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»/ Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response (5102G)
EPA 542-F-08-012
December 2008
Green Remediation: Best Management Practices for
Excavation and Surface Restoration
Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation
Quick Reference Fact Sheet
This fact sheet is one of a series describing best
management practices (BMPs) for green remediation,
which holistically addresses a cleanup project's (1)
energy requirements, (2) air emissions, (3) impacts on
water, (4) impacts on land and ecosystems, (5) material
consumption and waste generation, and (6) long-term
stewardship actions. BMPs can be used for sustainable
removal or cleanup activities at contaminated sites
under Superfund, corrective action, underground
storage tank, and brownfield cleanup programs.
Some green remediation strategies stem from
environmentally progressive practices of business
market sectors such as construction. Others build new
elements such as green purchasing into traditional
practices of the remediation sector. Yet more evolving
BMPs incorporate innovative technologies that can be
readily adapted to increase cleanup sustainability.
Excavation in varying degrees is often required at
contaminated sites to:
• Address immediate risk to human health and/or the
environment as part of immediate or long-term
removal actions
• Prepare for implementation of in situ or ex situ
remediation technologies, which often involves
building or structural demolition, or
• Treat soil or sediment hot spots for which other
remedies may be infeasible due to extremely high
cost, long duration, or technical constraints
Many opportunities exist to reduce the negative impacts
of excavation, which commonly include soil erosion,
high rates of fuel consumption, transport of air-borne
contaminants, uncontrolled stormwater runoff, offsite
disposal of excavated material, and ecosystem
disturbance. Decisions regarding excavation processes
and targets affect follow-up land and surface water
restoration strategies as well as ultimate land use.
Planning for Excavation and Surface
Early and integrated project planning allows the
(typically early) excavation period to set the stage for
sharing of resources, infrastructures, and processes
throughout site cleanup and reuse. Early BMPs include:
Incorporation of green requirements into product and
service procurements
Installation of a modular renewable (RE) energy
system to meet low energy demands of field
equipment, other remedies, and construction or
operational activities associated with site reuse
Dynamic work planning; for example, treated
excavation material found unnecessary as backfill can
be put to beneficial use at onsite or offsite locations
Consideration of environmental and economic
tradeoffs involved in onsite versus offsite treatment of
excavated soil or sediment
Balance of trade-offs associated with onsite versus
offsite disposal of contaminated soil or other material
Early and continuous scouting for onsite or nearby
sources of backfill material for excavated areas
Establishment of decision points that could trigger in
situ treatment instead of excavation in subareas
Integrated schedules allowing for resource sharing
and fewer days of field mobilization
Profile: RE-SOLVE, Inc. Waste Chemical
Reclamation Facility, North Dartmouth, MA
• Excavated 22,500 yd3 of polychlohnated
biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated soil above the
water table, treated soil onsite through
dechlorination, backfilled with cleaned soil, and
covered with 18 inches of gravel
• Excavated 3,000 yd3 of PCB-contaminated
sediments from wetland areas, treated excavated
sediments through dechlorination, and restored
the wetlands
• Excavated 36,000 yd3of soil, treated soil with
low-temperature thermal desorption, and
backfilled
' Replaced the gravel cap with a four-acre native
upland meadow cover to reestablish onsite native
species and enhance environmental habitat
• Avoided significant fossil fuel consumption for
offsite transportation of contaminated soils and
replacement with clean fill
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lergy Requiremei
Determining the optimum extent of excavation relies on
accurate delineation of the contaminant plume(s). Use
of the Triad approach for site investigations can reduce
field mobilizations and associated fuel consumption
through systematic planning, dynamic work activities,
and real-time measurements.
BMPs that can help reduce fuel consumption (as well as
waste generation) during site investigations include:
• Direct-push technology instead of rotary drilling rigs
to reduce drilling duration by as much as 50-60%,
avoid drilling fluids, and eliminate drill cuttings; this
technique may be infeasible in applications limiting
the depth, type, weight, or volume of target samples
or installation of new ground water wells
• Reuse of wells and subsurface bore holes throughout
investigations, remediation, and long-term monitoring
• Field test kits whenever possible and selection of the
nearest qualified laboratory for confirmatory analyses
or contaminants outside the scope of field kits
Procurement of goods and services offers other
opportunities for reducing fuel consumption.
• Purchase materials from one supplier of locally
produced products to reduce need for delivery fuels
• Select local providers for field operations
• Coordinate outside services and service providers to
minimize transport of equipment and reduce costs
Fuel consumed during transfer of excavated soil or
other materials to landfills can be reduced by:
• Selecting the closest waste receiver
• Investigating alternate shipping methods such as rail
lines
• Identifying opportunities for resource sharing with
other waste haulers
Diesel fuel consumption by heavy construction
machinery and equipment can be conserved by:
• Selecting suitably sized and typed equipment for tasks
• Instructing workers to avoid engine idle and using
machinery with automatic idle-shutdown devices
• Employing auxiliary power units to power cab heating
and air conditioning when a machine is unengaged
• Performing routine, on-time maintenance such as oil
changes to improve fuel efficiency
• Repowering an engine or replacing it with a newer,
more efficient one
Auxiliary equipment such as electricity generators or
wood chippers can be powered by small photovoltaic
(PV) systems. Installations can involve placement of PV
panel support poles on small concrete pads for short-
term use. Micro-scale solar power can be used for
small devices such as flashlights, lamps, and
temperature-controlled containers.
New technology for
installation of ground-
mounted PV systems
requires no concrete,
reduces subsurface
disturbance, and
increases options for
equipment reuse.
Air Emissions
Field generation of contaminated or uncontaminated
dust and mobilization of volatile organic compounds
can be reduced by new and traditional BMPs such as:
• Covering excavated areas with biodegradable fabric
that also can control erosion and serve as a substrate
for favorable ecosystems, or with synthetic material
that can be reused for other onsite or offsite purposes
• Spraying water in vulnerable areas, in conjunction
with water conservation and runoff management
techniques
• Securing and covering material in open trucks while
hauling excavated material, and reusing the covers
• Revegetating excavated areas as quickly as possible
• Limiting onsite vehicle speeds to 1 0 miles per hour
Greenhouse gas (GHG) and particulate matter (PM)
emissions from mobile sources can be reduced through
use of:
• Equipment retrofits involving low-maintenance multi-
stage filters for cleaner engine exhaust
• Cleaner fuel such as ultra-low sulfur diesel, wherever
available (and as required by engines with PM traps)
• Biodiesel, particularly if made from recycled
byproducts
Green remediation strategies help reduce consumption
of fresh water, reuse or reclaim uncontaminated water,
minimize potential for water-borne contamination, and
minimize introduction of toxic processing materials.
• Cover soils with biodegradable tarps and mats, rather
than spraying with water, to suppress dust while
potentially enhancing soil fertility
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• Explore options for reusing operational graywater,
capturing rainwater, and returning unused water to
surface bodies instead of disposing it in public
wastewater utility lines
• Use phosphate-free detergents instead of organic
solvents or acids to decontaminate sampling
equipment (if not required for some contaminants)
• Employ rumble grates with a closed-loop graywater
washing system, or an advanced, self-contained
wheel-washing system, to minimize vehicle tracking of
sediment or soil across non-work areas or offsite
BMPs for excavation of contaminated sediments in
surface water or wetlands focus on slurry management
and disposal.
• Evaluate fuel efficiency and sizing suitability of
dredging equipment if multiple options can achieve
site-specific cleanup goals
• Overlay synthetic barriers and fluid collection systems
on ground surfaces of staging areas and where
excavated material is dewatered
• Use dewatering processes that maximize water
recycling, and consider automated systems to account
for sediment variability
• Investigate the potential for treated slurry water to be
beneficially reused in other cleanup activities prior to
discharge
• Investigate opportunities to transfer treated slurry
water for use in non-remedial applications such as
irrigation or wetlands enhancement
• Consider the use of geotextile bags or nets to contain
excavated sediment, facilitate sediment drying, and
increase ease of sediment placement or transport
• Check for toxic contents in synthetic coagulants used
in the field and avoid spillage
• Evaluate potential for excavated areas to serve as
retention basins in final stormwater control plans
BMPs for restoration of surface water and adjacent
banks after sediment excavation rely on low impact
development techniques that reduce impacts of built
areas and promote natural movement of water.
• Undercut surface water banks in ways that mirror
natural conditions
• Retrieve dead trees during excavation and later
reposition them as habitat snags
• Select and place suitably sized and typed stones into
water beds and banks
Profile: Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant,
Paducah, KY
• Used Triad fo integrate site characterization,
remedial activities, and cleanup verification in a
7,000 foot2 area with potential uranium and
polychlorinated biphenyl (PCS) contamination
' Convened federal and state agencies to develop
a conceptual site model and dynamic work plan
prior to beginning any field work
• Used investigative tools requiring no soil
disturbance (laser-based gamma "walkover"
surveys (GWS) and x-ray fluorescence (XRF) with
gamma spectroscopy) and techniques requiring
few analytical samples and minimal sampling
waste (PCB test kits, multi-increment sampling,
and adaptive compositing)
• Integrated field information involving 24,000
GWS data points, hundreds of XRF measure-
ments, and nearly 400 surface soil increments,
which resulted in a need for laboratory
confirmation on only 23 samples instead of an
estimated 300 using a traditional field approach
• Surgically excavated 13 meter 3 of uranium-
contaminated soil and confirmed PCB
concentrations in non-excavated areas were
below risk-based cleanup targets
' Completed investigatory, removal, and
verification activities in a single 10-day field
mobilization, resulting in less dust generation
• Saved significant time and costs in reaching
cleanup closure when compared to traditional,
static work plans involving reiterative activities
Material Consumotion and Waste Generation
Countless and diverse man-made products are
purchased and used during excavation, such as
personal protective equipment (PPE), synthetic sheeting,
and routine business materials. Green purchasing
considers product life cycles and gives preference to:
• Products with recycled and bio-based (instead of
petroleum-based) contents
• Products, packing material, and disposable
equipment with reuse or recycling potential
• Product contents and manufacturing processes
involving nonhazardous or nontoxic chemicals
alternatives
To reduce the volume of single-use material such as
PPE and sampling materials, activity planning can
reflect reduced traffic between hot and clean zones and
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fewer days in which work is performed.
management include:
BMPs for waste
Establishing staging areas prior to any digging
Salvaging uncontaminated and pest- or disease-free
organic debris for use as infill, mulch, or compost
Reclaiming and stockpiling uncontaminated soil for
use as fill or other purposes such as habitat creation
Salvaging uncontaminated objects with potential
recyle, resale, donation, or onsite infrastructure value
such as steel, concrete, granite, and storage
containers; waste coordinators are available in many
states to assist in decisions regarding beneficial reuse
or exposure risk
A primary BMP for minimizing the negative impacts on
land and ecosystems is to perform an inventory
(including detailed photographs and videos) of
ecological species, land contours, and drainage
patterns prior to digging. Baseline inventories will
facilitate restoration that best recreates original
conditions. Other BMPs include:
• Establishment of minimally intrusive and well-
designed traffic patterns for onsite activities and plans
to reduce off-site traffic congestion
• Placement of metal grates over a thick mulch layer in
onsite traffic corridors to avoid soil compaction and
associated reduction in subsurface water infiltration
• Construction of long-term structural controls such as
earth dikes and swales to prevent upgradient surface
flow into excavated areas
• Installation of silt fences and basins to capture
sediment runoff along sloped areas
• Quick-growth seeding and geotextile placements to
stabilize sod in staging areas
When needed, onsite landfills for excavation or other
remedies can employ evapotranspiration covers, which
promote microbial degradation of waste while providing
a substrate for plant growth.
BMPs for preserving ecological systems include:
• Avoiding tree removal in staging areas or intermittent
uncontaminated zones, and retrieving and
transplanting native, noninvasive plants
• Using non-chemical solarizing techniques for
vegetative transplants or new plantings, and non-
synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides and
integrated pest management methods
• Limiting noise and artificial lighting that disturbs
sensitive species, and rescuing and relocating
sensitive or threatened species
Many environmental, academic, and broad-based
community groups offer assistance in ecological
inventories as well as rescues.
Long-Term Stewardship Actions
Coordinated planning of remediation and anticipated
use of a site is critical to long-term sustainability. Green
remediation encourages decision-makers to weigh the
environmental and economic tradeoffs of issues such as
onsite versus offsite disposal of contaminated soil or
sediment. Proper planning will help reduce likelihood
of adverse impacts such as soil subsidence, unbalanced
soil chemistry, or low microbial populations, and
periodic post-excavation field tests will help identify
unexpected problems quickly.
Prompt revegetation is critical to restoration of
backfilled areas. Installation of native rather than
imported plants will increase vegetation viability, avoid
immediate- or long-term irrigation needs, and promote
rapid ground cover. Plant diversity also will create
useful wildlife habitat and more opportunities for future
activities or site reuse.
Green Remediation: A Sampling of Success
Measures for Excavation and Surface Restoration
• Reduced fuel consumption and transportation costs
as a result of integrated "dig and haul" planning
with fewer field mobilizations
• Reduced GHG emissions through use of
renewable resources to provide electricity for
auxiliary equipment or replace natural gas-driven
equipment
' Increased volumes of graywater recycled or reused
in sediment dewatering, in place of clean water
• Increased percentage of excavated, clean soil or
material re-used onsite
' Higher percentage of ground cover sooner after
excavation, with fewer invasive species
• Increased utility of "excavation built" erosion and
stormwater controls in site reuse
Visit Green Remediation online to obtain more
information about BMPs, view site-specific examples,
or share new ideas about green cleanups.
hffp;//c/u in.org/qreenremediafion
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