Contamination Revealed At Asphalt Plant

As Idaho Asphalt Supply Inc. wrestles with new public policy requiring more stringent ground water protections, officials say a recent discovery of some contamination at the plant highlights the benefits of environmental safeguards.

Earlier this spring, the company illegally moved six tanks at its Hauser site, officials said.

When a state inspector toured the site, he found evidence of contamination and ordered Idaho Asphalt to test the area.

Samples turned in to the Idaho Division of Environmental Quality last Friday reveal some contamination, but probably not enough to require cleanup, officials said.

The company needs to assess the dangers posed by the chemicals, benzo(a)pyrene and chrysene, both petroleum products, said Kreg Beck, who inspected the site for the DEQ.

Beck and Idaho Asphalt operations manager Alex Cross said they don’t expect the pollution is serious enough to warrant digging up contaminated soil.

But the state inspector said the trouble could have been worse, if the company hadn’t protected the tanks with a layer of concrete and a heavy plastic liner topped by gravel.

“I’d say it’s a testament to having containment in place,” he said.