Big Tub Lighthouse - Tobermory, Ontario, Canada
Posted by: 
Bon Echo
N 45° 15.460 W 081° 40.364
17T E 447215 N 5011795
Contaminated soil at the Big Tub Lighthouse has been successfully remediated
Waymark Code: WM15NBG
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 01/26/2022
Views: 8
Constructed in 1885, the wooden lighthouse standing at the entrance to Big Tub Harbour is now more of a beacon to water-seeking tourist than it is to mariners seeking a safe haven.
Unfortunately, after 120 years of service it was necessary for the Canadian Federal Government to develop a strategy and deal with contaminants in the soil located in the vicinity of the lighthouse. Testing revealed the presence of petroleum hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (likely due to the storage and use of various fuels for heat and to power the light prior to electrification), as well as toxic metals (possibly lead and/or mercury), in the soil and subsurface soil around the lighthouse. Fortunately the total volume of contaminated soil was small (possibly due to the shallow soil depths at this rocky location), and a relatively inexpensive remediation to the tune of $87,890.00 was carried out between 2012 and 2014.
Confirmatory sampling was carried out following the remediation work, and the site has since been reclassified as Closed - No further action required.
Today a visit to the Big Tub Harbour is a summertime delight, but be warned that parking at this popular attraction fills up fast and comes at a cost (pay-and-display meters).
Further Reading
Tobermory (Big Tub) - Lighthousefriends.com (
visit link)
Big Tub Lighthouse - VisitTobermory.ca (
visit link)