Clapper, Patti, Schweizer and Mason

The Portland, Oregon waterfront is set to undergo a major cleanup to deal with the ill effects of the shipbuilding industry that dominated the shores and waterways in the last century.  Zidell Marine Corp. announced plans to start repair work on a stretch of the Willamette River that has been under government scrutiny since tests in the 1990s revealed asbestos, mercury, and other dangerous chemicals imbedded in the soil along the river thanks to a history of building and dismantling ships along the riverbank. 

Asbestos was one of the major hazardous materials used in the shipbuilding industry until its use was banned in the 1980s.  These materials continue to pose threats to the public health and environmental safety as fleets age and as materials left over from the industry seep into the soil and waterways.

“You combine all of that over the last 100 years,” said Paul Fishman, Zidell’s project manager for the cleanup “and you get the legacy of industrial activity.”

The project is expected to take four months from start to finish and costs are expected to exceed $20 million by completion.  The 3,000 feet of shoreline along the river just south of downtown encompasses areas that are deemed too dangerous for human habitation.  There are other areas along the river that are also marked as unsafe for wildlife.

Asbestos, one of the hazardous materials in question, is especially dangerous because it is a known carcinogen.  Even small amount of asbestos fibers can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma (cancer of the membranes lining the body cavity and surrounding vital organs,) and asbestosis (scarring of the lungs.) 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations mandate that all asbestos be transported in sealed containers to avoid the threat of accidental exposure.  In addition, materials and contaminated ground soil must be disposed of proper at licensed facilities,  adding to the cost of the cleanup. 

In addition to removing or capping contaminated soil the project will restore wildlife habitats, create a 100-foot wide greenway and prepare roughly 30 acres real estate for future development.

Len Bergstein, a project consultant for Zidell, a barge building company based in Portland, said the project will have “very big public benefits.”

Zidell will share the cost of the cleanup with insurers, including Lloyd’s of London, whose exact financial responsibility has yet to be determined by the Oregon Supreme Court. 

The National Marine Fisheries Service, which approved the project, had preferred the thought of dredging all the materials up from the bed of the river rather than capping them where there are, but the $80 million price tag made such a project financially unfeasible.