Alternatives for Managing the Nation's Complex Contaminated Groundwater Sites

Alternatives for Managing the Nation's Complex Contaminated Groundwater Sites
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 423
Release: 2013-02-27
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0309278139

Across the United States, thousands of hazardous waste sites are contaminated with chemicals that prevent the underlying groundwater from meeting drinking water standards. These include Superfund sites and other facilities that handle and dispose of hazardous waste, active and inactive dry cleaners, and leaking underground storage tanks; many are at federal facilities such as military installations. While many sites have been closed over the past 30 years through cleanup programs run by the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. EPA, and other state and federal agencies, the remaining caseload is much more difficult to address because the nature of the contamination and subsurface conditions make it difficult to achieve drinking water standards in the affected groundwater. Alternatives for Managing the Nation's Complex Contaminated Groundwater Sites estimates that at least 126,000 sites across the U.S. still have contaminated groundwater, and their closure is expected to cost at least $110 billion to $127 billion. About 10 percent of these sites are considered "complex," meaning restoration is unlikely to be achieved in the next 50 to 100 years due to technological limitations. At sites where contaminant concentrations have plateaued at levels above cleanup goals despite active efforts, the report recommends evaluating whether the sites should transition to long-term management, where risks would be monitored and harmful exposures prevented, but at reduced costs.

Contaminants in the Subsurface

Contaminants in the Subsurface
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 371
Release: 2005-04-23
Genre: Science
ISBN: 030909447X

At hundreds of thousands of commercial, industrial, and military sites across the country, subsurface materials including groundwater are contaminated with chemical waste. The last decade has seen growing interest in using aggressive source remediation technologies to remove contaminants from the subsurface, but there is limited understanding of (1) the effectiveness of these technologies and (2) the overall effect of mass removal on groundwater quality. This report reviews the suite of technologies available for source remediation and their ability to reach a variety of cleanup goals, from meeting regulatory standards for groundwater to reducing costs. The report proposes elements of a protocol for accomplishing source remediation that should enable project managers to decide whether and how to pursue source remediation at their sites.

The Complete Guide to the Hazardous Waste Regulations

The Complete Guide to the Hazardous Waste Regulations
Author: Travis P. Wagner
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 564
Release: 1999-02-04
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9780471292487

"A very well-written handbook." --Ground Water (on the Second Edition) "Presented in a very readable and understandable format." --The Hazardous Waste Consultant (on the Second Edition) The foremost in-depth survey of federal hazardous waste regulations in the United States--now in a new edition The Complete Guide to the Hazardous Waste Regulations is a proven source of clear information on a regulatory system that many find frustratingly complex. Now updated to include additional compliance checklists, Internet resources, and more, this Third Edition provides vital information on all aspects of hazardous materials, from proper on-site management and transportation to appropriate off-site management and cleanup. Author Travis Wagner, one of the nation's leading experts on the subject, provides a step-by-step approach to compliance that goes beyond summarization to help industry professionals truly understand regulations and how they relate to real-world situations. Complete with dozens of user-friendly checklists, flow charts, text boxes, and tables, this indispensable resource includes: * Information on EPA interpretations of regulations not included in other handbooks * Clear explanations of many state-level hazardous waste requirements * A new chapter on spill reporting, giving a step-by-step explanation with attention to multiple federal laws * An appendix listing the Superfund and EPCRA reportable quantity for each RCRA hazardous waste * Additional appendices covering RCRA hazardous wastes, hazardous constituents, groundwater monitoring constituents, permit modification classifications, additional information sources, and important acronyms

Code of Federal Regulations

Code of Federal Regulations
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 334
Release: 1989
Genre: Administrative law
ISBN:

Special edition of the Federal Register, containing a codification of documents of general applicability and future effect ... with ancillaries.