Edhat Staff
Update by the Goleta Sanitary District
5:45 p.m., March 3, 2023
The Goleta Sanitary District was notified at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, March 3, 2023 that a trucking contractor hauling biosolids from the District treatment facility had leaked material onto the roadway on Fairview Avenue near the Hwy. 101 overcrossing. The truck was eventually stopped on Hwy. 101 near Arroyo Grande by the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
Biosolids are nutrient-rich organic materials reclaimed in the wastewater treatment process that are treated so they can be applied as fertilizer or soil amendment. The District’s biosolids are transported to Lost Hills, CA where they are used to create compost for beneficial reuse.
The CHP, CALTRANS, Santa Barbara County Flood Control, and the City of Goleta responded to the event, which was initially believed to be a tar or roofing material spill. The City of Goleta sent Big Green Cleaning Company out to clean the roadway. They cleared the material from the overpass at Fairview Avenue and the adjacent affected streets.
The City of Goleta sent a crew who had shoveled up the material and transported it to the District. District staff is in contact with the trucking contractor and an investigation as to the cause of the spill is underway.
The Goleta Sanitary District is fully committed to minimizing impacts associated with this incident and will update the community as more information becomes available.
By the edhat staff
10:20 a.m., March 3, 2023
Crews are cleaning up a hazardous roofing tar spill that occurred on the Fairview Ave overpass Friday morning.
At 9:14 a.m., Santa Barbara County firefighters, Sheriff’s Deputies, and Caltrans responded to the area in Goleta and discovered the sticky black substance covering the majority of the roadway.
Crews shut down two lanes and began cleaning up the substance. As of 10:30 a.m. one lane has reopened but traffic is slow in the area but cleanup is expected to continue.
County Fire Captain Scott Safechuck stated the tar came from an unknown source.
This is a developing story.
Photo: SBCFD
It’s hard to believe the initial cars driving through this mess didn’t see something regarding the truck/equipment that lost this tar. What about the traffic-cam?
There are no traffic cameras on the overcrossing.
Maybe they can use it to fill in some of the potholes.
Well shit…
3-3 @ 05:53 – You are correct. Bio-solids can be hazardous to the public. The EPA lists two categories, Class A and Class B. Has the class of the material that was spilled been identified?
Doulie: The material is most likely the new Class C category (Class C = Crap).
As usual, the coastal elites dump their elite crap onto inland California and only take notice when a little of their elite crap self selects to remain at the coast. We move truckloads of elite crap a day inland but its a big problem when a little elite crap gets spilled on an overpass near the coast where the elite crap originated.
Edney, you brought a grin to my face. Thank you.
Wow! The crazy is strong today.
what used to be a Bicycle lane has disappeared… (actually the deepest spot)!
Well, highly organic! Nice to have a mess that can be cleaned using a simple hose…
Kudos on the headline, Edhat. 🙂
The Fire Captain can’t smell poo.
I recognize my contribution.
That clean up crew doesn’t look protected from biohazards. I smell a lawsuit.
Poo poo happens.