Remediation underway

Construction of the Life Sciences Research Institute has been delayed because of contaminated materials discovered on site. Clean up is already underway and the completion date of April 2011 is not expected to change.

The contamination was discovered during the digging of the foundation for the $42-million building, which will be the new home for Dalhousie’s renowned Brain Repair Centre among other tenants.

“The amount of hazardous material is very small and we are going the extra mile to ensure every precaution,” said Ray Ilson, director of Dahousie’s Environmental Health and Safety.

The materials, such as asbestos and hydrocarbons (a byproduct of burning fuel), were found among other inert building materials such as brick, concrete and metal pipes. The materials are from the old Grace Maternity Hospital that used to stand on the site, at the corner of Summer and College Streets.

The other material being removed is pyritic slate, a naturally occurring substance which yields an acidic runoff. The slate is found in bedrock throughout Halifax. 

Remediation of the site is expected to take three to four months. The high standards expected for the cleanup are consistent with Dalhousie’s goal of achieving a LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design) designation when the building is complete.

Outfitted with protective clothing and respirators, workers will physically sort the materials. Other safety measures include restricting access to the site and wetting the materials as they are handled to prevent dust from becoming airborne. Rigorous air testing will be ongoing to ensure safety.

“These measures are precautionary and should not be a cause for concern in the neighbourhood,” says Mr. Ilson.

The Life Sciences Research Centre was announced last October. Dalhousie is contributing the land and is one of three project partners along with Capital Health and the IWK Health Centre. The state-of-the-art building will provide much-needed research and incubator space for the region’s growing life sciences and biotechnology sectors.