Cleaning Up Hazardous Waste Sites

The structure & regulatory requirements of all major cleanup programs in the U.S. are discussed, & quantitative measures of the remediation work are given. The economic & political factors that may affect the size or characteristics of each of the seven segments are also presented. A considerable portion of the report is devoted to innovative treatment technologiesÓ. In the last year, over half of the treatment technologies selected for source control were innovative. Includes an extensive bibliography & 60 different exhibits, plus contacts for federal agencies & a glossary. Of great value to mid-level executives engaged in market planning.

The federal Superfund program for cleaning up America's inactive toxic waste sites is noteworthy not only for its enormous cost - $15.2 billion has been authorized thus far - but also for its unique design. The legislation that created Superfund provided the Environmental Protection Agency with a diverse set of policy tools. Preeminent among them is a civil liability scheme that imposes responsibility for multimillion dollar cleanups on businesses and government units linked - even tangentially - to hazardous waste sites. Armed with this potent policy implement, the agency can order the parties who are legally responsible for the toxic substances at a site to clean it up, with large fines and damages for failure to comply. EPA can also offer conciliatory measures to bring about voluntary, privately financed cleanup; or it can launch a cleanup initially paid for by Superfund and later force the responsible parties to reimburse the government. In this book, Thomas W. Church and Robert T. Nakamura provide the first in-depth study of Superfund operations at hazardous waste sites. They examine six Superfund cleanups, including three regions and both 'hard' and 'easy' sites, to ask 'what works?' Based on detailed case studies, the book describes various strategies that have been applied by government regulators and lawyers and the responses to those different strategies by businesses and local government officials. The authors characterize the implementation strategies used by the EPA as prosecution, accommodation, and public works. They point out that the choice of strategy involves setting priorities among Superfund's competing objectives. They conclude that the best implementation strategy is one that considers the context of each site and the particular priorities in each case. Looking toward the reauthorization of Superfund, they also offer recommendations for improvements in the organization of the program and discuss proposals for change in its

Over the next several decades, federal, state, and local governments and private industry will commit billions of dollars annually to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous waste and petroleum products from a variety of industrial sources. This commitment will result in a continuing demand for hazardous waste site remediation services and technologies. Hundreds of small, medium, and large companies across the nation will respond to this demand, supplying skilled professionals and advanced technologies to address contaminated sites. Researchers and technology developers will continue working to provide smarter and cheaper solutions to the complex environmental contamination problems still to be addressed. Investors will seek to identify technologies that provide the most promising technical and financial future. Universities continually seek to adjust their environmental sciences and engineering curricula to ensure that their future graduates are prepared for the challenges they will face in this field. To make cost-effective and sound investment decisions, all these groups will need information on the nature and extent of the future cleanup market. With this need in mind, EPA has produced this overview of the site characterization and remediation market. EPA believes that information on the Nation's cleanup needs will help industry and government officials develop better and more targeted research, development, and business strategies. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, (5102G), EPA542-R-04-015.

Superfund cleanup timing has been a long-standing concern of the Congress & EPA. In the Superfund Amendments & Reauthorization Act of 1986, the Congress set time goals for EPA & federal agencies to evaluate individual nonfederal & federal sites for placement on the National Priorities List (NPL) & begin various cleanup actions. In 1992, EPA introduced several initiatives designed to expedite Superfund cleanups. This report examines trends in the time taken to evaluate & process hazardous waste sites for possible placement on the NPL & to clean up these sites following their listing. Tables & graphs.

Overview of current and emerging methods used in cleaning up pollution.

The latest edition of Protecting Personnel at Hazardous Waste Sites brings together a wide range of occupational safety and health recommendations and practices directly applying to hazardous waste site cleanups. In addition to providing the most current information on maximum protection for cleanup personnel, this book is a practical, authoritative guide for those involved in cleanup operations. The completely updated third edition cites the newest OSHA and NIOSH recommendations that have developed over the past decade and explores the new federal emphasis in hazardous waste site cleanups such as radiation safety, toxicology, unexploded ordnance, OSHA training, EPA training, and site health and safety plans. Covers a wide array of occupational safety and health practices and recommendations applicable to hazardous waste clean-up Provides the most up-to-date information on maximum protection for workers Cites the newest OSHA and NIOSH recommendations and explores federal government emphases in the area