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Site remediation is the process of removing pollutants from land, water, or air. It is necessary when a site is contaminated by hazardous waste, and can be done using ex-situ or in-situ techniques. The EPA oversees remediation in the US, while Europe uses Dutch standards.
Site remediation is the process of removing pollutants and contaminants from a plot of land. These pollutants can include many different types of hazardous waste that can be harmful to human health or the environment. This remediation can be aimed at cleaning the soil, water bodies, groundwater or air within a given area.
There are a number of materials that can cause a site to require remediation, including by-products of manufacturing and industrial waste or high levels of chemical concentration from any source. Site remediation is usually aimed at one of four basic types of pollutants, including toxic, flammable, explosive, or disease-causing substances. To determine if a site needs cleaning, soil and water samples are tested to determine the level of contamination.
Site remediation is often performed on land deemed unlivable by local government agencies or scientific groups. This type of land is known as brownfield and the reclamation is done so that the land can be developed and used safely. Some reclamation projects are done because the site poses a danger to people in nearby areas. Sites contaminated by nuclear or chemical waste can produce toxic fumes that can travel for miles, or can even leach into groundwater and contaminate local water supplies. Cleaning up the site may not make life safe, but it can help minimize the danger to nearby residents.
In the United States, site remediation is overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), while most of Europe is based on a system known as ‘Dutch standards’. The EPA runs a program known as a “Superfund” to pay for remediation projects. Funds for this program come from fines imposed on companies found guilty of polluting activities. Many US cities also offer tax and zoning incentives for developers willing to undertake site remediation projects.
There are two types of techniques used to clean up a contaminated site. Ex-situ techniques involve the removal of hazardous substances from the area, while in-situ techniques use chemicals and other agents to treat soil and water without removing them. A common ex-situ method is known as “pump-and-dump,” where soil and water are removed and sent to landfills. The most common in situ technique is pump-and-treat, in which dirty soil or water is brought to the surface and treated with chemicals to control hazardous substances. The use of bacteria to remove pollutants, a process known as bioremediation, is also growing in popularity.
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