OLYMPIA, Wash. — Ecology cleanup crews continue to work by boat, boom, and by hand cleaning up an oil spill from the old Olympia Brewery.
Up to 600 gallons of PCB contaminated oil spilled into local waterways in late February.
The state has no projected end date for the project.
Alison Meyers with the Department of Ecology said crews will remain on scene until it’s entirely cleaned up.
“We know it’s been a burden on the community, so we’re trying to get it cleaned up as safely and as quickly as possible,” said Meyers, a response supervisor for the southwest region of the state.
The oil came from an electrical transformer on the old Olympia Brewery property.
It’s believed vandals damaged the tank, causing the leak, but a cause has not been officially determined.
The property owners are paying for most of the costs associated with the cleanup.
A company spokesperson said it's not clear what the cleanup will cost.
Oil and PCBs have been located on the road, hillside, Deschutes River, and Capitol Lake near the facility.
Meyers said the PCBs make the spill more concerning because they can be especially harmful to wildlife, although no animals have tested positive for PCBs since the spill was reported.
The state Department of Ecology set up this website with the latest information on the spill cleanup.