incorporating options to minimize the environmental footprints of a cleanup
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- Arizona DEQ recommends green remediation practices to improve environmental outcomes of cleanups
- Fort Drum environmental restoration involves green remediation strategies
- Updated EPA Brownfields Road Map spotlights greener cleanups
- CEQ compiles resources for implementing EO 13834 on efficient federal operations
- 2018 BUILD Act provides renewable energy and energy efficiency criteria for ranking brownfields grant applications
- US Air Force releases reference guide for pollinator conservation
- EPA issues guide on environmental sequence stratigraphy to improve conceptual site models
- EPA updates recommendations of specifications, standards, and ecolabels for environmentally sustainable products
- Now available: National certification standard to help train and find green infrastructure professionals
- News archives...
- View the June 28 Perspectives on the Implementation of Greener Cleanups webinar presentations
Ongoing treatment of contaminated groundwater at the Re-Solve, Inc. site in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, now includes use of best management practices to reduce the project's environmental footprint. When compared to 1998 annual rates, the onsite groundwater pump-and-treat (P&T) system currently uses 86% less chemicals, generates 98% less waste requiring offsite disposal, and directly or indirectly emits 80% less carbon dioxide. Additionally, recent integration of an onsite photovoltaic system enables the project to generate nearly 10% more electricity than demanded by the P&T system.
More than 81 million gallons of groundwater treated at the Phoenix-Goodyear Airport Superfund Site each year is stored for irrigation use by the City of Goodyear.
Nearly 2,300 cubic yards of concrete was salvaged during cleanup at the Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard Superfund site in Baltimore and re-used onsite as infill for excavated areas.
In situ mixing of chemical oxidation reagents to treat soil at the Whitney Young Branch Library brownfield site avoided double handling of materials in an ex situ process.
Air emissions during activities such as soil excavation and surface grading were minimized at the Elizabeth Mine NPL site through use of machinery equipped with Tier 4 engine technology.
Use of a renewable energy-powered fan assembly at the Rainbow Valley Citrus Maintenance Yard Facility UST site avoided use of grid electricity to collect air stripping off-gas.
Six acres of freshwater wetlands created during RCRA corrective action at the Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC Site help manage stormwater while providing critical animal habitat.
Best Management Practice (BMP)
Fact Sheets
- An Overview (PDF) (2 pp, 231K)
- Excavation and Surface Restoration (PDF) (4 pp, 238K)
- Site Investigation and Environmental Monitoring (PDF) (4 pp, 179K)
- Pump and Treat Technologies (PDF) (8 pp, 225K)
- Bioremediation (PDF) (4 pp, 176K)
- Soil Vapor Extraction & Air Sparging (PDF) (4 pp, 131K)
- Clean Fuel & Emission Technologies for Site Cleanup (PDF) (10 pp, 354K)
- Integrating Renewable Energy into Site Cleanup (PDF) (8 pp, 335K)
- Sites with Leaking Underground Storage Tank Systems (PDF) (6 pp, 448K)
- Landfill Cover Systems & Energy Production (PDF) (6 pp, 465K)
- Overview of EPA's Methodology to Address the Environmental Footprint of Site Cleanup (PDF) (2 pp, 176K)
- Mining Sites (PDF) (6 pp, 535K)
- Implementing In Situ Thermal Technologies (PDF) (6 pp, 249K)
- Materials and Waste Management (PDF) (4pp, 397K)
GR Technology Primer (PDF) (56 pp, 814K):
Incorporating Sustainable Environmental Practices into Remediation of Contaminated Sites
A Citizen's Guide to Greener Cleanups (PDF) (2 pp, 1.4MB)
- Executive Order 13834 Regarding Efficient Federal Operations.
The EO sets forth requirements that agencies have to meet to make the Federal Government's operations more sustainable. Use of greener cleanup strategies in the US EPA's Superfund and other site cleanup programs helps meet statutory requirements concerning energy and environmental performance in a manner that increases efficiency, optimizes performance, eliminates unnecessary use of resources, and protects the environment.
EPA's Methodology for Understanding and Reducing a Project's Environmental Footprint uses 21 metrics and a seven-step process to quantify energy, air, water, and materials & waste comprising the environmental footprint of a remedy. The supporting Spreadsheets for Environmental Footprint Analysis (SEFA) workbooks are available to help users estimate each of the methodology's metrics on a site-specific basis. Related background studies, examples, and data gathering tools offer additional information of value to environmental footprint assessment.
Aligning with National Goals
Learn about executive orders, requirements, and guidance on energy and water management, green purchasing, and environmental stewardship
Questions and comments about EPA's green remediation efforts may be forwarded to:
Carlos Pachon, Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation.
