The trade-off between assessment and cleanup phases of remediation projects

Based on actual project experiences over the past decade, execution strategies for remediation projects have varied significantly. For example, the overlap between the assessment and cleanup phases can range from none (for projects that complete assessment activities before starting the cleanup) to almost half of the assessment duration (for projects that may be under pressure to show progress at the site). This article quantifies the relationship between remediation project execution strategies, project definition components, and remediation project cost and schedule performance. By relating project outcomes to indicators that can be monitored early in the project cycle, project teams may be able to correct problems before they affect the ultimate performance of the remediation project.     

Tracking of release and remediation progress from large pipeline break east of Dallas,Texas: Protection of Lake Tawakoni water supply

A gasoline pipeline owned by Explorer Pipeline Company ruptured leaking methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), a gasoline additive, into a creek and lake that the city of Dallas used as a water source. Because of the contamination, the city had to build a pipeline (nine feet in diameter, over two and three‐quarters of a mile in length, and built in three months) to another lake, at a cost of about $9 million. The volume of the release was estimated at 1.7 million gallons of gasoline containing MTBE at 9 percent per volume. Thousands of soil, water, and groundwater samples were taken to track the MTBE plume as it migrated from the spill site, through almost 30 miles of creek and throughout a lake containing 700,000 acre‐feet (228 billion gallons) of water. Four years after the spill, MTBE remains throughout the groundwater system, primarily in the drainage basin along the almost 30 miles of creek. This article focuses on the detailed tracking of all sampling data and the impact that the ongoing threat of MTBE contamination had on the water supplier. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Root causes of unsatisfactory performance of large and complex remediation projects: Lessons learned from the united states department of energy environmental management programs

The Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation (CRESP) was asked by the United States Department of Energy (US DOE) to consider the root causes of remediation projects that fail to entirely achieve their goals and then to offer suggestions to assist the Department. To begin this project, CRESP held several meetings at which the group defined problematic outcomes, the early symptoms of problematic outcomes, and the root causes of failing to meet expectations. The five root causes are complex science, engineering, and technology; ambiguous economics; project management shortcomings; political processes and credibility; and history and organizational culture. This article, while focusing on the US DOE, provides a larger context for many remediation projects that have failed to entirely live up to their sponsors' expectations. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Encouraging the application of sustainable timber harvesting practices: A review of policy tool use and effectiveness in the eastern United States

States use a variety of approaches to encourage landowners and loggers to apply ecologically-sustainable timber harvesting practices, the latter generically referred to as timber harvesting guidelines. A survey of 37 state forestry agency administrators in the eastern U.S. (defined as a contiguous region with the northwest and southwest borders being North Dakota and Texas, respectively) was conducted in 2000 to assess the extent and nature of state guideline programs and the various methods by which states encourage their use. The study found states in the eastern U.S. use a variety of policy tools to promote guideline use, with certain policy tools more common for certain target audiences (e.g., loggers) as well as the types of resources (e.g., wildlife habitat) addressed by the guidelines. Eighty-three percent of the programs directed at encouraging forest landowners in the eastern U.S. to use the timber harvesting practices identified in their state guidebooks are technical assistance, educational, or cost-share programs. Technical assistance and education programs are the most common policy tools used to assist loggers in applying sustainable harvesting practices. Technical assistance and cost-share programs consistently rank among the most effective policy tools for encouraging loggers and landowners to apply the guidelines. Comparing the level of program investment to perceived benefits, assistance programs and education programs rank most efficient landowner programs, whereas premium prices for products and preferential access to contracts are the two most efficient programs directed at loggers. The paper concludes with an assessment of emerging trends and additional information needs associated with encouraging the application of sustainable timber harvesting practices.     

Solidification/stabilization for remediation of wood preserving sites: Treatment for dioxins,PCP, creosote,and metals

This article discusses the use of solidification/stabilization (S/S) to treat soils contaminated with organic and inorganic chemicals at wood preserving sites. Solidification is defined for this article as making a material into a freestanding solid. Stabilization is defined as making the contaminants of concern nonmobile as determined from a leaching test. S/S then combines both properties. For more information on S/S in general the reader should refer to other publications (Connors, J.R. [1990]). Chemical fixation and solidification of hazardous wastes. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold; US Environmental Protection Agency. [1993a]. Engineering bulletin solidification/stabilization of organics and inorganics (EPA/540/S‐92/015); Wiles, C.C. [1989]. Solidification and stabilization technology. In H.M. Freeman [Ed.], Standard handbook of hazardous waste treatment and disposal. New York: McGraw Hill) as this article addresses only wood preserving sites and assumes basic knowledge of S/S processes. For a more general discussion of wood preserving sites and some other remedial options, the reader may wish to refer to a previous EPA publication (US Environmental Protection Agency. [1992a]. Contaminants and remedial options at wood preserving sites [EPA/600/R‐92/182]). This article includes data from the successful remediation of a site with mixed organic/inorganic contaminants, remediation of a site with organic contaminants, and detailed treatability study results from four sites for which successful formulations were developed. Included are pre‐ and post‐treatment soil characterization data, site vaines. ileizdot‐ names (in some cases), treatment formulas used (generic aridproprietary), costs, recommendations, and citatioiis to inore detailed refer‐ en ces. The data presen ted iiidica te that dioxins, pentachlorophepi 01 (PCP), creosote, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbom (PAHsI, and metals can be treated at moderate cost by the use of S/S techuologp.     

The horizontal reactive media treatment well (HRX Well®) for passive in situ remediation: Design,implementation, and sustainability considerations

A new in situ remediation concept termed a Horizontal Reactive Media Treatment Well (HRX Well^®) is presented that utilizes a horizontal well filled with reactive media to passively treat contaminated groundwater in situ. The approach involves the use of a large‐diameter directionally drilled horizontal well filled with solid reactive media installed parallel to the direction of groundwater flow. The engineered contrast in hydraulic conductivity between the high in‐well reactive media and the ambient aquifer hydraulic conductivity results in the passive capture, treatment, and discharge back to the aquifer of proportionally large volumes of groundwater. Capture and treatment widths of up to tens of feet can be achieved for many aquifer settings, and reductions in downgradient concentrations and contaminant mass flux are nearly immediate. Many different types of solid‐phase reactive treatment media are already available (zero valent iron, granular activated carbon, biodegradable particulate organic matter, slow‐release oxidants, ion exchange resins, zeolite, apatite, etc.). Therefore, this concept could be used to address a wide range of contaminants. Laboratory and pilot‐scale test results and numerical flow and transport model simulations are presented that validate the concept. The HRX Well can access contaminants not accessible by conventional vertical drilling and requires no aboveground treatment or footprint and requires limited ongoing maintenance. A focused feasibility evaluation and alternatives analysis highlights the potential cost and sustainability advantages of the HRX Well compared to groundwater extraction and treatment systems or funnel and gate permeable reactive barrier technologies for long‐term plume treatment. This paper also presents considerations for design and implementation for a planned upcoming field installation.     

Nuclear waste disposition and site remediation: U.S. department of energy,state governments,and other stakeholders dialogue

Remediation responsibilities of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) encompass a vast national complex of highly contaminated former weapons facilities. During the mid‐1990s, DOE announced its intentions to consolidate some waste types at specific sites. At about the same time, organizations and public officials around DOE sites urged a National Dialogue, designed to develop comprehensive solutions to the Department's needs for waste disposition ( transportation, treatment, and storage). Recent opposition from citizens and elected officials in Nevada and Washington State has presented obstacles to DOE's plans. Additionally, chairs of nine site‐specific advisory boards recommended that DOE support a National Stakeholder Forum, similarly designed to develop solutions to disposition needs. This article reviews the chronology of DOE's disposition efforts, along with public and state reactions and recommendations. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Current pesticide practices and environmental issues in Vietnam: management challenges for sustainable use of pesticides for tropical crops in (South-East) Asia to avoid environmental pollution

Pesticides are widely used in modern agriculture to minimize financial losses and maintain food supplies. In southeast Asia, where agriculture is the principal economic activity, pesticides are considered essential, particularly in tropical regions seeking to enter the global economy by providing off-season fresh fruits and vegetables. The absence of a strong legal framework for pesticides facilitated a significant increase in the use of low-quality pesticides. Farmers ignore the risks, safety instructions, and protective directives when using pesticides. They are only concerned about the effectiveness of the pesticides for killing pests, without paying attention to the effects on their health and the environment. The improper usage of pesticides and the incorrect disposal of pesticide wastes contributed to the pollution of groundwater, surface water, and soil, and induced health problems in local communities. This paper describes the impact of the exposure of pesticides on human health and water resources in connection with the usage of pesticides and their management. Because of availability, the data are mainly taken for Northern Vietnam, and applied to the water quality in the delta; nevertheless, the problem relates to all countries in the delta, and similar situations may be found in other regions, particularly in Asia.     

Citizen board issues and local newspaper coverage of risk,remediation, and environmental management: Six U.S. nuclear weapons facilities

We examined site‐specific advisory board (SSAB) minutes and local newspaper coverage of the Fernald, Hanford, Idaho, Oak Ridge, Rocky Flats, and Savannah River sites of the U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE) in order to determine the importance of risk‐related issues related to remediation and other forms of environmental management. About one‐third of SSAB issues were risk‐related, and these were disproportionately major issues at meetings. The media focused on risks associated with remediation and other forms of waste management. The analysis implies that contractors and government officials need to establish and maintain communications with advisory panels and accentuate these contacts well in advance of contemplated new actions. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Correction to: Review on evolution of municipal solid waste management in India: practices,challenges and policy implications

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management -     

Assessment of the current municipal solid waste management system in Tehran,Iran: challenges and opportunities for sustainable development

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - With over 9 million population, challenges of waste management system (WMS) of Tehran can offer some lessons to other middle-income cities. Despite...     

京津冀区域近50年大雾天气气候变化特征

利用京津冀区域内所辖70个站1954—2000年的观测资料，分析了此区域内大雾天气的分布情况和气候变化特征。结果表明：京津冀区域清晨最易出现大雾，午前至傍晚出现最少；大雾日数年分布呈双峰形，秋季最多，春季最少；大雾天气受地形影响很大，具有明显的区域地理特征，山前平原多、山区较少，且山前平原区持续出现日数最多，连续出现时数最长。全区年雾日呈增加趋势，各季及各分区的变化趋势与年值一致，只是变化幅度不同；从20世纪50年代到90年代，大雾日数呈逐渐增加的趋势，50年代到70年代增加幅度最大，80年代后增加速度较为缓慢：各分区大雾日教年代之间变化均呈逐渐增加的趋势，但区域问又略存差异。     

Forestry best management practices for timber harvesting and site preparation in the eastern United States: An overview of water quality and productivity research during the past 20 years (1982–2002)

Forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) were developed to protect water quality. In the eastern US, those BMPs were often expanded to include maintenance of site productivity. Generally, BMPs recommend the use of pre-harvest planning and careful design for construction of roads and other activities that expose bare soil, minimizing trafficking and areas of bare soil, maintaining streamside management zones, ensuring rapid revegetation following harvesting, minimizing soil disturbance, and ameliorating severe trafficking with site preparation. This review of peer-reviewed research from the past 20 years examined the effects of forest harvesting and site preparation on water quality and site productivity in the eastern US. The review was subdivided into areas having relatively similar physiography and land management (New England, Lake States, Appalachian Plateau, Ridge and Valley, Blue Ridge, Piedmont, Atlantic Coastal Plain, Gulf Coastal Plain, and Ouachitas-Ozarks). In general, data from steeper physiographic regions indicated that forest harvesting and site preparation can increase erosion, sediment and nutrient losses to streams. However, the quantities introduced into streams tended to be relatively low, generally below the values that are considered acceptable for alternative land uses. Also most research indicated that water quality recovers within two to five years following forest operation disturbances, particularly if BMPs are employed. Research from the less mountainous and often more poorly drained Lake States and Coastal Plain regions indicated that soil compaction and rutting may or may not cause site productivity effects, depending on soil types, natural ameliorative properties and site preparation. Overall, the research supports the forestry BMPs recommended in the eastern states.     

Waste on the roadside, 'poi-sute' waste: its distribution and elution potential of pollutants into environment

Waste on the roadside, 'poi-sute' waste, was collected in a typical suburb in Japan (Ueda city, the sampling course: 3.2 km). The distribution, characterization of the 'poi-sute' waste and the loading of pollutants from the waste were studied. The average number of pieces of total waste was 690 pieces a month, and 220 pieces of waste were dumped a month per km. There was a tendency for much waste to be discarded around shops staying open until late at night. Regarding the sorts of the waste, cigarette butts are the most prevalent (the average was 150 cigarette butts/km/mo), and second was plastic materials. As for the weight, cigarette butts, plastics and papers were at a similar level (about 90 g/km/mo). The elution of arsenic (0.041 mg/L) and nicotine (3.8 mg/L) was ascertained by a dissolution test of 'poi-sute' cigarette butts obtained by sampling. Furthermore, the loading of heavy metals, such as lead, copper, chromium and cadmium, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from cigarette butts into the environment was confirmed. The load potentials of heavy metals were 0.020-1.7 mg/km/mo, and that of total-polyaromatic hydrocarbons was 0.032 mg/km/mo. These results indicate that the 'poi-sute' waste has a harmful influence on the environment.     

The Encapsulation of Green Tea Extract in Cyclodextrin and Loading into Chitosan-Based Composites: Controlled-Release Behavior and Antioxidant Properties

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - Green tea extract was encapsulated in cyclodextrin to form an inclusion complex. Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, and 1H-nuclear magnetic...