Around the Sound: Port Gamble Bay update -- by the numbers

This conveyor, the last large piece of a former mill on Port Gamble Bay, is coming down. (Russ McMillan photo) 

By Seth Preston, communications manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

This is what the mill looked like in full operation.

Get ready to say goodbye to the final, large sign of the lumber mill and sawmill that operated on Port Gamble Bay for more than 140 years.

As part of the major cleanup of the old Pope & Talbot mill, the conveyor shown in the photo above is going to be torn down. Right now, it's scheduled to be torn down early Tuesday morning.

The cleanup contractor and Pope Resources, which owns the mill site, want to take advantage of the low tide for safety reason and so it will be easier to retrieve debris that falls into the water.

Cleanup by the numbers

The site after mill demolition, but before the currernt cleanup. 

• 8,457 -- Tons of clean materials for in-water capping that arrived recently.
• 45,000 -- Total tons of clean materials brought to the mill site as of last week..
• 2,016 -- Pilings removed so far.
• 1,901 -- Pilings removed that were treated with toxic creosote.
• 110 -- Tons of creosote-contaminated materials trucked off the mill site last week.
• 60 to 70 -- Daily roundtrips by large trucks removing and bring in materials.

But wait! There's more!

So here's some of what's going to happen in the coming weeks:

• This season’s nighttime shoreline bank digging and capping is at the halfway mark.

• Cleanup work will continue with daytime shifts and nighttime work during low tides in some areas.

• Dredging and capping will continue through mid-January.

Want even more?

• Check out Ecology's web page about the mill site.
• Keep up to date on what's happening during cleanup.
• Questions or concerns? Call the project information line at 1-888-707-8663 or email info@PortGambleBayCleanup.com.