Green remediation strategies for materials and waste management build on federal mandates as well as related programs of state and local agencies. The strategies encourage decision makers to consider product life cycles during remediation planning, and to collaborate with local organizations such as recycling businesses and municipal waste authorities. BMPs focus on opportunities to reduce waste generation, recycle spent products, reuse materials, salvage items for donation or resale, beneficially use industrial byproducts, and purchase environmentally preferred products.
Sample BMPs
- Salvaging uncontaminated and pest- or disease-free organic debris during demolition for later use as infill, mulch, or compost
- Reclaiming and stockpiling uncontaminated soil during excavation for onsite habitat creation
- Reusing durable goods such as synthetic sheeting throughout remedy construction and maintenance
- Choosing commercial products with recycled and bio-based contents instead of petroleum-based components
Site-Specific Examples
- Manufacturing and municipal organic waste used as treatment media for contaminated ground water at Altus Air Force Base
- Biosolid amendment of contaminated soil along the Upper Arkansas River
View page 16 of Green Remediation: Incorporating Sustainable Environmental Practices into Remediation of Contaminated Sites (56 pp, 814K) to learn more about waste management within the context of site management.
