The removal of a 2,500-ton deposit of coal ash in the Dan River from a spill in North Carolina has begun in Danville, Va., the Associated Press reports.
The toxic sludge measuring 350-by-20-yards and about 1 foot deep collected at the Schoolfield Dam after the massive Feb. 2 spill. Work began last week and should be completed in late June.
The city’s water treatment plant also captured more than 250 tons of coal ash.
The coal ash removed from the river will be transported to a landfill in North Carolina’s Person County for permanent storage.
Duke Spokesman Jeff Brooks said the coal ash at the dam is the largest deposit Duke has found that is a candidate for removal. The removal involves vacuuming the coal ash, sediment and water from the Dan River, before the water is separated and returned to the river.
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