The use of permafrost for the storage of oil and oil products and the burial of toxic industrial wastes in the Arctic

Abstract

Experience with using permafrost for disposal of various toxic industrial waste products and for storage of oils and petroleum products shows that underground disposal is preferable in terms of ecology and economy. However, account must be taken of possible interaction (heat, mechanical, chemical, and physico-chemical) of the buried material with the cryogenic environment and the associated specific processes. A study of the main types of interaction of water-soluble and water-insoluble materials with frozen soil and ice permits tentative recommendations for safe storage of these materials in the Arctic.

Diesel spills under stilted buildings in Canadian Arctic villages: what is the best remediation method?

“…together with difficult climatic conditions, lead to a vast number of small-to medium-sized diesel spills (Chuvilin et al 2000;Yang et al 2009;Camenzuli & Freidman 2015;Taillard & Baïlon-Poujol 2020) that occur on a regular basis in the heart of inhabited areas.…”

“…The cold region context implies specific limitations regarding environmental impacts, contaminant propagation and natural attenuation. Freezing temperatures during most of the year make ecosystem recovery slower than in warmer regions, and any damage or alterations will take longer to recover (Chuvilin et al 2000;Poland et al 2003;Filler et al 2006;Filler et al 2008;Camenzuli & Freidman 2015). When diesel spills affect the raft soil located under stilted buildings, the current remediation strategy consists in moving the building, excavating the contaminated raft soil and transporting it to the southern part of the country in order to be treated or landfilled.…”