Green Remediation: The practice of considering all environmental effects of remedy implementation and incorporating options to maximize the net environmental benefit of cleanup actions.
EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) is working with private and public partners to foster the use of best management practices (BMPs) for green remediation at contaminated sites throughout the United States. OSWER is documenting the state of BMPs, identifying opportunities for improvement, establishing a community of BMP practitioners, and developing mechanisms and tools to help site cleanup and reuse stakeholders make informed decisions about "green cleanup" strategies.
In the News
- EPA issues Green Remediation: Best Practices for Excavation and Surface Restoration quick-reference fact sheet.
- California Department of Toxic Substances Control hosts Symposium on Green Remediation on February 4.
- Elements of EPA’s recently proposed guidelines for controlling pollutant discharge from construction sites can apply to remedy construction for green cleanups.
- EPA offers a Green Remediation Tools and Examples Webinar on January 13.
- Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources embarks on its new Wisconsin Initiative for Sustainable Cleanups (WISC) Initiative.
- Federal agencies focus on green remediation at the December 2008 meeting of the
Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable .
The Green Remediation Toolbox provides materials on core elements and BMPs of green remediation, contracting and administrative toolkits, decision-making tools, and links to initiatives involving green remediation applications.
Technical Information targets related documents concerning "whole cleanup" sustainability; guidance and policy; renewable energy; design, construction, and operations; and system optimization.
Profiles & Case Studies of Green Remediation illustrate BMP applications during project planning or in the field at 22 Superfund, RCRA, federal facility, brownfield, or state/voluntary cleanup sites.
New Site-Specific Profile of Green Remediation in Action
Cleanup at the Former Ferdula Landill in Frankfort, NY, relies on wind-driven vacuum process rather than electrically powered air blowers for soil vapor extraction.
Additional Resources are available from other federal and state agencies, industry and advisory groups, and related EPA programs or issue arenas.
OSWER's Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation offers Technical Assistance in answering general inquiries about green remediation or helping Superfund remedial project managers to build site-specific strategies.
Questions and comments may be forwarded to Carlos Pachon, Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation.
December 18, 2008
