Big Dig's Dirt Is Not Easy To Reuse

The project has also disposed of 13 million tons of Big Dig dirt, which now covers the Milton, Quincy, and MDC landfills with enough left over to fill in the quarries, which for decades were hazardous swimming holes for daredevil teenagers. The state paid $100 million to developers Quarry Hills Associates and the construction company that hauled the dirt - a huge amount but cheaper than shipping hundreds of thousands of truckloads to a more distant site... The dirt from the Big Dig is actually a fine red clay prone to runoff during rainstorms, which can pollute nearby streams. The Department of Environmental Protection, which is monitoring the work, has required Quarry Hills Associates to take steps to prevent runoffs, but these were not enough to hold the water during drenching rains last year. Clay poured into brooks and, says Milton environmentalist Thomas Palmer, got as far as Black's Creek near Quincy Bay."

Thanks to Chris Steins