""*,
;'-j United States
/ Environmental Protection Agency
IT
Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response (51 02G)
EPA542-F-09-005
December 2009
Green Remediation Best Management Practices:
Pump and Treat Technologies
Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation
Quick Reference Fact Sheet
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Principles for
Greener Cleanups outlines the Agency's policy for evaluating
and minimizing the environmental "footprint" of activities
undertaken when cleaning up a contaminated site.1 Use of
the best management practices (BMPs) recommended in
EPA's series of green remediation fact sheets can help project
managers and other stakeholders apply the principles on a
routine basis, while maintaining the cleanup objectives,
ensuring protectiveness of a remedy, and improving its
environmental outcome.2
Overview
Pump and treat (P&T) technology typically is selected in a
cleanup remedy to hydraulically contain contamination
and/or restore an aquifer to beneficial use. Opportunities
to reduce the energy and environmental footprint of a P&T
remedy, which are available during site characterization
and the remedy selection, design, construction, and
operation phases, rely on effective planning and continual
re-evaluation of P&T operations. Options for reducing the
footprint vary based on the site conditions and cleanup
objectives as well as the configuration and components of
a planned or existing P&T system. Effective footprint
reduction activities will complement the cleanup objectives
while aligning with related guidelines such as Executive
Order I35I4: Federal Leadership in Environmental,
Energy, and Economic Performance.3
P&T remedies often operate for long periods, in some
cases decades, due to the nature of the technology and
the nature of contaminant transport in the subsurface. As
a result, operation of a P&T system, compared to system
construction, can contribute significantly to the energy and
environmental footprint of a P&T remedy. The best
opportunities typically relate to optimizing efficiency of
long-term operations, particularly in terms of energy and
other natural resource consumption.
Continuous motor operation under load (for pumps, blowers,
and other machinery) during a 30-year period of operation
uses over 240,000 kWh of electrical energy per motor
horsepower or over 2.7 billion BTUs of energy per motor
horsepower (hp). This amount of energy is equivalent to the
electricity used by more than 22 homes over one year.
Illustration of a P&J system with a fairly complex
treatment process indicates how a system relates to
each of the five core elements of green remediation.
Components in this example can be removed to focus
on how a simpler P&J system could affect the
environmental footprint during operations.
P&T Component
Groundwater
Extraction
Process Equalization
Metals Removal
(chemical addition,
precipitation,
settling, filtration,
and solids handling)
Air Stripping
Off-Gas Treatment
and Granular
Activated Carbon
Filtration
Effluent Tanks
Discharge to Surface
Water
Building Operations
Long-Term
Operation
Examples of Environmental Effects
During a Complex P&T Operation
Energy use (and associated air
emissions) caused by generating
electricity from fossil fuels to power
extraction pumps
Materials use for well construction,
maintenance, and rehabilitation
Removal of contaminated water and
protection of other groundwater
Potential dewatering of wetlands and
disrupting wetland ecosystems located
near extraction wells
Energy use (and air emissions) for
pumps used to adjust pressures among
treatment components
Energy use (and air emissions) for
electricity operating mixer motors and
filter feed or solids handling pumps
Materials use from chemical addition
Waste disposal from removed solids,
such as metals or biosolids
Infringement on land and ecosystems
from landfill space for waste disposal
Energy use (and air emissions) for
electricity to operate a blower
Materials use for chemical cleaning of
a stripping system
Energy (and air emissions) for electricity
to preheat off-gas prior to vapor
treatment
Materials and potential waste disposal
for granular activated carbon
Energy use (and air emissions) for
electricity to pump water across a
multi-step treatment process
Net withdrawal of local groundwater
resources when extracted water is
discharged to surface water
Energy use (and air emissions) for
electricity to power lights, ventilate a
building, and potentially provide heat
Affects on land use and the local
community and long-term stewardship
of land and nearby ecosystems
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Designing a P&T System
Recommended green remediation BMPs for designing a
P&T system are intended to: maximize opportunities to
address different portions of a contaminant plume in
unique ways; modify or reconfigure a system according to
changes in a contaminant plume over time; and
supplement the system with other remediation or auxiliary
technologies to reduce the P&T burden as groundwater
cleanup progresses and new products or processes
become available. P&T system design planning relies on
robust delineation of the contaminant plume and source
area. Early planning can also include a renewable energy
assessment to determine
whether solar, wind, or
other resources could
meet all or part of the
electricity demand of P&T
opera-tions; in turn,
results of that assessment
could influence the P&T
design.
Cleanup at the former
Nebraska Ordnance Plant
involves use of a 10-kW
wind turbine to power
groundwater circulation
wells for air stripping and
ultraviolet treatment.
A P&T system's rate of groundwater extraction, anticipated
duration, and quality of influent and the site's treatment
goals typically have the greatest affect on the
environmental footprint of the system. Use of the BMPs for
technology selection and system design can address these
traditional factors and help project managers evaluate
how the factors contribute to consumption of energy,
water, and other natural resources or result in air
emissions and waste generation through the life of a
cleanup project. System designers should also consider
the site's anticipated reuse, to identify potential
approaches for combining the needed infrastructures and
minimizing long-term land disturbance.
Extraction Rates
The rate of groundwater extraction for a P&T system
directly impacts the system's energy and materials use and
waste management options. Optimization of extraction
rates typically begins with a thorough site investigation
that enables accurate well placement and helps determine
the suitable number of extraction wells. [For more
information, see: Green Remediofion Besf A/lonogemenf
Practices: Site lnvesfigafion.4a]
Best practices for determining the optimal rate of
groundwater extraction include:
Establish an appropriate target capture zone and
thoroughly evaluate the groundwater extraction needed
to provide complete capture
Base the capture zone analyses and design on
parameters of actual aquifer test data and consider the
use of modeling (with appropriate input information) to
design the extraction system
Consider designing a network of extraction piping that
initially provides a conservative hydraulic capacity for
the planned treatment system (perhaps by increasing
pipe size or laying additional pipe when a trench is
open), which allows for future modular increases or
decreases in the extraction rate and treatment
modifications, if needed; for example, the footprint of
placing an additional extraction pipe that ultimately
may be unused may be significantly smaller than
remobilizing at a later date or overpumping a smaller
network for many years
When continuous pumping is not needed to contain the
plume, consider whether pulsed rather than continuous
rates of pumping can maintain the rate of groundwater
transfer and treatment needed to ensure a protective
remedy; additional gains in energy conservation may be
possible by pumping during off-peak utility periods
Consider reinjecting treated water downgradient of the
extraction system to flatten the hydraulic gradient in the
vicinity of the extraction wells, increase the capture zone
width near the extraction wells, and potentially reduce
the overall extraction rate; hydrogeologic consultation is
recommended to ensure that reinjection does not
adversely affect extraction efficiency, and
Consider diverting upgradient, uncontaminated
groundwater around the contaminant plume to reduce
the amount of water to be extracted; feasibility of
groundwater diversion would likely involve evaluation of
environmental tradeoffs such as disturbance to land,
ecosystems, and subsurface hydraulic conditions.
Duration of Operations
BMPs to help reduce duration of full-scale P&T systems
(and reduce cumulative energy consumption, chemical
and material use, and waste disposal) rely on adequate
site and contaminant plume characterization. This
information also can help evaluate the potential for using
other remedial technologies to remove all or part of a
contaminant source, which could reduce the P&T load as
well as duration. Project managers should consider
approaches that use supplemental technologies without
compromising cleanup progress, schedules, and goals.
Approaches could include:
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Collecting information on appropriate use of monitored
natural attenuation (MNA) for the diffuse portion of the
plume, in conjunction with EPA's MNA guidance5
Considering technologies that can operate in
conjunction with P&T, such as in situ chemical
oxidation, thermal remediation, or bioremediation in
the source area, and
Planning options for implementing a remediation
"polishing" technology at a stage when contaminant
concentrations are reduced to a target level.
Influent Wafer Quality
Typically, design of a P&T system's treatment process is
significantly driven by the quality of influent water. Loading
of a particular constituent affects the size or specifications
of given treatment processes, such as sizing of an air
stripper or the adsorption medium in an air stripping
system. In addition, treatment of different types of
constituents such as metals, ketones, and ammonia often
need specific processes that may use significant quantities
of energy and materials and can generate significant
quantities of waste.
Project managers should carefully evaluate "nuisance"
contaminant constituents such as iron and manganese,
which can easily foul system components or lead to more
complex treatment systems that may involve additional
energy and resources. Depending on a number of factors
such as concentrations and depth intervals of these
constituents, portions of the contaminant plume might be
more effectively treated with other technologies such as in
situ chemical oxidation or in situ bioremediation. If the
extracted water contains iron, manganese, or other similar
metals, a range of options could effectively address these
constituents in ways that produce a different footprint.
Options typically include:
More frequent cleaning of components
Use of downstream equipment that is less prone to
fouling
Use of a sequestering agent
Metals removal via chemical addition and precipitation,
and
Use of alternate discharge options.
Concentrations of chemicals of concern in system influent
may unexpectedly change over time. Frequent monitoring
and use of real-time methods for concentration
measurement will help identify changes quickly and
prepare for treatment modifications throughout the project
life. Continued use of an unmodified system that has
become oversized over time can be a major cause of
inefficiency.
Green remediation strategies for P&T design also involve
evaluation of the options for discharging treatment
effluent. Discharge to surface water, reinjection to the
subsurface, and discharge to a publicly owned treatment
works (POTW) all may be subject to federal or state
regulatory requirements. One particular option may allow
the overall remedy to have a lower footprint than other
options; for example, discharge to a POTW will involve
additional energy, materials, and waste before water is
finally discharged to surface water.
Primary Treatment Technology Alternatives
Project managers should consider life cycles (and
environmental tradeoffs) of feasible treatment processes
when designing an aboveground treatment process for
extracted groundwater. Several different technologies exist
for addressing the same compounds or class of
compounds, and each technology will present unique
advantages, disadvantages, and footprints at a specific
site. For example, air stripping, granular activated carbon
(GAC), advanced oxidation, and bioreactors can all
remove or destroy volatile organic compounds. Air
stripping or GAC may make the smallest environmental
footprint for a majority of sites, but in some cases
ultraviolet oxidation (UV/Ox) may be more effective and
leave a smaller footprint despite its additional energy and
chemical use.
In general, resource efficiencies can be gained by:
Using more than one treatment technology (from both
the effectiveness and environmental footprint
perspective) for each aspect of the treatment train
Planning for elimination of treatment train components
that will become unnecessary as site conditions change,
and
Using a form of renewable energy or waste heat; solar
thermal panels, combined heat and power, or water-
source heat pumps can provide the needed heat, and
heat exchangers enable reuse of heat rather than
discharging it as part of the effluent.
Applications for solar thermal energy
(which generally incur lower capital
costs than photovoltaic systems) include
heating, cooling, ventilation, hot water
heating, or process heating.
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Selection of Chemicals and Process Materials
Chemical and materials use can contribute significantly to
the environmental footprint of a P&T system. BMPs
regarding use of chemicals for ex situ groundwater
treatment focus on selecting the optimal vendor, type of
chemicals, and dosage.
Attempt to obtain needed chemicals and materials from
local manufacturers in order to avoid long-distance
transport, or from manufacturers in regions where grid
electricity has relatively low emission factors6
Consider chemical and material disposal needs,
including offsite disposal of hazardous waste
Consider the resources consumed during manufacturing
or processing of treatment chemicals
Consider the potential for these chemicals or treatment
byproducts to be present in treatment effluent and the
potential effects of these chemicals on human health
and the environment
Conduct sufficient bench-scale tests to help optimize
chemical dosage, which minimizes chemical use during
treatment, and
Provide containment around chemical storage and
batching areas to contain leaks.
When running process water or air through filters or
adsorption media:
Use liquid filters that can be backwashed to avoid
frequent disposal of disposable filters
Consider benefits of pre-treatment or pre-filtering prior
to use of adsorption media such as GAC so that media
are replaced based on chemical loading rather than
fouling caused by solids loading
Weigh the footprint advantages and disadvantages of
preheating vapors prior to treatment with vapor-phase
GAC; for example, preheating can significantly reduce
relative humidity (an efficiency deterrent) but increases
the system's energy demand, and
Consider the source materials used to generate
treatment media; for example, GAC media used in
adsorption units can consist of virgin or reactivated
coal-based GAC or virgin coconut-based GAC.
Collection and Disposal of Treatment Waste
Green remediation strategies for P&T remedies also
consider the options for waste management.
Take advantage of opportunities for chemical salvaging
and material reuse, including regenerating rather than
disposing of GAC, identifying uses for precipitated
metals solids, and identifying uses of recovered product
(such as creosote recycling or energy generation)
Reduce the frequency and tonnage of hauling process-
derived solid waste by improving solids dewatering with
a filter press or other technologies, particularly if the
energy used for dewatering can be offset by renewable
energy, and
Use sequestering agents to keep a maximum amount of
iron and manganese in solution, to prevent equipment
fouling, rather than removing them and generating
additional process waste.
Profile: GCL Tie and Treating Superfund Site
Sidney, NY
* Conducted remedial system evaluation (RSE) of a P&T
system extracting 78 gallons of groundwater per minute
(gpm) and treating groundwater through green sand
filtration (for manganese and iron removal), air stripping
and liquid-phase GAC (for organic compounds), and
vapor-phase GAC (for off-gas emissions)
* Derived RSE results suggesting discontinued pumping from
the intermediate zone (where the contaminant plume
appeared to decrease independently), which could
decrease the extraction rate by 23% and reduce costs while
continuing to meet cleanup goals and schedules
Estimated that implementation of the modified pumping
plan could: avoid generating 1,000 gallons of liquid, listed
hazardous waste needing offsite disposal; reduce annual
electricity use by 8,000 kWh/year; and reduce carbon
dioxide (CO2) emissions by 4.8 tons/year
Derived an additional RSE suggestion to bypass the
existing air stripper that had become oversized as
conditions changed, which could reduce electricity use by
200,000 kWh/year and CO2 emissions by 120 tons/year
Effluent Management and Related Standards
Treatment processes are driven in part by relevant federal
or state standards for water quality discharge and off-gas
emissions. Project managers should consider:
"Going beyond" compliance with water and air quality
standards under federal or state mandates and
permitted emission or discharge, to further reduce P&T
footprints on local water and air quality; the extra steps
may or may not involve additional resources, and
Establishing project goals for natural/materials resource
consumption and conservation, using Executive Order
13423 as a guideline;7 for example, use renewable
energy from onsite resources to meet at least 10% of
the treatment system's energy demand, and recycle
100% of all routine waste such as paper or electronic
equipment.
When evaluating potential methods of effluent discharge
in light of environmental tradeoffs, options include:8
Reinjection of treated groundwater to the subsurface,
which can recharge an aquifer with valuable water and
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avoid the need to treat background constituents (but
may involve additional site activities to prevent well
fouling or installation of additional well galleries);
reinjection is commonly viewed as an environmentally
favorable option because it replenishes an aquifer
Release to surface water or storm water systems; this
option typically involves stringent discharge standards
and substantial monitoring requirements and expedites
transport of water out of the watershed
Discharge to a POTW or other regional water treatment
plant, which may allow more efficient offsite treatment
of certain contaminants such as ketones and ammonia
(but might involve additional pre-treatment steps or
redundancy with the onsite treatment system); for some
complex treatment streams, treatment by a POTW or
other regional water treatment plant may be a more
efficient use of resources than building and operating
another onsite treatment plant, and
Beneficial onsite reuse of treated water (such as for
irrigation, dust control, and constructed wetlands) to
reduce the overall capacity needed by the local water
supply network; treated water also may be used as a
substitute for potable water in some plant operations
such as chemical batching, process cooling, and use of
water-source heat pumps for heating and cooling.
Profile: Havertown PCP Site
Havertown, PA
* Reassessed performance of an operating P&T system
employing four recovery wells and an ex situ treatment
process involving three 30-kW UV/Ox lamps, a peroxide
destruction unit, and two GAC units
* Took two UV/Ox lamps offline, based on system
assessment indicating changing contaminant parameters
* Reduced electricity consumption by at least 168,000 kWh
per year, due to turning off two UV/Ox lamps
Reduced emissions by approximately 105 tons of CO2,
280 pounds of nitrogen oxides, and 1,500 pounds of
sulfur oxides each year, based on eCRID (version 1.1 for
Pennsylvania); smaller offsite footprints also can be
attributed to the avoided cooling water and fuel-harvesting
resources needed for electricity generation and
intermediate power loss on the electric transmission grid
Electricity Use
The recommended BMPs for efficient use of electricity in
P&T systems are designed to closely examine the demands
of pump and fan motors and auxiliary equipment on a site
by site basis. Factors that can significantly affect electricity
consumption (and vary considerably in terms of power
demands) include the type of pump needed for a given
application, pump efficiency, motor efficiency, pump
loading, use of variable frequency drives (VFDs), pump
and pipe conditions, and the available fuel blend. The
needed power also ranges considerably (possibly from 0.5
hp to 100 hp) depending on other site-specific factors
such as treatment flow rates, contaminant types, and
treatment processes. Best practices for electricity
conservation include:
Sizing pumps, fans, and motors appropriately and using
energy efficient motors (such as National Electrical
Manufacturers Association Premiumฎ labeled motors)
Using gravity flow where feasible to reduce the number
of pumps for water transfer after subsurface extraction
Installing VFDs to set constant or variable flow rates
rather than throttling flow with valves; in many
applications VFDs can reduce a pump's energy demand
up to 50% while avoiding damage to mechanical
equipment
Considering processing via batch flows, operating
portions of the treatment process train during off-peak
utility periods, and installing amp meters to evaluate
consumption rates on a real-time basis
Using air- or water-source heat pumps and natural gas,
propane, or other fuels in place of electrical resistive
heating whenever possible; regardless of the heat
source, set thermostats to temperatures needed for
freeze protection, especially when the system is
operating unattended, and
Routinely check for and correct leaks in compressed air
lines or inefficient use of compressed air; air-operated
pumps are often less efficient than electric pumps.
Detailed information on selecting and improving
performance of motors, pumps, and fans, as well as
guidelines for improving overall energy efficiency of plant
operations, is available from the U.S. Department of
Energy's Industrial Technologies Program.9
Annual Energy Consumption of a Common P&T System
Extraction system employing five 1 -hp pumps
Operation of a 1 ,500-squa re-foot P&T
building occupied three days per week, with
electrical resistive heating in winter
Aboveground process-water treatment by an
air stripper fitted with a 5-hp blower
Air stripper off-gas emission treatment with
vapor-phase GAC, and vapor preheating
with a 2kW in-line heater
Data monitoring/processing
Total annual slsctricity consumption
40,
25,
40,
16,
10,
000 kWh
000 kWh
000 kWh
000 kWh
000 kW
131,OOOkWh
Carbon footprint equivalency:10 94 metric tons
ofCO2
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Constructing a P&T System
BMPs being developed or already in place for the
construction business sector can apply to construction of a
P&T system. The practices focus on three categories of
activities that can significantly reduce a construction
project's footprint.
Stormwater Discharge Controls
The areal footprint of a P&T system with respect to
stormwater runoff is typically small. Although impervious
services are commonly limited to building roofs, parking
areas, and access roads, stormwater runoff and
associated erosion and sedimentation should be
minimized. EPA's proposed effluent limitation guidelines
and standards for construction activities provide examples
of strategies for preventing or controlling sediment (and
pollutant) movement at a site.11 Efforts should be made to
minimize continuous impervious surfaces unless they serve
as a cap as part of a soil remedy; gravel roads, porous
pavement, and separated impervious surfaces can be
used for this purpose. Maximum vegetative cover across
the site will also reduce stormwater runoff and soil erosion
and provide wildlife habitat.
Green Structures and Housing for Aboveground
Treatment Processes
P&T systems typically need a building to protect
groundwater pumping equipment and house the
aboveground components. Although the sizing of needed
buildings varies considerably, construction of every
building offers opportunities for resource efficiencies. Life
cycle construction strategies for buildings generally
account for factors such as deconstruction and materials
reuse as well as anticipated use and maintenance. The
recommended practices also relate to housing of
individual components of the treatment equipment. Project
managers should:
Adapt practices and goals addressed in the Federal
Green Construction Guide for Specifiers,12 which
addresses provisions relevant to Executive Order
13423, environmentally preferable purchasing, energy
efficient products, and industry standards of other
organizations such as ASTM International
Borrow practices from the U.S. Green Building
Council's LEEDฎ rating system for new building
construction;13 related checklists and guidelines outline
specific parameters and a range of tangible
performance goals that apply to building siting, site
preparation, water efficiency, energy efficiency and
renewable energy, air protection, other natural resource
protection, materials resources, and indoor air quality,
and
Attempt to locate treatment equipment in an existing
building with existing utilities/infrastructure wherever
feasible, but evaluate these buildings for potential
efficiency upgrades; the footprint associated with
operations could outweigh the footprint of construction.
Examples of green building methods for industrial
purposes such as water treatment include:
Consider using water-source heat pumps on treatment
plant effluent, ground-source heat pumps, mobile
waste-to-heat generators, or furnaces/air conditioners
operating with recycled oil, to provide space heating
and cooling
Seal all process tanks and air duct systems to ensure
adequate building ventilation for workers and to reduce
energy loss, and install energy recovery ventilators to
allow incoming fresh air while capturing energy from
outgoing, conditioned air
Insulate all pipes and equipment tied to treatment
processes needing heat
Maximize use of skylights for direct or indirect natural
lighting of work areas
Consider using high efficiency sprayers when equipment
needs rinsing with fresh water
Prevent damage to equipment through use of surge
protection devices, and program the equipment to
restart in phases to avoid additional power surges that
trip circuit breakers, and
Maintain all leak detection equipment and repair any
leaking equipment in a timely fashion.
Fuel Consumption and Alternatives
Recommended practices for fuel conservation and related
GHG reductions during construction of a P&T system
focus on:
Retrofitting engines to accommodate diesel emission
controls or replacing obsolete engines; catalysts and
filters should be verified by EPA or organizations such as
the California Air Resources Board
Conducting full and appropriate engine maintenance as
recommended by manufacturers
Limiting idling of fuel-powered vehicles, equipment, and
machinery to a maximum of three minutes whenever
possible; certain equipment such as drill rigs, however,
commonly need longer idling times to maintain efficient
work flow, and
Switching to ultralow-sulfur diesel or biofuel meeting the
ASTM D6751 standard, to reduce engine wear.
More information about fuel consumption and alternatives
is available in: Green Remediation Best Management
Practices: Using Clean Fuel Technology in Site Cleanup*
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Operating and Monitoring a P&T System
Opportunities for resource efficiencies and conservation
that are identified and planned during remedy design
should be thoroughly documented to ensure that decision
makers and operations contractors have sufficient
information supporting decisions during operation and
maintenance (O&M) and long-term groundwater
monitoring. Potential documents for recording this
information include cleanup contracts, feasibility studies,
site management plans, and quality assurance project
plans; for example, contracts could specify:
The contractor shall evaluate all reasonably feasible
renewable energy sources when conducting work
related to selecting a cleanup remedy, constructing a
cleanup remedy, and when optimizing an existing
cleanup remedy. Sources of renewable energy include
solar, wind, and biomass and biogas.
Other examples of contract language and procurement
information are available in EPA's Green Response and
Remedial Action Contracting and Administrative Toolkit.^4
Best management practices for ongoing P&T operations
address relatively routine activities as well as those
promoting continuous improvements to system
performance - the "check-do, recheck-redo" process. In
particular, continual reassessment is needed to identify
opportunities for downsizing the existing equipment or
taking any equipment offline. Important activities for O&M
and associated practices include:
Periodically bench-scale testing alternative chemicals to
determine whether changing groundwater parameters
warrant different chemicals or when new products
become available, and
Re-evaluating potential for renewable energy sources as
new technologies or financial incentives become
available; one alternative may be purchasing renewable
energy certificates that could extend to site reuse.
A photovoltaic system added to P&T operations at the
Pemaco Superfund Site in Maywood, CA, contributes
5,900 kWh of electricity each year to high-vacuum
dual-phase extraction of groundwater.
Equipment Maintenance
Conduct manufacturer-recommended preventative
maintenance of all processing and building equipment
on schedule and conduct any needed repair in a timely
fashion
Automate mechanical and electronic equipment as
much as possible and implement a telemetry system to
reduce frequency of site visits and reduce extra late-
night or weekend trips responding to alarms
Employ an electronics stewardship plan that ensures
purchases of EPEATฎ and EnergyStarฎ products, power
management for data centers, and recycling or reuse of
expended electronic equipment or media
Strive for fewer, longer days for O&M labor rather than
more frequent, shorter days to reduce transportation to
and from the site
Identify suitable reuse for equipment no longer needed,
and
Check for any equipment that could be removed from
continuous operation in the treatment train but retained
for potential reintegration if needed.
Sampling and Analysis of Process Water
* Collect and analyze representative samples to ensure
good process-related decisions, to avoid unnecessary
resource consumption associated with unneeded
sampling
Maximize use of real-time measurement technologies
such as sensors, probes, and meters to monitor
processing conditions, and use program alarms to
notify operators of any system or component failure
Retain local laboratories or use an onsite laboratory
program if possible to reduce the footprint associated
with transportation of samples, and
Request electronic deliverables to minimize materials
and fuel consumption associated with hard-copy data
reports, which also facilitates data sharing across team
members.
Sampling and Analysis of Groundwater in
Monitoring Wells
* Use long-term monitoring optimization approaches to
eliminate redundant or otherwise unnecessary sampling;
decision support tools such as monitoring and
remediation optimization system (MAROS) software can
be used to perform statistical trend analysis for
optimizing sample locations, sampling frequency, and
analytical parameters, and
Minimize traffic and land disturbance during sampling
through BMPs such as restricting traffic to confined
corridors and protecting ground surfaces with
biodegradable covers.
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Profile: British Petroleum Site
Paulsboro, NJ
* Uses an ons/fe 275-kW solar field consisting of 5,800
photovoltaic modules to generate electricity for operating
six recovery wells, including pump motors, aerators, and
blowers
Transfers extracted groundwater into a biologically
activated carbon treatment system
Generates 350,000 kWh of electricity each year through
use of the solar field, which meets 20-25% of the P&T
system's energy demand
* Eliminates emission of 571,000 pounds of CO2, 1,600
pounds of sulfur dioxide, and 1,100 pounds of nitrogen
dioxide each year through avoided consumption of fossil
fuel-generated grid electricity
Integrates ongoing groundwater cleanup with site reuse as
a new port facility along the Delaware River, in partnership
with state and local agencies; Port of Paulsboro operations
are expected to generate $100 million annually in revenue
and taxes
Routine Checks and Balances
Making a P&T system more effective and efficient over
time relies on awareness that site conditions, regulations,
and technology options may change during the operating
period and may differ significantly from those considered
at the time of design.15 As a result, one of the most
significant BMPs for reducing the environmental footprints
of a P&T system is to monitor these changes and
periodically revisit these practices, perhaps on an annual
basis, to identify appropriate system modifications.
Standard operating procedures should include tracking of
all electricity, natural gas, water, and materials con-
sumption on a regular basis to identify any trends that
may lead to increases in efficiency.
Green Remediation: A Sampling of Success Measures
for P&T Operations16
Reduced electricity consumption and CHC emissions
through use of energy efficient pumps and auxiliary
equipment
* Increased percentage of electricity for groundwater
extraction or aboveground treatment supplied by ons/fe
renewable energy resources
Reduced consumption of potable water due to substitution
by treated water in chemical batching and cooling
processes
* Reduced waste streams as a result of regenerating rather
than disposing spent GAC and salvaging precipitated
metals solids for offsite industrial use
* Beneficial reuse of treated water for restoration of ons/fe
wetlands and ecosystems
* Reduced P&T loads due to integration of polishing
technologies as contaminant concentrations decrease over
time
References [Web accessed: 2009, November 30]
U.S. EPA; Principles for Greener Cleanups; August 27, 2009;
http://www.epa.gov/oswer/greencleanups
U.S. EPA; Green Remediation: Incorporating Sustainable
Environmental Practices into Remediation of Contaminated
Sites; EPA 542-R-08-002, April 2008;
http://www.cluin.org/greenremediation
Executive Order 1 3514: Federal Leadership in Environmental,
Energy, and Economic Performance; October 5, 2009
U.S. EPA; Green Remediation Best Management Practices:
aS/fe Investigation; EPA 542-F-09-004, December 2009
b Using Clean Fuel Technology for Site Cleanup; EPA 542-F-
09-008, January 2010
U.S. EPA; CLU-IN; multiple references at:
http://www.cluin.org/techfocus/default.focus/sec/Natural Att
enuation/cat/Guidance/
U.S. EPA; eGRID; http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-
resources/egrid/i ndex.html
Executive Order 1 3423: Strengthening Federal Environmental,
Energy, and Transportation Management; January 24, 2007
U.S. EPA; Options for Discharging Treated Water from Pump
and Treat Systems; EPA 542-R-07-006, 2007
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency &
Renewable Energy; Industrial Technologies Program, Best
Practices; http://wwwl .eere.energy.gov/industry/
bestpractices/techpubs motors.html
1 U.S. EPA; Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator;
http://www.epa.gov/RDEE/energy-resources/calculator.html
U.S. EPA; Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the
Construction and Development Point Source Category;
proposed rule, November 28, 2008; 73 CFR 72561-7261 4
' U.S. EPA; Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers;
http://www.wbdg.org/design/greenspec.php
' U.S. Green Building Council; LEED for New Construction;
Version 3, April 2009; http://www.usgbc.org
' U.S. EPA OSWER/OSRTI; Green Response and Remedial
Action Contracting and Administrative Toolkit;
http://www.cluin.org/greenremediation/subtab_b2.cfm
1 U.S. EPA; Elements for Effective Management of Operating
Pump and Treat Systems; EPA 542-R-02-009, December
2002; http://www.cluin.org/rse
1 U.S. EPA; CLU-IN; Remediation Optimization; P&T
application descriptions, guidance, and remedial system
evaluations at: http://www.cluin.org/rse
Visit Green Remediation Focus online:
http://www.cluin.org/greenremediation
For more information, contact:
Carlos Pachon, OSWER/OSRTI (pachon.carlos@epa.gov)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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