United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development (481) Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5102G) EPA542-F-97-003 February 1997 &EPA Remediation Technologies Development Forum Questions & Answers Factsheet RTDF Remediation Technologies Development Forum Fostering public-private partnerships to develop more effective, less costly hazardous waste remediation technol- ogies Q: WhatistheRTDF? Al The Remediation Technologies Development Forum (RTDF) is a consortium of partners from industry, government, and academia who share the common goal of developing more effective, less costly hazardous waste treatment technologies to address com- plex problems of mutual concern. EPA facilitates the identifica- tion of issues of joint interest and assists in convening the initial working meetings. The collaborative research projects of the RTDF are planned and managed by the interested parties. Q: What Does the RTDF Do? Al The RTDF members identify priority remediation technology de- velopment needs by examining their own remediation problems and the technologies currently available to meet those needs. For each priority need, the RTDF organizes an Action Team, com- prised of organizations who share that particular interest, to plan and then conduct collaborative research and development pro- jects to meet that particular need. Q: When Does the RTDF Meet? Al The RTDF holds an annual meeting in the winter to review the progress made by the Action Teams and to identify additional priority areas of concern to be addressed by new Action Teams. Although these meetings are open to the public, those interested in attending the meetings are encouraged to contact one of the co- chairs of the RTDF, either Dr. Walter Kovalick (EPA/TIO) or Mr. Robert Olexsey (EPA/NRMRL), to be added to the list of invitees. (Contact information is on the back of this factsheet.) Q: How Can I Be a Working Member of the RTDF? Al The RTDF has an open membership and new members may j oin at any time by contacting one of the RTDF co-chairs. The RTDF is a member-driven forum; there are no minimum requirements of a member such as dues, meeting attendance, or participation in one of the RTDF Action Teams. There is a distinction between joining the RTDF and participating in one of the RTDF Action Teams. Certain Action Teams have minimum criteria for membership that must be met in order to participate in their meetings and activities. The tremendous success of the RTDF can be attributed to the willingness of its members to actively contribute and participate in the various Action Teams that are performing the collaborative research and development efforts. ------- Q: How Do I Join an Existing Action Team? Al There are currently five RTDF Action Teams. Of these five, three Action Teams have open membership—the Permeable Barriers Action Team, the IINERT Soil-Metals Action Team, and the Sediments Remediation Action Team. The meetings of these Action Teams are open and new members may join at any time. For information on the upcoming meetings, contact one of the co-chairs of the Action Team of interest (see below). Two of the existing Action Teams—the Lasagna™ Part- nership and the Bioremediation Consortium—have established minimum criteria for participation in their respective Action Teams. The members of these Action Teams have also signed agreements to protect the proprietary information discussed at their meetings and during the conduct of the research. Therefore, attendance at these Action Team meetings is by invitation only. The progress and accom- plishments of these two Action Teams are reported at conferences and in publications. Q: How Are New Action Teams Formed? f\l New Action Teams are formed as the RTDF identifies additional priority remediation technology development needs or areas of concern. Current and prospective RTDF members should contact the RTDF co-chairs to determine the level of interest in the formation of a new Action Team. The possibility of a new Action Team can be discussed at the annual RTDF meeting and/or members can be polled to ascertain their interest in participating in the new Team. If sufficient interest exists, EPA will coordinate a kickoff meeting for the new Action Team, and will provide logistical and administrative support to the Action Team as long as it is viable. Action Teams typically focus on the development of a particular remediation technology, such as the Lasagna™ process; however, there are Action Teams that focus on a complex problem, such as the remediation of sediments. Action Team Contacts Lasagna™ Partnership Phil Brodsky, Monsanto Tel: (314) 694-3235 Michael Roulier, EPA/NRMRL Tel: (513) 569-7796 Permeable Barriers Action Team Dale Schultz, DuPont Tel: (302) 695-9956 Bob Puls, EPA/NRMRL Tel: (405) 436-8543 Bioremediation Consortium Dave Ellis, DuPont Tel: (302) 892-7445 Greg Sayles, EPA/NRMRL Tel: (513) 569-7607 IINERT Soil-Metals Action Team Bill Berti, DuPont Tel: (302) 451-9224 Jim Ryan, EPA/NRMRL Tel: (513) 569-7653 Sediments Remediation Action Team Rich Kimerle, Monsanto Dave Mount, EPA Duluth ERL Tel: (314) 694-3286 Tel: (218) 720-5616 RTDF Remediation Technologies Development Forum Would You Like More Information? For more information on joining the RTDF, please contact: Robert Olexsey U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 26 West Martin Luther King Drive Cincinnati, OH 45268 Tel: (513) 569-7861 Email: olexsey.bob@epamail.epa.gov Walter Kovalick, Jr., Ph.D. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 401M Street, SW (5102G) Washington, D.C. 20460 Tel: (703) 603-9910 Email: kovalick.walter@epamail.epa.gov To download copies of this and other RTDF factsheets, please visit the RTDF Home Page at http://www.rtdf.org Copies of RTDF factsheets can also be obtained by faxing a request to: EPA/NCEPI Fax: (513) 489-8695 Copied on Recycled Paper ------- |