Leaving it in the ground is DoI's 'preferred solution'
It would cost at least £450,000 to remove the silt which was buried at the Rockmount site in 2015, according to the Department of Infrastructure, which wants to leave the waste in the ground.
The price includes digging up, transporting and storing the hazardous material somewhere else, as well as restoring the dumping area next to the Poortown quarry to its original state.
As a result, the department has gone back on its promise that Rockmount would only be a temporary home for the silt, which was dredged from Peel marina five years ago.
It's submitted a planning bid to leave it at the dumping site, which is lined with an impermeable membrane to stop the material leaching, and is regularly monitored.
Any water which drains from the site into the nearby stream is tested by scientists at government labs for pollutants.
As a result of historic mining activity, the silt contains heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and zinc, which when compacted and concentrated can pose a risk to public health and marine life.
The department says an environmental impact assessment will be included as part of its application, to show how the site will be maintained and inspected to ensure it's safe.
It's looking to develop a replacement strategic waste facility at Turkeylands Quarry in Ballasalla, as a replacement for Wright's Pit North in Bride.
Site operator Colas is expected to submit a planning bid for this shortly, after delays caused by Covid-19.
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