Potential Technologies for Remediation of Brownfields

Abstract

It is estimated that over 500,000 brownfield sites exist throughout the United States. Many of these sites offer attractive financial opportunities, but a major obstacle to their redevelopment is fear of contamination and associated liability. Fortunately, numerous initiatives and regulations have been developed by federal, state, and local agencies to assist and encourage redevelopment of these sites. As a result, over 100 pilot studies have been successfully completed and have demonstrated the economic and social advantages of brownfield redevelopment. A systematic approach to the redevelopment of brownfield sites is crucial in order to control the costs associated with remediation and to accelerate the redevelopment process. This approach includes a phased site characterization, an impact assessment, and a site-specific remedial strategy. Unlike many Superfund and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act corrective action studies, brownfield sites pose unique problems because many are located in heavily populated urban areas. Therefore, additional attention must be paid to using site characterization and remedial methods that will accommodate the often inflexible nature of urban sites. This paper first presents the current state of brownfields, followed by brownfield initiatives and regulations of various regulatory agencies. Next, a rational remedial strategy useful for the guidance of brownfield redevelopment is presented. Because the remedial strategy often requires the application of a remedial method to address site contamination, different remedial technologies are discussed, as well as their applicability to various field conditions. It is anticipated that this assessment of innovative remedial technologies will benefit environmental and geotechnical professionals who may be involved in the rehabilitation of brownfield sites.