NEW DOCUMENTS FROM TECH
Green Remediation Best Management Practices: Excavation and Surface Restoration (EPA 542-F-19-002).
DIRECT – 10-1-19
Excavation of soil, sediment or waste material is often undertaken at contaminated sites to address immediate risk to human health or the environment; prepare for implementation of remediation technologies and construction of supporting infrastructure; and address contaminant hot spots in soil or sediment. The excavation and subsequent backfilling processes rely on use of heavy earth-moving machinery and often involve managing large volumes of material.
Many opportunities exist to reduce the environmental footprint of the various cleanup activities and improve
ultimate restoration of the disturbed land, surface water and ecosystems. The updated "Green Remediation Best Management Practices: Excavation and Surface Restoration" fact sheet issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency outlines specific best management practices (BMPs) that can be used to minimize the environmental footprint concerning emission of air pollutants and use of water, energy, and other resources at excavation sites. The refined set of BMPs is based on recent experiences reported by regulators, property owners, cleanup service contractors and other stakeholders in the cleanup community (August 2019, 5 pages). View or
download at:
https://clu-in.org/greenremediation/.
Technology Innovation News Survey Corner. The Technology Innovation News Survey contains market/commercialization information; reports on demonstrations, feasibility studies and research; and other news relevant to the hazardous waste community interested in technology development. Recent issues, complete archives, and subscription information is available at https://clu-in.org/products/tins/. The following resources were included in recent issues:
• Voluntary Remediation Program Compliance Status Report: Thomasville National Bank, 301 N. Broad Street, Thomasville, Thomas County, Georgia
• Development and Optimization of Analytical Methods for Simultaneous Determination of IM and Legacy Explosive Compounds
• The Use of Advanced Molecular Biological Tools in Groundwater Contaminated with Chlorinated Solvents [Webinar]
• A Rigorous Demonstration of Permeability Enhancement Technology for In Situ Remediation of Low Permeability Media
• Hexavalent Chromium Treatment Technologies
• Assessment of Pump-and-Treat System Impacts on 200 West Aquifer Conditions: Interim Status Report
• PFAS and Other Emerging Contaminants Conference
• Green Remediation Best Management Practices: Sites with Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
• Geophysical Methods for Character- ization and Monitoring at Groundwater Remediation Sites
Overview of a large scale Phytoremediation project in the USA. With the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Forest Service works in partnership with cities, counties, and corporations to install phytoremediation sites. The initiative is in its fourth year of annual funding, and altogether, about 20,000 trees have been planted at 16 phytoremediation sites in the Lake Michigan and Lake Superior watersheds. The trees are mostly fast-growing willows and poplars, which are ideal for phytoremediation because they grow quickly and have deep and extensive root systems. View more information at
https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2019/
08/30/trees-can-do-dirty-work
waste-cleanup
CL:AIRE BULLETIN: BIO-RESTORATION OF METAL-CONTAMINATED SOIL USING BIOCHAR TO ENHANCE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF MARGINAL
LAND (2019)
CL:AIRE INSPIRATION bulletins describe practical aspects of research which have direct application to the management of contaminated soil or groundwater in an agricultural context. This bulletin describes how the properties of biochar can influence its performance for the restoration of metal-polluted soil.
View more information:
https://www.claire.co.uk/component/phocadownload/category/66-inspiration-bulletins?download=692:ib8-bio-restoration-of-metal-contaminated-soil-using-biochar-to-enhance-the-productivity-of-marginal-land-2019.
(USEPA – Tech Direct – 10-1-19)
2019 WAS THE 2ND WETTEST YEAR ON RECORD FOR THE U.S.
The nation also experienced 14 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters last year It was another year of record-making weather and climate for the U.S. in 2019, which was the second wettest behind 1973.
Warmer-than-average temperatures were felt by much of the country including Alaska, which logged its hottest year on record.
Alaska also experienced destructive wildfires that, when combined with those in California, caused damages in excess of $1 billion. Thirteen other billion-dollar disasters that struck the U.S. last year included Hurricane Dorian, historic flooding and severe storms.
Here’s a recap of the climate and extreme weather events across the U.S.in 2019: Climate by the numbers 2019 | January through December Precipitation across the contiguous U.S. totaled 34.78 inches (4.48 inches above the long-term average), ranking 2019 as the second-wettest year on record after 1973, according to scientists from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.
By year’s end, 11 percent of the contiguous U.S. was in drought. In April, drought conditions had reached a low of 2.3 percent, the smallest drought footprint in the 20-year history of the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The average temperature measured across the contiguous U.S. in 2019 was 52.7 degrees F (0.7 of a degree above the
20th-century average), placing 2019 in the warmest third of the 125-year period. Despite the warmth, it was still the coolest year across the Lower 48 states since 2014.
There were some standouts in 2019, including Alaska, which had its hottest year ever recorded — 6.2 degrees F warmer than the long-term average. Georgia and North Carolina also saw their hottest year on record, while Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin each had their wettest year ever recorded.
(NOAA – 1-8-2020)