&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Research and Development (481)
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response (5102G)
EPW542JF-99J023
November 1999
Remediation Technologies
Development Forum
RTDF
iws
Current RTDF
,; ,» <. >
Action Teams
Bloremediation Consortium
HNERT Soil-Metals Action
Team
Permeable Reactive
Barriers Action Team
Phytoremtdiation of
Qrganics Action Team
Sediments Remediation
Action Team "'"" r"""
The Remediation Technologies Development Forum (RTDF) was estab-
lished in 1992 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to fos-
ter collaboration between the public and private sectors in developing
innovative solutions to mutual hazardous waste problems. The RTDF has
grown to include partners from industry, several government agencies, and
academia who share the common goal of developing more effective, less
costly hazardous waste characterization and treatment technologies.
The RTDF is one of a few government programs designed to foster public-
private partnerships to conduct laboratory and applied field research to
develop, test, and evaluate innovative remediation technologies. Through
the unprecedented collaboration of the RTDF, companies, government
agencies, and universities voluntarily are sharing knowledge, experience,
equipment, facilities, and even proprietary technology to address mutual
remediation problems. Individual RTDF Action Teams also interact and
communicate with other consortia including the Consortium for Site
Characterization Technology and the Advanced Applied Technology
Demonstration Facility.
RTDF Mission
The purpose of the RTDF is to identify what government and industry can
do together to develop and improve the environmental technologies needed
to address their mutual cleanup problems in the safest, most cost-effective
manner. The RTDF fosters public- and private-sector partnerships to under-
take the research, development, demonstration, and evaluation efforts
needed to achieve common cleanup goals.
RTDF Objectives
The RTDF is dedicated to advancing the development of more permanent,
cost-effective technologies for the remediation of hazardous wastes. The
RTDF works to achieve this goal by:
• Identifying priority remediation technology development needs.
• Establishing and overseeing action teams to plan and implement
collaborative research projects to address remediation problems.
• Addressing scientific, institutional, and regulatory barriers to innovative
treatment technologies.
RTDF's Structure
The RTDF establishes self-managed action teams that bring members
together to work on their highest priority problems. Action areas and prior-
ities are determined by the members of RTDF Action Teams. These teams:
• Share information about planned and ongoing research.
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• Define needs, develop detailed project plans, and
implement projects that often entail field-scale
demonstrations.
• Ensure that all work is founded on sound scientific
and engineering principals.
* Enlist partners to support and participate in the collabo-
rative efforts, either with in-kind support or direct
funding.
• Produce and disseminate scientifically credible results
to facilitate broad acceptance of the technology.
Organizations interested in pursuing research in areas
that are not being addressed by an existing Action Team
may organize to implement the research and be recog-
nized as an RTDF Action Team.
RTDF Membership
All interested organizations are welcome to participate in
the RTDF. There are no minimum requirements such as
dues, meeting attendance, or participation in an RTDF
Action Team. Current participants include industries that
are facing a variety of remediation problems (e.g., chem-
ical, petroleum, and pharmaceutical companies and vari-
ous manufacturers), federal agencies, state governments,
national laboratories, research centers, and universities.
There is a distinction between participating in the RTDF
and becoming an active member of one of the RTDF
Action Teams. Certain Action Teams have minimum cri-
teria for membership that must be met in order to partici-
pate in their meetings and activities. The tremendous
success of the RTDF can be attributed to the willingness
of its participants to become members of and actively
contribute to the Action Teams that are performing the
collaborative research and development efforts.
The Roles of Action Team
Members
EPA facilitates the operation of the Action Teams and the
RTDF Steering Committee, and contributes its research
efforts to the jointly-led projects. EPA also assists in
working with states and other regulatory agencies to con-
duct demonstration projects.
Industrial participants help set priorities based on remedi-
ation problems they face, serve as co-team leaders, and
offer both in-kind and monetary resources to support joint
projects. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S.
Department of Defense (DOD), and other federal agen-
cies suggest priority problems in their roles as owners of
remediation problems, as well as offer sources of funding
and make joint research contributions. They also perform
a vital function by making available military bases and
facilities with contamination problems at which field-
scale testing can be conducted. Universities and other
research institutions provide state-of-the-art science and
engineering expertise from their existing research bases
and help assure that sound engineering and scientific
principles are followed.
RTDF Funding Sources
EPA provides funding for RTDF research activities, as
well as support for RTDF and Action Team meetings.
Other federal agencies, e.g., DOE and DOD, as well as
industrial and academic participants are providing fund-
ing, laboratory, and field support for research activities
undertaken by the Action Teams. Participants in each
Action Team provide funding and/or in-kind support for
specific research efforts of the team. RTDF members are
jointly supporting research efforts, valued at well over
$20 million, at more than 30 sites throughout the United
States (see map on next page for some of the sites where
field work is ongoing).
RTDF's Priority Action Areas
Action Teams currently are active in addressing five pri-
ority areas. The activities undertaken by the five active
Teams focus on the development, testing, and evaluation
of in situ remediation technologies. The priorities and
activities of the teams include:
Bioremediation Consortium—Design, demonstrate, and
evaluate accelerated anaerobic biodegradation of chlori-
nated solvents in soils and ground water; generate data
needed to determine the effectiveness of intrinsic biore-
mediation (natural biological degradation) as an accepted
remedial approach; and develop a cost-effective biovent-
ing process that promotes the cometabolic bioremedia-
tion of chlorinated solvents in the vadose zone.
Permeable Reactive Barriers Action Team—Develop,
encourage the use, and monitor long-term performance of
permeable reactive barriers for the remediation of organic
and inorganic ground-water contaminants.
Sediments Remediation Action Team—Develop and
evaluate passive, in situ techniques to remediate sediment
contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs) and metals; investigate the mechanisms and rates
of natural biological degradation; and enhance or develop
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MacMarcus Resources
ManTech
Microbial Insights, Inc.
Monsanto Company
National Council for the Paper
Industry for Air and Stream
Improvement
Phillips Petroleum Company
PPG Industries, Inc.
Quantitative Environmental Analysis,
LLC
Reichhold, Inc.
RMT
Rohm and Haas
Sevenson Environmental Services, Inc.
Science Applications International
Corp.
ThermoRetec, Inc.
Union Carbide Corporation
Zeneca, Inc.
Government
City of Cincinnati
Georgia Department of Natural
Resources
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA)
State of California
State of Kentucky
State of Missouri
U.S. Air Force
U.S. Army
U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Navy
Academia
Desert Research Institute
Kansas State University
Louisiana State University
North Carolina State University
Oklahoma State University
Tufts
University of Arkansas
University of Colorado
University of Illinois
University of Missouri
University of Oklahoma
University of Tennessee
University of Washington
University of Waterloo
University of Wisonsin
RTDF
Reiae&atioa Tediaolagias
Would You
Like
More Information?
For informatiqa 08 the RTDF or other
Action Teami'pfease'vist(4fee RTDF
World Wide'Web site at wwV.tt^f .org or
contact: %, - ,- , ,,
"_ Robert Olexsey *,,,"„*
U.S. Kiivfrcmmental Protection Agency
26 West Martin Luther King JMre
Cincinnati, OH 4S2I& ,-*
E-mail : olexsey.bob @ epamaif .epsugfl v
Walter W. KovaUck, Jfc>
U.S. Environmental Protec<5oa j^gency
401 M Street, SW
Washington,
Tel: 703-603-9
E-mail : kovalick. waiter @<6{>aBlaiI.epa.go v
To request other RTDF feet sheets, please
write/caHi
EPA/NS€J£P
P.O. Box 42419
Cincinnati, OH 45242
Phone: 800-490-9198
Copied on Recycled Paper
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assessment procedures to evaluate the need for and success
of remedial activities.
In-Place Inactivation and Natural Ecological
Restoration (HNERT) Soil-Metals Action
Team—Develop and demonstrate in-place activation and
natural ecological restoration technologies that reduce
and eliminate the risks of metals/metalloids in soil to
human health and the environment.
Phytoremediation of Organics Action Team—Assess
status of current phytoremediation research; determine
how to address research gaps; and encourage considera-
tion of phytoremediation to clean up sites with organic
contaminants.
RTDF Accomplishments
RTDF Action Team members have collaborated on a
number of successful efforts, including:
The design, development, and demonstration of the
Lasagna™ Remediation Technology, a multi-year effort,
was successfully completed in 1998 by the Lasagna™
Partnership, one of the first RTDF Action Teams. The
Lasagna™ process uses electro-osmosis to transport con-
taminates, in this case trichloroethylene (TCE), through a
series of planar treatment zones consisting of a mixture
of granular carbon and iron filings. Based on successful
field tests at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)
Padueah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) at Paducah,
Kentucky, the technology was selected and received reg-
ulatory approval in 1998 for use in commercial cleanup
of a large contaminated cell at PGDP. Licenses for use of
the technology at other sites are available from the
Monsanto Company, which holds the patents.
The Bioremediation Consortium conducted a four-year
Phase I intrinsic bioremcdiation study at the Area 6 site
at Dover Air Force Base (AFB), Delaware. Results indi-
cate that the concentration of chloroeth ylenes in shal-
low ground water decreased markedly over the test
period. The Consortium also conducted a proof of tech-
nology pilot test of accelerated anaerobic biodegradation
at a Dover AFB site contaminated with TCE and
dichloroethylene (DCE) from 1996 to 1998. During the
test, TCE and DCE in ground water were converted to
ethylenc and 75 % to 80% of the TCE and DCE were
recovered as ethylene.
Studies conducted by the IINERT Action Team at a
Joplin, MO, site showed that the application of phospho-
rus (P) to lead (Pb)-contaminated soil reduces Pb in
plants as much as 80%. In addition, dosing studies con-
ducted by the Team with immature pigs and weaning rats
have shown a significant reduction of Pb bioavailability
in soils treated with phosphorus.
The Permeable Reactive Earners Action Team, in part-
nership with the Interstate Technology Regulatory
Cooperation (ITRC) Permeable Barriers Working Group,
developed and began delivering in 1999 in a training
course to assist regulatory professionals in overseeing the
design, implementation, and monitoring of ground-water
remedies that involve the deployment of permeable reac-
tive barriers (PRBs).
The Phytoremediation of Organics Action Team devel-
oped a standardized field test protocol for determining
the efficacy of agricultural and non-crop plants for degra-
dation of petroleum hydrocarbons in soil at multiple
locations and under varied climatic conditions. In addi-
tion, Team developed a large bibliography of peer-
reviewed journal articles, presentations and posters from
conferences, boo^c chapters, and articles from newspapers
and magazines. This bibliography is available in search-
able format on the Action Team's home page on the
RTDF World Wide Web site (www.rtdf.org).
RTDF Participants
ILrm
Industry
Alcoa
Amoco
ARM Group
Battelle
BBL, Inc.
Boeing
Chemical Land Holdings, Inc.
Chevron
Ciba Specialty Chemicals
Cominco Ltd. Trail Operations
Doe Run Company
Dow Chemical Company
DuPont
Environmental Management Services
EnviroMetal Technologies, Inc.
EnviroSources
Exponent Environmental Group, Inc.
Exxon
General Electric
General Motors
Geomatrix
GeoSyntec Consultants
Goodyear, Inc.
ICI Americas
ILZRO
In Situ Barriers
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Sites Where RTDF Projects Are
Underway
Location: Pierce County, WA
RTDF Action Team:
IINEKT Soil-Metals
Action Team
Media and Contaminants:
Metals in soil
Location: Coeurd'Ariene, ID
RTDF Action Team:
UNERT Soil-Metals
Action Team
Media and Contaminants:
Metals in soil
Location: Lakewood, CO
RTDF Action Team:
Permeable Reactive Barriers
Action Team
Media and Cotaminants:
Chlorinated solvents in
ground water
Location: Niagara Falls, NY
RTDF Action Team:
Bioremediation Consortium
Media and Contaminants:
Chlorinated solvents in the
vadose zone
Location: Mohawk, NY
RTDF Action Team:
Phytoremediation of Organics
Action Team
Media and Contaminants:
Total petroleum
hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil
Location: Leadville, CO
RTDF Action Team:
IINERT Soil-Metals
Action Team
Media and Contaminants:
Metals in soil
Location: Rhode Island
RTDF Action Team:
Phytoremediation of Organics
Action Team
Media and Contaminants:
Total petroleum
hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil
Location: Southern Ohio
RTDF Action Team:
Phytoremediation of Organics
Action Team
Media and Contaminants:
Total petroleum
hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil
Location: HiHAFB.UT
RTDF Action Team:
Bioremediation Consortium
Media and Contaminants:
Chlorinated solvents in the
vadose zone
Location: Dover, DE
RTDF Action Team:
Bioremediation Consortium
Media and Contaminants:
Chlorinated solvents in the
vadose zone
Location: Northern, CA
RTDF Action Team:
Phytoremediation of Organics
Action Team
Media and Contaminants:
Total petroleum
hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil
Location: Dover, DE
RTDF Action Team:
Bioremediation Consortium
Media and Contaminants:
Chlorinated solvents in sol
and ground water
Location: MtView.CA
RTDF Action Team:
Permeable Reactive Barriers
Action Team
Media and Contaminants:
Chlorinated solvents in
ground water
Location: Dover, DE
RTDF Action Team:
Bioremediation Consortium
Media and Contaminants:
Chlorinated solvents in soil
and ground water
Location: Joplin, MO
RTDF Action Team:
IINERT Soil-Metals
Action Team
Media and Contaminants:
Lead in Soi
Location: Barrow, AK
RTDF Action Team:
Phytoremediation of Organics
Action Team
Media and Contaminants:
Total petroleum
hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil
Location: FortRiley, KS
RTDF Action Team:
Phytoremediation of Organics
Action Team
Media and Contaminants:
Total petroleum
hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil
Location: Galena, AK
RTDF Action Team:
Phytoremediation of Organics
Action Team
Media and Contaminants:
Total petroleum
hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil
Location: Ketchikan.AK
RTDF Action Team:
Phytoremediation of Organics
Action Team
Media and Contaminants:
Total petroleum
hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil
Location: El Dorado, AR
RTDF Action Team:
Phytoremediation of Organics
Action Team
Media and Contaminants:
Total petroleum
hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil
Location: Elizabeth City, NC
RTDF Action Team:
Permeable Reactive Barriers
Action Team
Media and Cotaminants:
Chromate and chlorinated
solvents in ground water
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