To address challenges facing the Superfund program, the EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) has launched a three year strategy to identify and implement improvements in their land cleanup programs called the Integrated Cleanup Initiative (ICI).

The desired outcome of the initiative is to:

• Accelerate cleanups when possible
• Address a larger number of contaminated sites
• Put those remediated sites back to use quickly and safely

By leveraging the best practices across the types of cleanups – Superfund, brownfields, RCRA corrective action and USTs among others, the initiative will create a roadmap for faster, more effective cleanups that return land to productive use.

However, taxes may be re-instated for certain industries to pay for this effort.

Give us a call at 919.854.9700 for assistance with your remediation needs.

When it comes to cleaning up soil and groundwater after a spill, the speed and efficacy of the cleanup technology is of utmost importance to site owners. In situ remediation using horizontal or directional wells can be an effective solution to remediate some contaminated sites more economically. In the case of petroleum spills from leaking tanks or pipes, horizontal remediation wells are well suited for rapid remediation.

Benefits of horizontal wells include:

• They enhance remediation of a greater volume of contaminated media per well than vertical wells
• Fewer wells may be required for successful remediation
• Horizontal wells can be drilled under buildings, roads and other sites to minimize disruptions
• They minimize contaminated waste and disposal costs

Read on for additional information on the benefits of horizontal well remediation.

Give us a call at 919.854.9700 for assistance with your remediation needs.

Since December 1980, environmental engineers at the Superfund Program have overseen remediation projects at more than 1,080 sites on the EPA’s National Priorities List (NPL). However, the fund itself ran out of money in 2000. Now, about 1,270 sites remain unaddressed, 75 of which the EPA has determined pose a significant risk to human health. This slowdown in cleanup is a result of several changes: the technical demanding nature of the cleanups is taxing the agency’s resources and funding is lacking. In fiscal year 2008, EPA was unable to address 10 of 26 new construction projects ready for funding due to demands of ongoing construction work.

In addition to rolling out the Integrated Cleanup Initiative (ICI) as a means to streamline the cleanup process, EPA leadership has called for reinstating the “polluter pays” tax that expired in 1995. This excise tax on oil and chemical manufacturers supports the cleanups of contaminated sites where the responsible party cannot be identified. Support for reinstating this tax to fund additional cleanups is gaining steam among environmental activists and on Capitol Hill, where in 2010 lawmakers in both the Senate and House introduced bills to reinstate the Superfund tax. Keep your eye on legislators in 2011 to see what happens.

Have a site under environmental cleanup orders? Not sure where to start? Contact us.

An affordable and flexible alternative to pump and treat systems, in situ ozone remediation technology is an effective treatment for several organic chemicals. Ozone destroys these through chemical oxidation, which breaks down the contaminant into carbon dioxide and water.

There are two forms of in situ ozone application: vadose ozone injection of ozone gas and ozone sparging below the water table.

The advantages of using in situ ozone remediation include:

• Ozone is a powerful oxidizer that moves easily through soil and is twelve times more soluble than oxygen in water
• Ozone can be produced on site, so there is no need for transporting hazardous chemicals
• Ozone is safer than other chemical processes and has not been shown to cause long-term health problems when proper safety guidelines are followed
• Ozone can be applied with minimal site disturbance

Ozone can be used to remediate the following contaminants:

• MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether)
• BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes)
• Hydrocarbons
• Diesel fuel
• TCE (trichloroethylene)
• Pesticides
• Chlorinated solvents
• VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
• Aliphatic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons
• Pesticides

Read more about in situ ozone remediation technology.

Or give us a call at 919.854.9700 to learn more about ozone assisted remediation.

According to the US EPA, about 75 percent of soil and groundwater pollution is a result of petroleum hydrocarbon spills. Most of that contamination occurs within 50 feet of the surface. Depending on site conditions, contaminants migrate down to an impermeable layer in the soil, such as bedrock or the water table. Contamination of this type is often found in horizontal planes of contamination in thin layers.  Horizontal remediation wells offer benefits for remediation:

They enhance remediation of a greater volume of contaminated media per well than vertical wells

Vertical wells, a typical tactic for remediating planar contamination, only intersect the plume at one point in the plane. It takes many points of intersection to achieve effective coverage for a given plane as vertical wells can only influence a limited distance.

Fewer wells may be required for successful remediation

For instance, at a petrochemical site in the Southeast, 256 vertical wells were initially installed to capture a plume. Later, just seven horizontal wells were installed to replace the 256 vertical wells.

Horizontal wells can be drilled under buildings, roads and other sites with limited disruptions

Previously, contamination under buildings and highways was considered too difficult to remediate due to the disruptions it would cause to business operations. Horizontal wells up to 3,000 feet long and 250 feet deep can be installed under these obstructions.

They minimize contaminated waste and disposal costs

Horizontal wells generally create significantly less spoils than vertical wells. This results in a lower volume of contaminated soil for paid disposal and lower overall project cost.

Maintenance, setup and replacement costs may be lower

A single horizontal extraction well can eliminate the number of pumps required for the treatment system and a single biosparge well can eliminate the treatment system altogether. At sites where minimal remediation is required, horizontal biosparge wells can be a good, low-cost solution.

Contact us at 919.854.9700 to resolve your environmental remediation issues.

What is ozone?

Ozone (O₃) sometimes called “activated oxygen”, contains three atoms of oxygen and is a powerful gas phase oxidizer that can be used to treat VOCs and other contaminants.

What is ozone-based remediation?

It is a process in which an air or oxygen stream containing ozone gas is injected directly into contaminated soil and/or groundwater. At most sites, remediation occurs as a result of a combination of oxidation and biodegradation.

How is ozone produced?

Ozone must be generated on-site and the gas cannot be stored. All of the ozone gas that is

generated must be injected into the subsurface or destroyed using an ozone destruction unit. Ozone generators produce ozone by adding energy to oxygen molecules (O₂), which cause the oxygen atoms to part ways and temporarily recombine with other O₂ molecules creating ozone (O₃).

How does ozone-based remediation work?

Ozone is a highly reactive chemical that has proven to be effective in destroying a wide variety of organic chemicals, including MtBE and chlorinated VOCs. Through the process of chemical oxidation, which breaks the targeted organic chemical down into carbon dioxide and water, ozone breaks down organic chemicals. Ozone gas can be pushed into closely spaced injection ports that release bubbles into the aquifer for remediation. The smaller the bubbles, the more surface area and the faster they can travel through small pore spaces.

Ozone is also used in above ground treatment systems for treatment of waste water and is frequently used to treat extracted groundwater generated from pump and treat remediation systems.

How long does it take?

Remediation time can be shorter than traditional remediation methods. Duration of the cleanup depends upon the total mass of contaminants present and the potential to distribute the ozone through the treatment zone.

What contaminants can be destroyed using ozone?

• MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether)
• BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes)
• Hydrocarbons
• Diesel fuel
• TCE (trichloroethylene)
• Pesticides
• Chlorinated solvents
• VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
• Aliphatic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons
• Pesticides

Looking for a remediation solution?  Contact Piedmont Geologic at 919.854.9700.

The Situation

A former surface impoundment for electroplating sludge at a metals manufacturing facility in Rocky Mount resulted in a plume of dissolved chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds, extending from the former surface impoundment to a swamp approximately ½ mile away, which trickles into a series of receiving creeks/streams.

The Challenge

Under the requirements of the facility U.S. EPA, Part B HSWA permit, the precise geochemical mechanism through which the groundwater contaminant concentrations were being eliminated during discharge to the swamp needed to be established in order for “swamp-assisted remediation by natural attenuation” to be defined as the Final Remedy for site remediation.

The Solution

Buildup of detritus and sediment over time resulted in a swamp-bed of dark muck, rich in organic matter. By installing a multi-level well-point system, Piedmont Geologic determined that the swamp muck served as a “filter” for removal of contaminants from groundwater. The finding has resulted in client savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars that would have been required for installation and operation of an active groundwater remediation system.

Read the full case study.

Have questions? Give us a call at 919.854.9700

At seven o’clock in the morning, a call comes in at home. A leak has occurred at your facility, releasing gasoline into the soil. Your site isn’t far from a major river. Aquifers feeding a metro area’s drinking water supply are also nearby. Local and federal officials are en route to your facility now.

What do you do, who do you call?

Piedmont Geologic recently responded to a site where a leaking pipeline released several hundred thousand gallons of gasoline into a shallow aquifer near the Ohio River. A deeper aquifer providing drinking water for 100,000 people was also threatened.

Within three days of the discovery of the release, remediation efforts were underway. The initial riverbank gasoline recovery system was installed within one month and seepage of gasoline into the river was mitigated within two months. After one year, the areal extent of the gasoline plume was reduced by 90% and the subsurface gasoline thickness was reduced by an average of approximately 85%. City, local and federal officials have expressed satisfaction with the results of the remediation due to the rapid response of the Piedmont Geologic team.

Read the full case study.

Concerned about pipelines or USTs at your site? Contact Piedmont Geologic.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Piedmont Geologic, an environmental remediation firm, announced today that it has published a guide to achieving compliance with Federal Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations for oil storage tanks. The guide demystifies compliance with federal SPCC requirements that have become increasingly complicated in recent years, brought on by changes to deadlines, amendments, and case laws. The SPCC guide outlines the current compliance obligations for owners and/or operators of facilities with oil storage tanks.

The SPCC plan exists as a preventative effort by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to eliminate or mitigate the threat of potential oil spills into or upon navigable waters of the United States or adjoining shorelines through the regulation of oil storage tanks. Most facilities with oil storage tanks on premises need an updated SPCC plan in place by November 10, 2010. The document can be accessed at http://www.piedmontgeologic.com/spcc-guide.

“There is confusion about the new rules promogulated by the EPA,” said Pete Dressel, president of Piedmont Geologic. “This guide will help facility owners and operators understand, in plain English, what their spill prevention responsibilities are in order to remain in compliance with EPA rules.”

About Piedmont Geologic
Established in 1994, Piedmont Geologic is a consulting firm specializing in environmental assessment and remediation. With a professional staff of scientists, engineers, and technicians, the company has completed hundreds of projects for major petroleum companies, Fortune 500 companies, public agencies, and small and large businesses. Projects have ranged from rapid turn-around environmental site assessments for due diligence real estate assessments to long-term groundwater remediation efforts. Piedmont Geologic provides an experience-driven, results-oriented approach to environmental solutions to meet the need for cost-effective and accurate environmental assessment and site remediation solutions. The firm’s expertise in environmental regulations ensures regulatory approval for site closure to meet your goals. For more information, visit http://www.piedmontgeologic.com.

Phytoremediation and Brownfields – A Scenic Solution

Phytoremediation, the process of using plants and trees in-situ to aid in removing or containing a contaminant, is a promising option to clean up some sites, including brownfields and other polluted areas. It has application potential at a variety of sites, including pipelines, landfills, fuel storage facilities, military locations and more. Not only does it make a site more aesthetically pleasing, but it provides other benefits.

Phytoremediation Image Courtesy US EPA

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Can Be Controlled

Phytocapping, a special phytoremediation technique involves placing a thick layer of soil over an area, such as a landfill, and planting a dense barrier of vegetation. Australian research has found that, depending on the area tested, phytocaps performed as well or better than traditional clay caps at reducing methane emissions. Phytocapping can be up to 50 percent less expensive than clay capping to install and can yield significant savings in post-closure site management costs.

Bamboo Emerges As Option

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) has determined bamboo is particularly suited for phytoremediation projects. Because it is a quick growing, densely rooted plant that is both drought tolerant and cold-hardy, bamboo shows promise. It also keeps out invasion of other plants.

Need a remediation solution? Interested in a phytoremediation solution? Let’s talk.