soils estimated by others on site is 13,487 m . Current tipping fees for
contaminated soil at a licensed facility is on the order of $100/tonne and with allowances for
excavation, hauling,management/monitoring during construction and contingencies the expected cost
for managing contaminated soil on the LGSWWTP site is $2.0 to $3.0M.

Based on the groundwater regime underlying the site a large-scale groundwater pump and treat
system is unlikely to be cost effective.

3.2 In-Situ Management

If piles are used to support structures, any impacts they contribute will receive a beneficial use
exemption. Creosote piles will contribute PAH contamination and steel piles will introduce zinc and
potentially other metals to site soils, both of which are currently present on site. Excavation and
replacement with clean fill prior to placement of piles is not likely to be necessary. Risk mitigation
strategies in the form of surface caps and impermeable liners may be used to reduce human and
ecological risks.

In situ remediation techniques such as bioremediation for the LEPH and PAH contamination or
solidification and stabilization of metals contamination are not likely to be cost effective consideration
for this site due to the limited extent of contamination, the planned use of the site and coverage with
concrete structures, and the low relative cost of alternative mitigation strategies, such as excavation
and disposal.

Previous investigations for soil vapour associated with LEPH and PAH contamination on site were
based on vapour migration to outdoor air (or direct measurement of concentrations in outdoor air).
Vapour attenuation factors which can be applied to in-situ vapour measures vary based on type and
materials of construction of structures on the property. Additional vapour mitigation in the form of

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vapour extraction systems (passive or active) may be required to be included in the facility design
depending on mitigation measures included in the amended CoC. Capital costs for a vapour
extraction system, if required, can be determined once vapour concentrations and building design
parameters are known.

4. Further Field Investigations

It is recommended that a groundwater and soil vapour investigation be completed at the site and
would involve sampling existing groundwater and vapour wells. The recommended sampling
locations and parameters are summarized in Table 2 and the expected cost is $20 to $30k.

Table 2 Recommended Groundwater and Vapour Monitoring

Groundwater Vapour

Well Parameter Well Parameter

MW-08-2 Metals Cadmium MW08-35-2 Petroleum VOCs - TG 4

MW-09-10 Metals Copper MW08-36-2 Petroleum VOCs - TG 4

MW-09-2 Metals Copper/Zinc MW08-37 Petroleum VOCs - TG 4

MW-08-33 Metals Zinc SVP08-4 Petroleum VOCs - TG 4

MW-09-16 PAHs benzo[a]pyrene, phenanthrene, SVP09-1 Petroleum VOCs - TG 4
pyrene
MW-08-23 PAHs naphthalene SVP09-3 Petroleum VOCs - TG 4

MW-08-16 Metals Zinc SVP09-4 Petroleum VOCs - TG 4

MW-08-29 Metals Cadmium, Copper, Zinc SVP09-6 Petroleum VOCs - TG 4

MW-08-5 LEPH SVP09-11 Petroleum VOCs - TG 4

PAHs acridine, pyrene SVP09-12 Petroleum VOCs - TG 4

5. References
Ministry of Environment. 2010. Technical Guidance 4 on Contaminated Sites – Vapour Use
Investigation and Remediation, Sept.
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/remediation/guidance/technical/pdf/tg04.pdf.

Ministry of Environment. 2010. Technical Guidance 6 on Contaminated Sites – Water Use

Determination. July. http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/remediation/guidance/technical/pdf/tg06.pdf.

Piteau Associates. 2010. Contamination of Remediation – Former North Vancouver Freight Shed and
st
Passenger Station – 1311, 1321 and 1350 West 1 Street, North Vancouver, BC. February.

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 Figure 1 – Locations of Areas of Environmental Concern

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