REMOVAL OF ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS FROM RECCHIA PROPERTY IN JOHNSTON BEGAN TODAY

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News Release
RI Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade St., Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462

For Release:	August 6, 20011
Contact:	Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402 Stephanie Powell 222-4700 ext. 4418

REMOVAL OF ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS FROM RECCHIA PROPERTY IN JOHNSTON BEGAN TODAY
DEM Estimates 1,200 Tons of Material Will Be Moved Daily, With Clean-up to Take About 28 Days to Complete

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management is overseeing the removal of approximately 34,000 cubic yards of solid waste from property owned by Robert A. and Tracey Recchia at 90 Mill Street in Johnston. Removal of the material, which is believed to be primarily composed of shredded construction and demolition debris, began today and is expected to be completed in about 28 days.

Removal activities at the site will take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. In order to minimize any odors that may occur, only a small area of the property will be excavated at a time. At the end of each day, the excavated area will be covered with stone dust. DEM will monitor the area for hydrogen sulfide throughout the removal action. Hydrogen sulfide is a source of offensive odors, particularly rotten egg odor. Long term exposure to low concentrations of the substance can result in respiratory complaints such as breathing difficulties.

The Superior Court approved the solid waste removal plan that was presented by William J. Delaney, the Receiver of the Recchia property, on August 2. Under the plan, DEM will provide an on-site coordinator that will oversee the removal action. Material will be excavated and hauled by Patriot Hauling, Inc., and will be disposed of at the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation as either daily cover material, alternative subgrade fill, or solid waste. DEM estimates that about 1,200 cubic yards of material, or 40 truckloads, will be removed from the site each day. The primary trucking routes will be Mill Street, Plainfield Pike, and Green Hill Road.

Last year, DEM and the Attorney General successfully brought a nuisance suit in Superior Court against the Recchias for illegally disposing of solid waste on the Mill Street property, in response to many odor complaints received from residents of the nearby Plainfield Valley condominium complex. The court order approving the removal plan is a result of this lawsuit.

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