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Risk Management Research

Basic Information

Why is Risk Management Research Important?

Everyday activities that create wastes, emissions, or resource depletion, are risks. Risk management seeks to proactively improve or prevent environmental and health risks. EPA's Risk Management Research protects human health and the environment.

  • Control and prevent air pollution emissions
  • Support Homeland Security programs by investigating ways to contaminate buildings
  • Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions thru new technologies
  • Identify and reduce water quality and availability issues
  • Protect groundwater
  • Provide technical support on below ground pollution and ecosystem restoration
  • Determine which oil spill dispersants work best
  • Help communities achieve growth goals, improve resident quality of life, and enhance financial and environmental sustainability
  • Work on soil and sediment contamination issues
  • Cleanup waterways to make them usable for drinking, swimming and fishing
  • Provide choices for managing wastes
  • Help communities with the land use decisions
  • Identify consequences of technology changes and present sustainable alternatives
  • Analyze product processes or services  and their adverse impacts and recommend greener choices
  • Demonstrate practices that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs
  • Develop approaches and tools to monitor, treat, protect, and restore impaired waterways
  • Improve drinking water and wastewater systems

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What does Risk Management Research involve?
Analyzing environmental risks and providing solutions by:

  • Working with outside organizations to design, develop, and evaluate technologies and methods
  • Providing assistance to develop and apply environmental technologies
  • Incorporating cost-effective techniques that lead to successful pollution prevention and control strategies

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How does EPA conduct Risk Management Research?
Our research is accomplished through:

  • In-house research
  • Cooperative agreements with academia and non-profit organizations
  • Memorandums of understanding with industry
  • Federal interagency agreements
  • Use of environmental consultants

EPA also works closely with research staff around the world. The Risk Management Research Program offers technical support for contaminated sites and waterways. It shares research information through a variety of products, including reports, web pages, blogs, and databases.

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Additional Information

Risk Management Research: Air and Climate Change Research | Water Research | Ecosystems Restoration Research | Land Research | Technology: Sustainable Technologies Research, Environmental Technology Verification Program (ETV), and Technology Assessments

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