Implementing Greener Cleanups through ASTM's Standard Guide

Webinar IntroductionNovember 17, 2015

1

Carlos S PachonSuperfund Program

US Environmental Protection AgencyWashington, DC

pachon.carlos@epa.gov

Agenda

3-2

♦ Opening & Introduction to Greener Cleanups♦ ASTM’s Standard Guide for Greener Cleanups:

Show me How it Works! Deb Goldblum♦ Applying the Guide across programs

» TSCA PCB cleanups: Michelle Mullin – EPA R10 » Superfund: Beth Sheldrake EPA R10 and Mike Miller of

CDM » Brownfields: LeeAnn Tomas-Foster, Chicago PBC» RCRA-CA: John Simon, project completed in CT

♦ Discussion & Q&A

EPA Cleanup Programs Address Contamination at Sites Near 51% of the U.S. Population

NOTE: These numbers cover the sites receive OSWER funding, not the entire universe of contaminated land across the country.

• Approximately 156 million people live within 3 miles of our SF Remedial, RCRA CA, and Brownfields sites that received EPA funding (roughly 51% of the U.S. population), including approximately 52% of all children in the U.S. under the age of 5.

• OSWER’s Cleanup Programs, including the UST program, address over 500,000 sites and close to 22 million acres

Superfund

Brownfields

RCRA CA

All Sites

0% 20% 40% 60%

3%

10%

9%

18%

16%

30%

35%

51%

Population Within 1 and 3 Miles of RCRA CA, Brownfields, and Superfund Remedial Sites

3 Miles

1 Mile

Percent of U.S. Population

  Tanks Superfund Remedial Brownfields RCRA CA Total

Sites514,123 (96.6%)

1,739(0.3%)

12,718(2.4%)

3,747(0.7%) 532,327

Acres514,123(2.2%)

4,281,604(18.7%)

177,356(0.8%)

17,951,871(78.3%) 22,924,954

Understanding our environmental footprint:

♦ Remediation projects are resource intensive. Take energy, Superfund Program uses energy to power remedies:

» 404,000 MT CO2e - 2012 emissions estimate by largest treatment systems» Equivalent to emissions from 25,000 cars

♦ The benefits are real, and both local and global

4Source: https://clu-in.org/s.focus/c/pub/i/2545/

Challenge: Lowering the Environmental Footprint of Site Cleanup Projects

The practice of considering all

environmental effects of remedy

implementation and incorporating

options to minimize the environmental

footprints of cleanup actions.

*as defined by US EPA, a.k.a. greener cleanups, etc.

5

Green Remediation*

“Reduction, Efficiency, and Renewables…”

“Protect Air Quality, Reduce Greenhouse

Gases…”

“Minimize, Reuse, and Recycle…”

“Conserve, Protect,

and Restore…”

“Improve Quality, Decrease Quantity of Use…”

Addressing the Environmental Leg of Sustainability: Core Elements of Green Remediation

6

Examples of Greener Cleanup Best Management Practices*

3-7

Energy: An off-grid 25kW hybrid Solar system at a Superfund site (CO)

Clean Air: Next generation Tier 4 equipment with diesel-electric power train & NOx, PM reduction (VT)

Water: Constructed wetlands manage stormwater and provide habitat (CT)

Materials & Waste: use of recycled concrete for creek bed material to limit (GA) erosion

* https://clu-in.org/greenremediation/profiles

Defining a Greener Cleanup: A Standard Guide

8

o Collaborative effort completed 2009-2013, with ASTM

o ASTM is a Standards Development Organization, and it owns the Guide, not EPA

o Open participation in development

o Process: draft, ballot, vote, revise and repeat

o First revision just completed (Fall 2015)

The Role of the ASTM Guide in Greener Cleanups

9

ASTM Standard Guide for Greener Cleanups (E2893):• Codifies best practices and defines a process for reducing

environmental footprint • Includes over 160 BMPs and outlines process for straight BMP

application or use of quantification• Useful protocol for contracting purposes• Results in a transparent documented process that is reported publicly

Green Remediation Goals in Cleanup Project (Client request, Contractual Requirement, Regulatory requirement, etc)

Small cleanup project, or standard cleanup approach

Select and apply specific best management practicesLarge

complex projects

Quantify footprint, prioritize reduction targets

Sustainability Principles in Cleanup Programs Now and in the Future…

ENVIRONMENT

ECONOMICSOCIAL Provide employment opportunities

Protect human health and the environment Revitalize local economies

Facilitate land reuse Preserve greenspace through reuse

Engage communities in site decisions

Promote use of renewable energy

Minimize use of virgin material

Promote water efficiency

Minimize diesel emissions

Minimize habitat disturbance

Minimize waste generation

10

11

Signs of Progress

Agency policy supporting greener cleanups, starting in 2008

Tool: ASTM Standard Guide for Greener Cleanups released in 2013, recently updated and soon to be posted

Breadth: ASTM Standard Guide for Greener Cleanups is now in use at sites in all major US programs

Experience: Consulting and engineering sector companies are building greener cleanups into their operations, and gaining experience applying the Standard Guide

Drivers: EOs, EPA Strategic Plan, Contracts and increasing references to the Standard Guide in State cleanup programs

Results: Application of greener cleanup Best Managment Practices (BMPs) at site cleanups, and cleanups with lower footprints

Thank You!

Carlos Pachonpachon.carlos@epa.gov

EPA Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation

US EPA, Washington DC

http://cluin.org/greenremediation

12