A Little Soy for Your Groundwater?

Posted by: Alek Miller

30 October 2009 - 1:00pm

In order to clean up groundwater pollution from dry cleaning chemicals, Orland, California is planning on injecting soybean oil into the problem area. The plan is touted as lower risk and lower cost than other methods.

"The soybean oil will 'change the subsurface environment to let bacteria thrive,' without oxygen, said Carol Northrup, chief of public affairs for the Department of Toxic Substances Control.

The bacteria will eat the solvents, breaking them down.

This may take 20 years, and will be monitored, until eventually the contamination will be in very low concentrations."

Full Story: Hopes lie with soybeans for cleaning toxic Orland water

Source: Oroville Mercury Register, October 26, 2009

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20 years too long

Submitted by HRPlanner on Fri, 10/30/2009 - 15:56.

This approach reflects the unacceptable lag between contamination and clean-up. 20 years is too long to make people wait to drink and bathe in healthy tapwater.

Clean-up funding needs to be substantially increased in this country.