DES: Saint‑Gobain demolition continues; 695 home treatment systems installed, waterline work advancing

Mike Wimsat, service director of the Waste Management Division at the Department of Environmental Services, told the commission on April 11 that demolition at the Saint‑Gobain facility is continuing and the company "anticipate[s] completing all the demolition activities during this calendar year." Wimsat gave a detailed progress report on household water remedies, infrastructure work and monitoring tied to PFAS contamination from the site.

The update matters because the work affects drinking water access and long‑term remedial decisions for properties in the consent‑decree area. DES staff described how demolition, household treatment installations and expanded well sampling fit into the state’s efforts to limit exposure and collect data needed for future cleanup work.

Wimsat said demolition of the facility’s low‑bay and ancillary structures is complete; a high‑bay demolition permit was issued in January, and as of April 9 about one third of the high bay had been removed. Steel will be recycled and materials judged to be significantly contaminated by PFAS are being sent to out‑of‑state licensed hazardous‑waste landfills, he reported. He said the company has been scarifying concrete floors where contamination was found, sampling the remaining foundation materials, and will determine whether further removal is necessary.

On res…