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DALLAS - The City of Dallas completed the cleanup of the Former Blue Star Recycling site at 9527 S. Central Expressway ahead of schedule. The project was completed on October 18, 2023, two weeks earlier than the projected date of October 31, 2023. The work consisted of the cleanup, soil and fill removal, and restoration of the site back to its pre-industrial use conditions.
Mayor Pro Tem Atkins stated, “After 3 years, I am excited to announce that the Blue Star site is cleaned up by the City of Dallas and will no longer pose an environmental problem for Southern Dallas. This is an important milestone for all of us. The work has progressed steadily, and I am proud of the city and state collaboration represented by this mitigation. I am also proud of the hand in hand partnership with Mrs. Jackson, and the District 8 community which I represent.”
The remediation work on the property began on August 28, 2023 with the targeted removal of the lead-impacted soil during the first week. The work then turned to the removal of soil fill containing construction debris. The fill material was excavated to native soil. For the restoration phase, clay was imported from the McCommas Bluff property to grade the land. The site was then improved with native grass seed and other erosion control measures that will accelerate revegetation.
The City acquired the property in 2021 after coordinating the removal of the “shingle mountain” left there by a former recycling company. During due diligence, the City noted that filling of the site in the 1970s and 1980s resulted in the need to remove approximately 40,000 cubic yards of soil during the cleanup phase. The fill material consisted of concrete, metal, and brick, and a small area indicated lead levels above residential regulatory standards.
The August 2023 soil removal work consisted of 2,634 truckloads of approximately 47,412 cubic yards of soil being taken off the property and disposed of at the City’s Landfill in accordance with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requirements.
Carlos Evans, Director of the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability said, “Working on such an important project can be daunting, but I want to thank our City teams, consultants, and contractors for protecting our neighbors and for completing a thorough remediation ahead of schedule.”
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