| As part of its mission to protect human health and the environment, EPA develops and promotes innovative strategies that restore contaminated sites to productive use, reduce associated costs, and promote environmental stewardship. The process of cleaning up a hazardous waste site uses energy, water, and other natural or materials resources and consequently creates an environmental footprint of its own. The Agency encourages adoption of green remediation as the practice of considering all environmental effects of cleanup actions and incorporating options to minimize the environmental footprints of cleanup actions. |