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TechDirect's purpose is to identify new technical, policy and
guidance resources related to the assessment and remediation of
contaminated soil, sediments and ground water.
Mention of non-EPA documents or presentations does not
constitute a U.S. EPA endorsement of their contents, only an
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Upcoming Live Internet Seminars
ITRC Remediation Process Optimization Advanced Training - April
10. Remediation Process Optimization (RPO) is the systematic
evaluation and enhancement of site remediation to ensure that
human health and the environment are being protected over the
long term at minimum risk and cost. The purpose of this ITRC
training is to present an overview of the material covered in
five technical fact sheets that ITRC's RPO Team produced to
enhance site remediation optimization and decision-making. The
training modules provide additional information and techniques
to improve project schedules, effectively manage resources,
emphasize risk, and discuss tools to efficiently cleanup
contaminated sites. For more information and to register, see
http://www.itrcweb.org or http://clu-in.org/studio .
ITRC Characterization, Design, Construction and Monitoring of
Bioreactor Landfills - April 19. Bioreactors are landfills where
controlled addition of non-hazardous liquid wastes, sludges, or
water accelerates the decomposition of waste and landfill gas
generation. This training, based on the ITRC's Characterization,
Design, Construction, and Monitoring of Bioreactor Landfills
(ALT-3, 2006), teaches the principles used to make critical
decisions during permitting, operating, and monitoring a
bioreactor landfill. This training also provides a general
understanding of the biological degradation of solid wastes
under aerobic and anaerobic waste conditions and the degradation
products associated with each process. For more information and
to register, see http://www.itrcweb.org or
http://clu-in.org/studio .
Nanotechnology - Superfund Site Remediation - April 19. The
Superfund Basic Research Program (SBRP), in collaboration with
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), presents
'Nanotechnology - Superfund Site Remediation.' This seminar is
part of a series covering the applications and implications of
nanotechnology as it pertains to the National Superfund Program.
The use of nanoscale materials (particles of matter < 100 nm)
shows promise for improving the efficiency of current
groundwater remediation approaches. Compared to microscale
zero-valent iron, nanoscale zero-valent iron (or NZVI) has a
higher reactivity for treating chlorinated solvents and may
allow for more cost-effective delivery options. Marti Otto,
Environmental Engineer (U.S. EPAs Office of Superfund
Remediation and Technology Innovation), will describe
field-scale and full-scale applications of NZVI. The talk will
include background on the use of NZVI to address source areas in
groundwater contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons focusing
on the results of four study sites. Mary Logan, Remedial
Project Manager (EPA Region 5), will report on the
considerations that led to the selection of NZVI for the Nease
Chemical Superfund Site in Ohio. In September 2005, U.S. EPA
selected NZVI as a remedy for volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
in bedrock groundwater, particularly for the highly contaminated
plume core. The remedy allows NZVI to be coupled with enhanced
biological treatment if the iron alone is not sufficient to
treat recalcitrant compounds. For more information and to
register, see http://clu-in.org/studio .
ITRC Planning and Promoting of Ecological Land Reuse of
Remediated Sites - April 24. This training is based on the ITRC
Technical and Regulatory Guideline: Planning and Promoting
Ecological Land Reuse of Remediated Sites (ECO-2, 2006). The
document presents a process to promote ecological land reuse
activities considering natural or green technologies instead of
more traditional remedies. The guidance demonstrates that
natural or ecological end-uses are valuable alternatives to
conventional property development or redevelopment. Ecological
benefits and a process for calculating their value are included
in the guidance and reviewed in this training. For more
information and to register, see http://www.itrcweb.org or
http://clu-in.org/studio .
ITRC Evaluating, Optimizing, or Ending Post-Closure Care at
Municipal Solid Waste Landfills - April 26. This training, based
on ITRC's Technical and Regulatory Guidance: Evaluating,
Optimizing, or Ending Post-Closure Care at Municipal Solid Waste
Landfills Based on Site-Specific Data Evaluations (ALT-4, 2006),
describes a method to evaluate the performance of Post Closure
Care at a landfill and determine when leachate recovery,
landfill gas management, groundwater monitoring, and cap
maintenance can be reduced or even ended based on threats (to
human health and the environment) posed by the closed landfill.
The training and document describe custodial care as those
requirements the property owner must follow after post closure
care has been ended. For more information and to register, see
http://www.itrcweb.org or http://clu-in.org/studio .
Understanding and Reconstructing Soil Conditions at Remediation
Sites - May 2. Effective in situ rehabilitation of drastically
disturbed and/or contaminated sites is usually dependent upon
understanding and modifying on-site soil conditions to support
revegetation efforts. While site-specific characterization of
soil conditions is essential to the development of any
revegetation strategy, limitations posed by reactive sulfides
and very low pH, excess soil compaction, and excess salinity are
dominant and widespread problems on disturbed sites. This
seminar will focus on essential steps and procedures for (A)
characterizing limiting soil conditions, (B) ameliorating soil
phytotoxicity, and (C) reconstructing viable and productive soil
profiles for long-term rehabilitation. The importance of
matching remediated soil conditions to the intended vegetative
community will be emphasized via discussion of case study sites
including metal contaminated sites, acid-sulfate spoils, and
forested wetlands restoration. For more information and to
register, see http://clu-in.org/studio .
New Documents and Web Resources
Technology News and Trends (EPA 542-N-06-008). This issue of
Technology News and Trends highlights strategies and tools for
characterizing or monitoring remediation of sites with
contaminated sediment and surface water bodies. Addressing these
sites often relies upon dynamic workplans that involve more
efficient, cost-effective, and practical methods for field work
(March 2007, 6 pages). View or download at
http://clu-in.org/techpubs.htm .
Updating Remedy Decisions at Select Superfund Sites - Summary
Report FY 2004 and FY 2005 (EPA-540-R-06-074). This is the fifth
in a series of two-year reports which summarize the progress
made through implementation of the Superfund Administrative
Reform. Since this reform was announced on October 5, 1995, the
Superfund program has continuously tracked national progress
from up
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