Q&A: Sustainable Remediation
While remediation may seem inherently sustainable as it is the practice of “cleaning” up the environment, some typical remedial practices may not be sustainable when evaluating the remedy holistically. Sustainable remediation evaluates a remedy by keeping the triple bottom line—environment, economy, society—in mind throughout the life of the project. Sustainability can only be achieved when all three elements are considered.
How is sustainable remediation evolving?
With the increased prevalence of natural disasters and rising sea levels, remedial strategies need to be designed and installed to be resilient. Resilient remedial strategies help ensure that a remedial strategy is viable and will be sustainable for the next year, five years, or even 20 years from now. Arguably, resiliency should be considered the fourth pillar of sustainability, alongside the environment, economy, and society.
How is sustainable remediation incorporated?
Evaluating remedial alternatives based on the project-specific costs, schedule, and effectiveness of each technology is a typical practice, and project leaders should start incorporating sustainability into the evaluation matrix. Qualitative screening-level best management practice tools and environmental footprint analysis spreadsheet tools—such as SiteWise™ and SEFA—are available and allow for a quantitative evaluation of a remedy’s environmental impact. Most importantly, this introduces sustainability into the conversation early and continues the discussion throughout the project.
Matt Ambrusch, a licensed professional engineer in New Jersey, is an Associate Principal at Langan with experience in both the investigation and remediation of environmentally contaminated sites. He specializes in in-situ remediation and has become heavily involved in the redevelopment of brownfields and landfills into mixed-use developments over the last decade. He is also involved in multiple sustainability initiatives and works to incorporate sustainability throughout the life cycle of a project. He has been a member of the Sustainable Remediation Forum (SURF) since 2016, previously served as President, and currently serves as Chair of the SURF Meetings Committee.