ConSoil 2010
The 11th International UFZ-Deltares/TNO Conference on Management of Soil, Groundwater and Sediment (aka ConSoil 2010) brought together parties from all aspects of the cleanup community to exchange ideas and experiences on the management of soil, groundwater, and sediment. Themes for the conference included: restoration, new functions of the subsurface; sustainable management of land use and the subsurface; and management of contamination at a regional scale.
USEPA's Technology Innovation and Field Services Division (TIFSD) participated at ConSoil by conducting training sessions and participating in special sessions.
EPA Training Sessions on Innovative Practices in Site Assessment and Cleanup and U.S. Information Resources
EPA conducted five 90-minute training sessions; four focused on environmental cleanup optimization regimens conducted at specific project phases and one focused on how to effectively leverage a variety of U.S.-based information resources to support optimization and cleanup efforts. Courses were taught by subject matter experts from USEPA and supporting organizations. The five training courses included:
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EPA Participation in Special Sessions on Sustainable and Green Remediation
EPA participated in the following two Special Sessions (SpS):
- SpS 8A - Sustainable Remediation: International Initiatives
This panel session focused on the state of international implementation of sustainable environmental remediation. Speakers included representatives from the USEPA; Environment Canada; SuRF US, SuRF UK, SuRF NL, and SURF Australia; EURODEMO+; NICOLE; and the Common Forum. In support of this session, a draft white paper (938KB/22pp/PDF) was prepared which: defines the concepts of sustainable remediation and green remediation; highlights their synergies and differences; presents information on the evolution of the practices; and identifies recent and future collaborations of the international organizations. Information on the organizations represented on the panel can be found at:
- SpS 8B - Sustainable Remediation - Case studies: Does it make a difference?
This session provided examples from the US, UK, and Australia where green and/or sustainable remediation were considered in either remedy selection or during implementation of site remediation. Case studies provided information on particular constraints given by regulatory frames or within participatory processes. EPA's presentation can be found at:
Greening Environmental Cleanups with Traditional and Innovative Technologies (Abstract [61KB/1p/PDF]) (Presentation [1MB/18pp/PDF])
ConSoil 2008
The 10th ConSoil Conference continued the successful program of the previous ConSoil series. Besides the traditional ConSoil focus on contamination of soil and groundwater, ConSoil 2008 again dealt with the functioning of the soil-water systems. With this multi-focus, ConSoil 2008 followed the European Union policy that aimed at the sound and integrated management of the soil-water systems in Europe. ConSoil stayed the platform to exchange news and knowledge between scientists, policy makers, consultants/service providers, administrators, site owners/river basin managers, remediation companies/contractors, and banking and insurance companies.
USEPA's Technology Innovation and Field Services Division (TIFSD) participated at ConSoil by conducting the following training sessions. The technical sessions provided a perspective on the expanding influence of specific best management and technical practices and the impacts on practical site implementation. It also introduced the concept of green remediation to share experiences and foster communication on developing practices.
- Introduction to the Tools and Mechanics of Systematic Planning (Presenter Bios)
(MS PowerPoint [16.7 MB/PPT])
(Adobe Acrobat [4.90 MB/PDF])
Under the US EPA's Triad approach a comprehensive systematic planning process has been shown to significantly enhance stakeholder acceptance, project team functionality, technical planning, uncertainty management, and overall project success at hazardous waste sites. Within a Triad framework, systematic project planning (SPP) extends beyond data quality objectives to include social, economic, and political factors that can have a significant impact on project outcomes. Conceptual site models (CSMs) play a critical role in project planning as project teams seek to recognize, identify, and manage uncertainty related to technical, regulatory, and fiscal project constraints.
This workshop will provide a framework and an overview of tools available to assist project teams with comprehensive SPP. Practical considerations associated with expected regulatory frameworks, property re-use, potential remedies, performance metrics, applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements (ARARs), and other critical factors will be discussed in the context of developing exit strategies and achieving a consensus site vision.
Participants will be exposed to a "briefcase" containing templates, examples, resources, and process assistance gear that accompanies many successful team leaders to systematic planning meetings. The tools and mechanics showcased should provide sufficient flexibility to incorporate many of these planning best management practices into your environmental programs. Discussions of the impact of available contacting mechanisms, decision criteria development, contingencies, dynamic work strategies, and activity sequencing are provided in an effort to streamline field activities and compress project timeframes to achieve time and cost savings. The importance of data management, field decision authority, remote stakeholder participation, and quality assurance/quality control will also be highlighted to provide a cross walk between critical project elements and available tools or strategies.
- Conducting a Demonstration of Method Applicability and Designing Quality Control Programs for X-Ray Fluorescence in Soil (Presenter Bio)
(MS PowerPoint [6.36 MB/PPT])
(Adobe Acrobat [1.80 MB/PDF])
Field portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrumentation is now commonly used for many applications within the environmental industry. Although years of experience indicates that XRF provides fast, accurate, high quality, defensible information many environmental professionals still consider XRF data as "field screening". In an effort to move beyond conventional XRF expectations, the US EPA's Technology Innovation and Field Services Division has developed a 90 minute presentation exploring the benefits of conducting a demonstration of method applicability (DMA) and incorporating the results into a comprehensive quality control (QC) program.
The session will discuss strategies for designing DMAs and using collaborative data sets to develop and refine QC programs for field applications of XRF. Particular emphasis will be placed on the "real-time" value of XRF information and how appropriately structured QC programs can provide high quality defensible data similar to information expected from many of today's common laboratory analyses. Presenters will provide examples of DMA outputs, types of QC samples and activities, as well as the development and use of collaborative relationships between XRF and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analyses. The session is expected to touch on potential pitfalls and limitations as well as previously employed successful strategies for using XRF effectively in decision making.
- Green Remediation: Evolving Best Management Practices (Presenter Bios)
(MS PowerPoint [3.95 MB/PPT])
(Adobe Acrobat [1.18 MB/PDF])
Business sectors around the world are "going green" in order to become better environmental stewards and the business of cleaning up and revitalizing contaminated sites is no different. In recent years EPA has sought to increase the sustainability of redevelopment at previously contaminated sites. More recently there has been increasing interest in EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) in identifying best practices that will help reduce the environmental footprint of the actual site cleanup activities. The concept is being termed "green remediation".
"Green remediation" is the practice of considering all environmental effects of remedy implementation, and incorporating options to maximize net environmental benefit of contaminated site cleanup projects. Sustainable cleanup practices place greater emphasis on considering a project's energy requirements, air emissions, water consumption, impacts on land and ecosystems, material consumption and waste generation, and impacts on long-term stewardship of a site. The concept of green remediation builds on environmentally conscious practices already used across business and public sectors, but seeks ways to adapt and adopt state-of-the-art practices and products to reduce the environmental footprints at cleanup projects, regardless of the regulatory framework. The session will focus on exactly how a site cleanup can go greener, examining our usual ways of doing business to find more opportunities to conserve natural resources and energy.
- The Critical Role of Data Management (Presenter Bios)
(MS PowerPoint [13.3 MB/PPT])
(Adobe Acrobat [5.99 MB/PDF])
Using conceptual site modeling as a foundation, participants in this technical session will learn how to best manage the many types and large quantities of data that often flow from real-time data collection tools and other data sources during site investigation and cleanup activities. These data management approaches will be coupled with the use of decision support tools and advanced visualization software to better understand and communicate site information. Collaborative work environments created virtually to reach team members also will be explored. Participants will gain an appreciation of an expanded site data and information life cycle, from collection, transfer, and storage to processing, analysis, decision-making, visualization, and communication to support effective decision making and site management.
- Triad Best Management Practices Part 1 - Conceptual Site Model Case Studies (Presenter Bios)
(MS PowerPoint [50.7 MB/PPT])
(Adobe Acrobat [7.78 MB/PDF])
Robust conceptual site models (CSM) are essential to project success throughout any site cleanup. Initial or preliminary conceptual site models serve as planning tools for the technical project team to conceptualize and visualize what is known or unknown about a site in terms of contaminants of concern, contaminant distribution, geology, hydrogeology, receptor pathway networks, historical activities, and a host of other critical information. By capturing this information in a holistic CSM that incorporates text, tables, figures, and 3D visualizations, project technical teams can efficiently prioritize and address potential data gaps, uncertainties, or stakeholder concerns. Particularly with contentious sites, the CSM serves as a facilitation tool where competing site visions are verified or disproved and resources can be applied in the most cost effective manner to meet project decision criteria.
As the project matures, the CSM serves as a living representation of site realities as they unfold. Continuous updates provide the framework for public presentations and technical planning for remediation evaluations, cleanup implementation, or monitoring remedy effectiveness. This session will explore in depth several case studies where sound CSMs were the linchpin for sampling design, project communication, stakeholder consensus, and ultimate project success.
- Triad Best Management Practices Part 2 - Dynamic Work Strategies Case Studies (Presenter Bios)
(MS PowerPoint [61.4 MB/PPT])
(Adobe Acrobat [9.99 MB/PDF])
Dynamic work strategies (DWS) allow effective use of real-time measurements to drive field activities. Efficient DWS are critical to increasing data density expeditiously to target site uncertainties while controlling project costs and maximizing resources. A carefully planned DWS includes contingencies for when technologies or strategies don't work as planned and help to streamline the data collection process by providing a flexible decision framework driven by field decisions. Stakeholders and technical team members not on site during field activities still provide critical input through web based collaboration tools and visualization packages.
This session will provide an in depth look at several case studies where DWS were not only successfully employed but critical in data collection efforts necessary to make project decisions. The case studies will highlight how decision logic developed during systematic planning was used to drive sampling design and target areas of concern in real time.
- Sampling Design Avoiding Pitfalls in Environmental Sampling - Part 1 (Presenter Bios)
(MS PowerPoint [2.91 MB/PPT])
(Adobe Acrobat [1.22 MB/PDF])
The sampling design sessions focus on contaminated soils and provide a look at designs that extend beyond simple random or "gridded" grab-sample formats. More advanced designs can reduce sampling and analytical costs while simultaneously improving data quality and usability. This session is presented using common sense concepts (not statistical equations) such that project managers can provide confident and critical reviews of proposed sampling designs and communicate data needs to their contractors. More technical audiences will be exposed to advanced sampling designs that target many of the real world uncertainties related to sampling while providing context to analytical uncertainties that have been the focus of most historical quality control activities.
Difficulties posed by generating data from heterogeneous environmental media such as soils, sediments, and groundwater aquifers are evaluated. Strategies that apply to newer technologies and best practices that often outperform older strategies are described while data sets from actual sites illustrate the pitfalls of some older practices. Particular attention is paid to the concept of defining decisions and decisions units such that representative samples can be collected. Sample designs for searching vs. parameter estimation are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of designs that utilize non-traditional methods such as multi-incremental sampling and adaptive compositing.
- Sampling Design Avoiding Pitfalls in Environmental Sampling - Part 2 (Presenter Bios)
(MS PowerPoint [2.65 MB/PPT])
(Adobe Acrobat [1.38 MB/PDF])
The sampling design sessions focus on contaminated soils and provide a look at designs that extend beyond simple random or "gridded" grab-sample formats. More advanced designs can reduce sampling and analytical costs while simultaneously improving data quality and usability. This session is presented using common sense concepts (not statistical equations) such that project managers can provide confident and critical reviews of proposed sampling designs and communicate data needs to their contractors. More technical audiences will be exposed to advanced sampling designs that target many of the real world uncertainties related to sampling while providing context to analytical uncertainties that have been the focus of most historical quality control activities.
Difficulties posed by generating data from heterogeneous environmental media such as soils, sediments, and groundwater aquifers are evaluated. Strategies that apply to newer technologies and best practices that often outperform older strategies are described while data sets from actual sites illustrate the pitfalls of some older practices. Particular attention is paid to the concept of defining decisions and decisions units such that representative samples can be collected. Sample designs for searching vs. parameter estimation are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of designs that utilize non-traditional methods such as multi-incremental sampling and adaptive compositing.
- Green Remediation: Evolving Best Management Practices (Presenter Bios)
(MS PowerPoint [3.95 MB/PPT])
(Adobe Acrobat [1.18 MB/PDF])
Business sectors around the world are "going green" in order to become better environmental stewards and the business of cleaning up and revitalizing contaminated sites is no different. In recent years EPA has sought to increase the sustainability of redevelopment at previously contaminated sites. More recently there has been increasing interest in EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) in identifying best practices that will help reduce the environmental footprint of the actual site cleanup activities. The concept is being termed "green remediation".
"Green remediation" is the practice of considering all environmental effects of remedy implementation, and incorporating options to maximize net environmental benefit of contaminated site cleanup projects. Sustainable cleanup practices place greater emphasis on considering a project's energy requirements, air emissions, water consumption, impacts on land and ecosystems, material consumption and waste generation, and impacts on long-term stewardship of a site. The concept of green remediation builds on environmentally conscious practices already used across business and public sectors, but seeks ways to adapt and adopt state-of-the-art practices and products to reduce the environmental footprints at cleanup projects, regardless of the regulatory framework. The session will focus on exactly how a site cleanup can go greener, examining our usual ways of doing business to find more opportunities to conserve natural resources and energy.
- Introduction to the Tools and Mechanics of Systematic Planning (Presenter Bios)
(MS PowerPoint [16.7 MB/PPT])
(Adobe Acrobat [4.90 MB/PDF])
Under the US EPA's Triad approach a comprehensive systematic planning process has been shown to significantly enhance stakeholder acceptance, project team functionality, technical planning, uncertainty management, and overall project success at hazardous waste sites. Within a Triad framework, systematic project planning (SPP) extends beyond data quality objectives to include social, economic, and political factors that can have a significant impact on project outcomes. Conceptual site models (CSMs) play a critical role in project planning as project teams seek to recognize, identify, and manage uncertainty related to technical, regulatory, and fiscal project constraints.
This workshop will provide a framework and an overview of tools available to assist project teams with comprehensive SPP. Practical considerations associated with expected regulatory frameworks, property re-use, potential remedies, performance metrics, applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements (ARARs), and other critical factors will be discussed in the context of developing exit strategies and achieving a consensus site vision.
Participants will be exposed to a "briefcase" containing templates, examples, resources, and process assistance gear that accompanies many successful team leaders to systematic planning meetings. The tools and mechanics showcased should provide sufficient flexibility to incorporate many of these planning best management practices into your environmental programs. Discussions of the impact of available contacting mechanisms, decision criteria development, contingencies, dynamic work strategies, and activity sequencing are provided in an effort to streamline field activities and compress project timeframes to achieve time and cost savings. The importance of data management, field decision authority, remote stakeholder participation, and quality assurance/quality control will also be highlighted to provide a cross walk between critical project elements and available tools or strategies.
- U.S. - European Union Panel (Presenter Bio)
(MS PowerPoint [0.56 MB/PPT])
(Adobe Acrobat [0.12 MB/PDF])
Environmental professionals from both sides of the Atlantic are increasingly collaborating and sharing their experiences in improving approaches to contaminated site cleanups. In this spirit, experts from the United States and Europe will discuss the state of the practice in environmental clean-up projects, focusing on how lessons learned can be readily adopted by regulators, practitioners, and clients of environmental services companies. The panelists will draw from their experiences in achieving increased cost-effectiveness and success rates at projects by employing systematic planning and other components of the Triad (see EPA Technical Seminar Series), and from green remediation practices that are reducing the environmental footprint of contaminated site cleanups. Considerations may include technical difficulties, regulatory and policy obstacles, and business practices that foster or impede such practices.
ConSoil 2005
During ConSoil 2005, a set of panel sessions called "25 Years of Contaminated Land Management - Achievements and Work Still to Be Done" were presented and for the first time in ConSoil history, the live audience was joined by additional participants via the Internet and telephone. The panel sessions discussed the fact that in the 1980s, several countries around the world were confronted with soil contamination as a 'new', but very real threat. The sessions reflected on what happened, described the status, and peeked into the future.
Panel 1: Shifts in Contaminated Site Management in the EU and US
Panel 2: From Site Screening to Redevelopment, Progress in Every Step
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