bio#593maco_mcnally 20 may

Green & Sustainable Remediation: International Perspectives

State of the Practice, Challenges, and Opportunities

Barbara H. Maco, MBA, Wactor & Wick LLP

Amanda D. McNally, P.E., AECOM

2015

Agenda

• Objectives

• Overview of Established Frameworks

• Emerging Drivers

• Technical and Financial Tools

• Public/Private Partnerships

• Recommendations

• Acknowledgments & Contacts

Objectives

• Highlight established and emerging examples of Green and

Sustainable Remediation (GSR) frameworks and

applications

• Recognize international collaboration efforts

• Discuss how sustainability assessment and management in

land remediation can contribute to sustainable

development, climate change adaptation and community

resiliency.

Established Frameworks

International SURF Organizations & Initiatives

2009

•Copenhagen, Denmark

2012

•Vienna, Austria

•Washington, DC, USA

2014

•Ferrara, Italy

2016

•Montreal, Canada

International Collaboration and Support

• Proposed International Alliance of SURF organizations

• International Conferences

• Publications

• Support for Initiatives

• Case Studies

Emerging Drivers

• Bilateral and multi-lateral climate change and clean energy agreements

• President Obama Executive Orders

– EO 13514: Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance

– EO 136353: Manage U.S. lands and waters for climate preparedness and resilience

– EO 13677: Climate Resilient International Development

• EU reports on Gentle Remediation Technologies and

Brownfields avoidance and regeneration

• World Bank reports on contaminated land management

in low & middle income countries & innovative financing

Climate Change Adaptation

• Seek to ensure remedy resilience in the face of climate change impacts

• Incorporate climate change adaptation (CCA) throughout remedial process

– Remedy selection, planning, and implementation

– Data collection and use of best available models for local conditions

• Adaptation Strategies

– Berm reinforcement/armoring

– Caps/liners to reduce potential for mobilization of contaminants

– Measures to maintain hydraulic control during flood events

– Elevation or relocation of key infrastructure and waste storage

• Five Year Reviews offer opportunities to consider potential CCA needs

Source: USEPA Climate Change Adaptation Webinar 4/1/2015 cluin.org

Climate Change Adaptation

Increased extreme

temperatures

Sustained changes in

average temperature

Sea level rise

Decreased permafrost in Arctic regions

Decreased precipitation

days, increasing drought intensity

Increased heavy precipitation

events

Increased flood risk

Increased frequency and

intensity of wildfires

Increased intensity of hurricanes


Climate Change Adaptation: A Case Study

Grasse River Superfund Site Region 2

• Remediation of PCBs in sediment and water in Massena, NY

• Reevaluation of a sediment capping remedy in consideration of “ice jam” events that occur in spring or during mid-winter thaws and cause scouring, loss of capping material and underlying sediment, and redistribution of PCBs.

• Additional RI/FS work, three different pilot studies and demonstration projects.

• Final Proposed Plan included cap armoring to protect chemical isolation cap and underlying sediment


Advancing Sustainable Remediation: Challenges

• Immense extent of impaired and underutilized lands

– USA: 22 million acres

– EU: ~ 2.5 million sites

• Diffuse pollution in agricultural lands

– Belgium & Netherlands ~700 km2 metals

– China: ~ 20% metals/ pesticides

• Urbanization

– Latin America 75-85% population

– Contaminated H2O may lead to water rationing

• Limited regulatory regimes, practioners and available technology

• Negative impacts: vulnerable populations & governmental budgets

Demonstrate Economic & Social Benefit

• US EPA and DOE resources: Green Remediation, RE-Powering America and

Brownfields

• UK Natural Capital Initiative

• World Bank Innovative Financing Models

• EU GREENLAND

• EU HOMBRE Holistic Management of Brownfield Regeneration

World Bank: GSR in Low & Middle Income Countries

• Fully and equally address economic, social and environmental aspects

• Base site decisions on local public health & & environmental context

• Link remediation to meeting basic social needs (ambient air, drinking water, sewage, working conditions, health care)

• Improve health and create community long term job skills

• Pool resources

Dr. Robert Montgomery, World Bank Presentation at SURF 28, February 2015

World Bank Innovative Financing Models

Ginkgo Project: Versailles – Satory, France

• Former military shooting range → transport technology research park

• Move’eo Cluster: 127 companies and 48 research entities

• Strict energy efficiency standards

• ~11 mil € revenue & 10,000 jobs

EU Greenland: Gentle Remediation examples

• Biochar (with/without organic amendments)

– Pathway management, e.g. to protect water resources, facilitate revegetation

– POPs and trace elements (depending on formulation)

– Durable

– Carbon sequestration (carbon income?)

– Improves soil fertility

– Can be applied with phytoremediation (depending on approach)

• Phytodegradation

– Source removal (diffuse sources) and pathway management

– Degradable organic contaminants

– Degradation is permanent / stabilisation durable

– Carbon sequestration and harvestable biomass possible

– Supports soil fertility

– Works with plant and amendment-based stabilisation for other contaminants

www.r3environmental.com 15

EU Greenland: Gentle Remediation Case Studies

Touro Mine Tailings

• Cadmium, zinc, and copper contamination

from mining operations

• SLM tandem phytoextraction (HA) &

phytostabilization using Alpine pennygrass,

poplars, and willows

Landfill Remediation

• Zinc contamination from historic landfill

• Tandem SLM phytoextraction using high

biomass crops, including sunflower and

tobacco

EU Greenland, a EC FP7 supported project; www.greenland-project.eu

http://www.greenland-project.eu/



EU Zero Brownfields Opportunity Matrix

Simple Detailed

www.r3environmental.com 17

Brownfield Regeneration Opportunities

Services

• Risk management

• Renewable & resilient energy generation & revenue

• Greenhouse gas mitigation

• Habitat conservation, flood management and water resource protection

• Education opportunities

• Strengthened community economic resilience

• Improved health and well-being

Interventions

• Water Management

• Sustainable Land Planning

• Soil Management

• Renewables (energy, materials, biomass)

• Other Remediation Options

• Implementing Green Infrastructure

• Gentle Remediation Options

HOMBRE Project (www.zerobrownfields.eu), a EC FP7 supported project

http://www.zerobrownfields.eu/

Public & Private Partnerships for Revenue & Resiliency

UK Land Trust

– Beam Parklands, East London

River Basin; £15.4M saved in

flood prevention and public health

benefits

US RE-Powering America

– New Hampshire Landfill

Community Solar Garden – 900

KW solar installation

– Mass, USA Brightfields >100 MW

RE on landfills “ATM for local

communities”

Emerging Economies

Colombia

• Developing best practices & innovative techniques

to extract gold without mercury

• Assessing risk in Cordoba agricultural sites

Huangshi, China

• Recovering 100 strip mining bluffs to prevent

flooding and protect resources and human health

(Rockefeller Foundation 100 Resilient Cities)

Recommendations

Vision:

Contaminated sites as “Engines for economic

development, including sources of

sustainable energy and food security and

resource efficiency—all while assuring public

health and environmental protection.” (World

Bank 2009)

How to get there?

– Invest more in public/private partnerships

– Pilot studies

– Capacity building for effective governance

– Institutionalize GSR via integrated planning, national

land management plans and regulatory frameworks

•Strategic and integrated consideration of soft re-use project services for rehabilitating potentially contaminated land, linked to priority public health and environmental concerns,

•Capacity building and regulatory development for effective governance and

•Value creation for local communities, considering revenue, broader economic benefits, cultural capital, and natural capital.

Barbara H. Maco

MBA, Sustainable Management

(510) 205-0416

[email protected]

Amanda D. McNally, P.E.

Environmental Engineer

(412) 316-3506

[email protected]

Thank You! Acknowledgments:

• United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)

• World Bank

• European Union

• International Sustainable Remediation Forums & Partners

mailto:[email protected]




bio#593maco_mcnally 20 may

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