The job called for the use of a particular packing procedure to deal with the high concentration of lead and other contaminants contained in the waste, which would have made it hazardous for workers to enter the storage areas.
The loose waste inside the buildings was loaded into skips using excavators remote-controlled from outside. Using a monitor, the operator manoeuvred a mini-excavator as it loaded the skips. Meanwhile, the portion of the waste that had been stored in piles on paved-over areas and covered with waterproof sheeting was handled using two vacuum extraction systems. The material was sucked out using a reinforced tank equipped with a tube remotely guided from the outside with the help of a monitor. The extraction system conveyed the waste to a negative-pressure tent, outfitted with a remote-controlled vacuum extraction system to treat the air, where an automatic bagging system vacuum packaged it into big-bags. Once full, the big-bags were conveyed outside of the tent to be stored while awaiting transfer off site.
Approximately 14 thousand big-bags were filled during the course of this project, and a plan was put into effect to constantly monitor the ambient air and the air being breathed by the workers. The water used to wash down the surfaces involved in the operations was collected and disposed of off site.
