A STATE-OF-THE-ART OVERVIEW OF CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT REMEDIATION IN THE UNITED STATES

摘要

Remediation of contaminated sediment has received growing attention in the United States in recent years. Contaminated sediments may be viewed as a "fourth environmental medium", with concerns over sediment impacts equal to those for water, air, and land-disposed waste. Options for managing contaminated sediments include monitoring natural processes which may gradually improve conditions, restricted use of a contaminated area, treatment or isolation of the contaminated sediments in-place, and dredging or excavation followed by treatment or disposal of the sediments at another location. Technical guidance for evaluating each of these options and criteria for selecting among the options is available, but the selection of a final remedy for many sites may be complex, expensive and contentious. This paper provides a state-of-the-art overview of the options for sediment remediation; the mechanisms used in the U.S. for assessment, evaluation and implementation; and a status summary of major U.S. projects.