Sustainable Remediation: An Emerging Approach

摘要

EPA recommends that project teams consider the following five core elements to reduce the environmental footprint of cleanups: energy; air; water; land and ecosystems; and materials and waste. These elements could be considered either qualitatively or quantitatively for a specific alternative during a feasibility study, or as part of remedy optimization. One approach is to consider sustain-ability at different stages of the remediation lifecycle including: site investigation; feasibility study or response action plan; remedial design; remedial action implementation or construction management; and operations, monitoring and maintenance. Such an approach could integrate environmental, social and economic factors to ensure that the remedial approach minimizes the environmental footprint of the cleanup while maximizing the societal and economic benefits.