Englobe completes remediation project in Canada’s High Arctic

A team of Englobe Environment specialists, in collaboration with Sila Remediation, just completed a clean-up project for its client, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Development Canada (CIRNAC), in one of the world’s most remote and unforgiving locations: Canada’s High Arctic.   

The project called for the removal of hundreds of 425-pound fuel drums as well as other contaminated material – some dating back to the 1970s – that was abandoned when oil exploration in the region ceased.   

Working on abandoned sites spread hundreds of kilometers across Canada’s High Arctic presented some unique challenges. Most of the work had to be carried out manually, as machinery could not be transported to these very remote sites. Moreover, given the extreme weather conditions in the area, the work schedule had to be carefully timed to coincide with Arctic spring (March through early May), when the snowpack allows access to such remote sites. The Englobe team used a Twin Otter aircraft equipped with skis to travel to and from the work sites.   

In total, the project team removed over 200 drums and several thousand pounds of contaminated material. The barrels were transported on a custom-designed sled capable of supporting this significant weight during extreme cold and other adverse weather conditions. The drums have now been transported south, where they can be disposed of properly.