Many of the suggested cleaning procedures require additional work of maintenance personnel. Potential users should investigate the success of suggested cleaning procedures and modify them if certain aspects are needless or burdensome.
Zebra mussels removed from a water body must be transported to a landfill or otherwise disposed. If mussels are dislodged from an underwater surface and not brought to the surface, they could be left to be removed by water currents, which is an advantage of underwater cleaning, use of antifouling coatings, and biocides.
Disposing of zebra mussels safely is sometimes difficult because of odor problems that may cause landfill operators to refuse such material and the remote potential for contamination by the zebra mussels. If screening procedures are not already in place, facility operators considering zebra mussel disposal should first consider conducting a TCLP test. This procedure tests for heavy metals and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). If the test is completed and results indicate low toxicity, zebra mussels can be safely deposited in a landfill. As part of the Corps' research, zebra mussels are being collected and analyzed for toxicants to provide baseline data on the existing contaminant levels that will guide site specific strategies. Thus far however, preliminary findings show no cause for concern with toxicity of zebra mussels. 1
1 (Personal communication, 28 June 1995, Dr. Henry E. Tatem, zoologist, U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS)