Truck load after truck load of waste is leaving a 1970s landfill site at Martin's Point in Gros Morne National Park this week. The remediation of the former dump is part of a federal project to clean up contaminated sites that are at risk to human health or the environment. "For Parks Canada, our idea is to provide a pristine environment for Canadians to come and visit and look at the sites.
Its really important for us. That's was the main concern about this site," said Vincent Lussier, senior project manager of contaminated sites. An excavator scoops soil filled with glass bottles, clothing and car parts into the back of a dump truck that overlooks a beautiful rocky beach and coastline.
Lobster fisherman check their traps under the hot sun, less than 100 meters from the remediation site. "We have found plastic bottles, glass bottles. We found one car frame and car parts all over the place.
Mostly like rubber boots, a lot of rubber boots, dolls. Basic household stuff," said Lussier. Most of the waste at the Martin's Point landfill site is household waste like glass bottles and clothing.
(Colleen Connors/CBC ) Just four kilometres north of Sally's Cove, in the heart of the national park, Martin's Point used to be a quarry site that was an easily accessible spot to dump garbage for residents living in neighbouring communities in the 70s. This remediation project has been in the works for about five years. It started with crews investigating 700 metres along the coastline becaus.
