Green and Sustainable Remediation of

Contaminated Sites

Presented by:Christopher Hurst, PE, CHMM

AMECAtlanta, GA 30144

Topics

Background on “Green” and “Sustainable”

How Sustainable Principles Apply to Remediation

Life Cycle Analysis Tool for Sustainable Remediation

Examples of Sustainable Decisions

The Future of Sustainable Remediation

After this presentation you will know the difference between Green and Sustainable

Birth of Remediation Industry Began in 1970s in response to environmental

contamination (e.g. Love Canal) Laws were created, regulatory agencies grew

and an industry emerged (RCRA, CERCLA) Remediation focused on rapid response and

often involving energy-intensive remedies (incineration)

But remedies didn’t meet cleanup levels due to technical limitations

Long-term operations, such as pump-and-treat and SVE were commonly used after initial remediation

Long term O&M was the norm

Next Came Remediation Optimization

Focused on: Understanding the site Developing an exit strategy Driving a site to reduce O&M cost and to

closure

Remedial Optimization (RPO, RSO) looked at improving implemented remedies

Evaluation of current conditions with respect to remedial objective and goals

Provided a process to improve effectiveness and efficiency

Along Came Going Green and Living Sustainably

“Sustainability” came into vogue Society wants to reduce or avoid negative

environmental impacts to allow human activity to be more sustainable

Most developed countries are rethinking how behavior, reliance on technology, and consumption of energy impact the environment

U.S. Government is requiring (EO 13514 for GHG, Water, Energy, and Waste)

Awareness of global climate change led to concern about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

Energy-intensive remedies contribute large amounts of GHGs DuPont (2008) estimated that the difference between two remedies in

NJ could be 2 percent of the annual GHG emissions for the State

Green and Sustainable What Are They?

Green: Minimizing environmental footprint including GHG and other air emissions, waste, energy, water, materials, land and ecological impacts. Includes the use of biodegradable and ecologically friendly materials. One leg of sustainability.

Sustainable: Meeting the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs (Brandtland Commission, 1987)

EPA View of Green Remediation (2010)

Goals: 100% renewable energy (Including REC) Use green remediation factors in remedy optimization Reduce natural resource and energy use Integrate clean, renewable, and innovative energy

sources On and off-site reuse of materials Specify that contractors use green remediation

practices Help communities establish networks and training

programs for green cleanups EPA Region 9 is evaluating off-site and on-site impacts

(holistic evaluation)

Sustainability and the Triple Bottom Line (more than Green) Goals:

Holistic Approach

Balances Economic Considerations Environmental Impacts Social Benefits

Green and Sustainable Remediation Green Remediation

The practice of considering environmental impacts of remedy implementation and incorporating options to minimize the environmental footprint

Current focus by EPA is more on minimizing post-remedy selection impacts Is the primary focus of most regulatory initiatives EPA recognizes that green is only part of sustainable EPA Region 9 is looking at off-site impacts as well as on-site (laboratory,

transportation) EPA’s desire is to look at impacts as part of remedy selection process

Sustainable Remediation Selection and implementation of a remedy whose net benefit on human health

and the environment is maximized through the judicious use of limited resources Encourages evaluation of impacts of a remedy during the remedy selection

process Embraces the “Triple Bottom Line” – environmental, economic and social benefits Organizations such as ASTM, ITRC, and SuRF are tackling the broader issue of

sustainable remediation

How Does Green Support Sustainable Remediation?

Green technologies and practices contribute to sustainability

Sustainable remediation can equate to green remediation Reduced energy consumption reduces GHG emissions Lower cost normally means less environmental impact Social acceptability can come from green practices

Educating public and regulators on sustainability can bring green and sustainable practices closer together

What is Sustainable Remediation? Improving traditional remediation through

adoption of a thoughtful remediation plan that incorporates the following: Actions that decrease the environmental footprint

A cost-effective yet still protective approach

A remedial approach that take into account timliness

Minimal transfer of the problem from one medium to another

An increase in community benefits

A consideration of safety associated with the action

These elements are consistent with USEPA policy and seek to take Green Remediation a step further

A Tool for Sustainable Remediation

Life Cycle Analysis (LCA): Quantifies environmental impacts of a remedial action

Provides a standardized, well documented approach Can include economic and social parameters LCA is covered under ISO 14040 and 14044 as part of

an environmental management program Can span from cradle to cradle (including operation

and land reuse) Goes well beyond life cycle cost analysis

Life Cycle Analysis for Sustainable Remediation

Parameters included in impact analysis: Air (SOx, NOx, PM, CO2, VOCs, GHG) Energy (can be renewable or not) Economics/Cost Safety to Workers and Community

Software Tools: Site Wise (free software developed by Battelle for the Army and Navy) SRT (free software developed by the Air Force) SimaPro and GaBi (professional assessment tools--$$$$$) Other proprietary and directed-use tools

Software uses an inventory relevant to parameters evaluated (air emissions per kilowatt, etc).

Quality of data used affects quality of results

How is LCA Applied

Defines the environmental footprint of project Can be applied to:

Comparing a range of alternatives (i.e. feasibility study) Determining the effect of changing an alternative (optimization study) Can be applied through out the life of a project as part of the decision

making process On the surface it is a simple concept. Implementation can be

a complex process. Software’s inventory of data simplifies the process Industry and regulators not universally familiar with concepts

(understand carbon foot-print which is related) LCA can lead to more risk based remedial action Regulators may view this as “Green Washing” remediation

LCA Tool Output (for the project lifecycle)

Air Emissions (Tons)Energy Consumption (KW, MW or GW)Project Cost (NPV or total)Reduction of Waste GenerationSafety/accident risk compared to environmental risk

Can compare to emissions from cars, energy consumption by household, etc.

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Pump and Treat Parameter BreakdownTotal On-Site & Off-Site CO2e Emitted (lbs)

electricity production

carbon regeneration

wastewater treatment at POTW

Romic East Palo Alto – Pump & Treat

CO2e Emitted (lbs)

Key Contributors to Environmental Footprint

Information courtesy of EPA Region 9

Former Gun Club: RCRA Corrective Action Goals Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Wastes & Raw Materials Reduce Transportation Related Impacts

Implementation (Required Significant Pre-Planning) Waste disposal profiling (lead & PAHs) of each location

conducted in advance of excavation Excavation depth minimized through constant field oversight

of each excavation cell Separated soil during removal as either non hazardous or

hazardous

Location 1 -- 29,000 tons (39% total) of non-haz soil was recycled for use as Portland Cement.

Location 2 -- 5,500 tons (96% total) of non-haz soil was recycled for use as Portland Cement

Sustainable Remediation: Soil Excavation

Green: reuse of material instead of disposal

Sustainable Remediation: Former MGP Site Achieved successful risk-based closure by evaluating site-specific toxicity

and exposure

Managed removal of 2000+ gallons of coal tar and MGP residuals

Constructed 2 impermeable barrier and 2 permeable barrier landfills (9+ acres total) in lieu of excavation and offsite disposal

Installed in situ lining in sanitary and storm sewer to eliminate groundwater infiltration/migration

Incorporated significant landscape improvements to ensure community acceptance and satisfaction

Green: Xeriscape landscaping to reduce water demand

Sustainable Remediation: Landfill Cap a “Brightfield” Redevelopment

Landfill Cap redeveloped into a renewable (solar) energy facility

1,395 solar modules450 kw of electricityProvides in annual reduction of 300 tons of CO2

Environmental and solar energy education center were incorporated into the new facility

All community concerns were incorporated into the cleanup and redevelopment plans

Supports the communities economic development strategy

Green: Provides Alternative Energy Source

Sustainable Remediation Project Example Background

Contaminated Site in East Point, GA: acetone, TCE, Benzene Initially pump and treat used for remediation

Sustainable remedy Turn off pump and treat Bio-sparge to treat Acetone/Benzene in soil and groundwater No-purge sampling to monitor performance Added lactate to TCE well

No net increase in annual cost (treatment cost < P&T cost) Achieved NFA from EPA within 24 months In retrospect:

Environmental Protection: closed site with no further action Economic Consideration: No increase in present cost, no future cost Social: Allowed unrestricted use of blighted property (light industrial)

Sustainable Remediation: Former Manufacturing Facility

Closed RCRA Landfill Neighbor wanted property Candidate for Brownfield Program (if not RCRA) Off-site plume Excavated shallow soil and treated with

chemical oxidants ( 20 tons permanganate) Proceeds from property sale covered

remediation cost Blighted property became useful parking lot and

tennis courts Improved appearance and community

acceptance of area

Green: Increased society’s perception of property value

Future of Sustainable Remediation

DoD facilities are adding Sustainable Remediation to Feasibility Study evaluation criteria

Sustainable Remediation Standards are under development SuRF Guidance Document 2011 ASTM Standard expected in 2012-2013 ITRC Guidance expected in 2012-2013

Ongoing Meetings with state and federal regulators to discuss benefits of Sustainable Remediation (ITRC, SuRF)

Industries adding Sustainable Remediation to evaluation criteria

In many cases, Sustainable Remediation has attractive economic payback and improves public image

Tough Questions to Consider

How do you weigh the need for site remediation against the resources utilized?

How to determine unintended consequences resulting from remediation?

Do you evaluate sustainability metrics be before or after remedy selection?

Weighting of short-term significant environmental footprint (e.g. excavation, thermal treatment) against a longer period (e.g. SVE, pump and treat)?

Weighing environmental protection against environmental harm (emissions), economic impact, and social benefits?

Tenets of Green and Sustainable Remediation

Implement remediation projects in an environmentally responsible manner (Green)

Recognize that some metrics have limited role on time-critical remediation projects (i.e. imminent risk)

Protection of human health and the environment are baseline requirements

All relevant stakeholders should have a say in the decision-making and by default the remedy selection

Goals include reduced consumption of energy, water and other natural resources; maximization of reuse/recycling; and minimization of carbon footprint, GHGs, and any other deleterious effect of remediation

We can make better remediation decisions by accounting for economic and social metrics

Make Sustainable Remediation part of Good Business

What is sustainable about moving a Lighthouse?

• Environmental– Completed with minimal environmental impact.– Preservation in place would have resulted in collapse,

protection against collapse would have had negative environmental impacts

• Economic– Tourist draw to area– Jobs and tourist related income

• Social – National Historic Site– Provides educational and recreational opportunities

for visitors– Preserves our national heritage

5,000 ton structure moved 2,900 feet at a cost of $10 million

Thank You

Questions?