SEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response (5203P)
EPA 542-F-12-029
October 2012
Green  Remediation  Best Management Practices:
Implementing  In  Situ Thermal Technologies
Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation
                                                                       Quick Reference Fact Sheet
  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Principles for
  Greener Cleanups outline 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.
Over recent years, the use of in situ thermal (1ST) systems
to remediate  contaminated sites has notably increased.
Since  fiscal year 2005,  for example, remedies involving
1ST technology have been selected for 18 Superfund sites.
1ST technologies also have been used more frequently for
RCRA  corrective  actions, brownfield  sites,  or  military
installations needing accelerated cleanup. When properly
applied in  well-defined  contaminant source zones,  1ST
technologies  may  effectively  remediate a  site  within
months rather than years.

1ST implementation  typically  involves   independent or
combined use of three primary technologies to apply heat
in targeted  subsurface zones: electrical resistance heating
(ERH),  thermal conductive heating  (TCH), and/or steam
enhanced extraction (SEE). 1ST implementation also relies
on soil vapor extraction (SVE) to collect and  carry  the
chemical vapors  to  the  surface for  treatment.  Other
remediation system  components that  may be  used in
conjunction  with   1ST   technologies   include  pumping
networks to control groundwater flow  in the  treatment
zone and dual-phase extraction  wells to extract source
water,  non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL), and vapor. By
aggressively treating the  source area,  1ST implementation
can significantly reduce the  amount  of contamination
needing to be addressed by groundwater  cleanup efforts.

1ST technologies can be used to:

• Treat contaminant source areas  in  diverse geologic
  strata, including clay, silt, sand, and fractured bedrock
• Remove  volatile  organic   compounds  (VOCs)  and
  semivolatile organic compounds  sorbed to  the  soil in
  both the  saturated  and  unsaturated  (vadose) zones of
  the subsurface
• Capture  and  treat contaminants existing  in  the non-
  aqueous  phase, or
• Strip dissolved contaminants from groundwater.
                                         The   environmental  footprint  of   implementing   these
                                         technologies  can  be  reduced  by adhering  to   EPA's
                                         Principles for Greener Cleanups. The core elements
                                         of a greener cleanup involve:

                                         • Reducing   total   energy  use   and  increasing  the
                                           percentage of renewable energy
                                         • Reducing  air pollutants and  greenhouse  gas  (GHG)
                                           emissions
                                         • Reducing  water   use
                                           and negative impacts
                                           on water resources
                                         • Improving   materials
                                           management    and
                                           waste      reduction
                                           efforts, and
                                           Protecting ecosystem
                                                                                     Materials
                                                                                     & Waste
                                                    Energy
                                       Land&
                                     Ecosystems
      Air&
     Atmosphere
                                               Water
                                         EPA's suite  of  green remediation  BMPs describes
                                         specific techniques or tools to achieve a greener cleanup.
                                         Associated  documents  in EPA's "BMP fact sheet" series
                                         provide   detail   about  BMPs   applying   to   various
                                         remediation technologies, cleanup phases,  or common
                                         issues.2  The BMPs are  intended for  general  use or
                                         adaptation   wherever   feasible;   for  example,   BMP
                                         modifications  may be  necessary to  account  for the
                                         relatively short duration of most 1ST applications.

                                         Opportunities to reduce the environmental footprint of 1ST
                                         applications correlate to the common cleanup phases:

                                         > Design, including  ERH, TCH, and SEE components as
                                            well as vapor extraction systems
                                         > Construction
                                         > Operation and maintenance, and
                                         > Monitoring.
                                          Design
                                         Green remediation strategies for designing an 1ST system
                                         depend  on  a  thorough  understanding  of  the  site
                                         hydrogeology and contaminant location(s) to assure that:

                                         • The target zone, including the majority of source-area
                                           NAPL, receives treatment
                                         • System modifications such as reduced heating rates or
                                           duration can be made for selected areas during project
                                           design or as treatment progresses, and
                                         • Areas outside the target zone are not heated.

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This assurance helps allocate resources  effectively and
avoid  unnecessary  expenditure  of water,  energy, and
other natural resources.  It also helps minimize emission of
air  contaminants,  generation of  additional  waste, and
disturbance to land  and  existing  ecosystems throughout
the  life  of  the  project.   Green  remediation   BMPs
particularly applying to 1ST system design include:

• Test and  refine  the conceptual  site model  previously
  developed during  site  investigation, and  prepare for
  additional  refinements during system construction and
  operation
• Conduct  comprehensive soil  sampling  to assure that
  data  used for  determining baseline electrical resistivity
  represent the entire treatment area; for example,  wetter
  soil  areas may  need  lower power  inputs than  dryer
  areas  in order to  propagate an  electricity current and
  meet target temperatures
• Maximize use of waterless direct-push drilling tools for
  screening  purposes,  such as  a  membrane  interface
  probe for VOCs or a  laser-induced fluorescence  probe
  for petroleum hydrocarbons, rather than more  invasive
  and energy-intensive  rotary drilling techniques  needed
  for confirmatory sampling, and
• Use other high-resolution imagery techniques such  as
  seismic reflection to confirm stratigraphic continuities.3

Additional BMPs are  described in  Green Remediation Best
Management Practices: Site Investigation.2"

Effective 1ST system design also relies on analytical models
to optimize the spacing  of heating  wells  in relation  to
energy  use  and  heating  duration  and  the efficiency  of
vapor recovery equipment. Modeling efforts may be  aided
by  applying  EPA's A/lefhodo/ogy for Understanding and
Reducing a  Project's  Environmental  Footprint,   which
provides an  approach to quantifying a  project's  energy,
air, water, materials,  and waste components.4
  EPA's  footprint assessment "methodology"  was  used  for
  designing 1ST implementation and excavation  with offsite
  disposal  to remediate the South Tacoma Channel Well
  12A site in  Washington. Although  1ST technology  is energy
  intensive, its estimated environmental footprint was found to
  be lower at this site when compared to excavation. The lower
  footprint was attributed to the site's available electricity, which
  is supplied by offsite facilities where more than  98% of the
  power is generated from hydroelectric and nuclear resources.
  Based  on the footprint assessment  results, remedial designs
  were modified to reflect smaller excavation areas  (involving
  an approximate 50% reduction in the excavation volume) and
  a corresponding,  larger 1ST target zone. BMPs used  to reduce
  the footprint of the remaining excavation/disposal efforts and
  construction  of the 1ST system included:
  * Using  cleaner  engines, cleaner fuel,  and diesel emission
    control technology on all diesel equipment
  * Segregating and locally recycling  excavated concrete, and
  • Selecting  the nearest  soil  "borrow" sources  and waste
    disposal facilities, to minimize transport and associated air
    emissions.
Green  remediation  BMPs  for general  design  of  1ST
systems include:

• Minimize piping runs from the extraction well field to the
  treatment system
• Explore combined thermal  treatment technologies  at
  sites with varying geologic units, to maximize efficiencies
• Consider  a  phased  approach that sequentially  heats
  subareas of large sites, to reduce equipment needs and
  identify opportunities for conserving energy and  other
  resources over time
  Integrate    sources   of
  renewable   energy   at
  various scales, such  as
  small   re-useable   or
  portable    photovoltaic
  systems or wind turbines
  to provide supplemental
  power  for   equipment
  such    as   pumps   or
  blowers,  and/or   utility-
  scale  systems  that may
  be  used for ongoing  or
  future   site  activities  or
  for  sale  as  distributed
  power,2b and
  Establish a project base-
  line  on  information  such  as  electricity  and  water
  consumption,  volumes   of  material  purchases,  and
  offsite  disposal volumes, which can be used to identify,
  implement,  and  measure continuous  improvements to
  an  operating  system  and  identify  opportunities  for
  modifications resulting in major efficiency gains.
Sources  of  renewable
energy may include:
* Solar energy captured by
  photovoltaic,  solar  ther-
  mal, or concentrated so-
  lar power technology
* Wind energy gathered by
  mechanical windmills  or
  electricity-generating
  turbines
* Biomass such as forestry
  or agricultural waste
• Methane recovered  from
  landfill gas, and
• Hydropower from flowing
  surface  water or ocean
 Most green remediation BMPs for 1ST implementation apply
 to  ERH,  TCH,  and  SEE technologies,  although different
 processes and  equipment involved  in  each can  provide
 unique opportunities to reduce their environmental footprint.
Electrical Resistance Heating

ERH  technology  involves  subsurface   placement  of
electrodes  that  can accept three- or six-phase electrical
current.  Resistance to  the  current's  passage among the
electrodes   causes  heating  of  soil  across  the  entire
treatment area  or at  selected  subsurface  intervals. To
facilitate soil contact with the electrode, graphite  or steel
shot   is   placed   around   each   electrode.   Target
temperatures are generally  100 °C or the boiling  point of
water, which may be higher at increased depths below the
water table. Loss of heat at ground  surfaces is minimized
by installing a cap.

The contaminants are steam stripped or vaporized  and the
steam/vapor is collected  by vacuum vapor recovery wells
for  treatment at the  ground surface. At some sites, the
recovery wells  can be  constructed as dual-phase  (liquid
and  vapor) recovery wells. As the  water boils  off near
electrodes  in the vadose  zone, additional water is added
to maintain soil electrical  conductance,  usually  through

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use of a drip tube system. The subsurface heating process
is monitored by thermocouples and pressure transducers.

The  ex  situ  vapor treatment  system  typically  includes
piping, one or more blowers, a knockout tank to separate
vapor   from  entrained  water,  a  condenser  for  pre-
treatment  cooling,  and  treatment  equipment such as
granulated  charcoal   or  thermal  oxidation  units.  If
groundwater  and/or  NAPL   is  extracted,   additional
equipment such  as  a  separator  tank  with a   water-
treatment system is required.

Green remediation BMPs for ERH system design include:

• Consider co-locating electrodes and recovery wells in
  the same borehole, particularly in the saturated zone, to
  minimize land disturbance
• Assure  all electrodes are  free of rust or  debris  before
  placement, to maximize heat transfer
• Use  condensate  or treated water as  makeup water for
  the condenser cooling  tower  or recycle them  into the
  drip system, and
• Use  off-gases from a thermal  oxidation unit to help  heat
  recycled water for the drip system.
 In  2007,  an  ERH  system  was  installed  at  the  Total
 Petrochemicals & Refining USA  Inc. former hulk fuel
 terminal in Greensboro, North Carolina. This 1ST application:
 * Used high resolution techniques and analytical modeling to
   divide the  site into four  1.2-acre zones and develop a
   phased heating approach that optimized use of electricity
   and natural gas
 * Used  a real-time  control system that  allowed  discrete
   targeting of specific subsurface  depth intervals for heating
   on a minute-by-minute basis to increase heating efficiency
 • Reused treated water to maintain moisture at electrodes
 * Used an air-water heat exchanger that allowed the thermal
   oxidizer off-gas to serve as a source of heat for pre-heating
   water prior to its reuse at the electrodes
 * Included frequent process  review and optimization to focus
   the use of power and other resources on hotspots, and
 * Repurposed  the  recovered/recondensed  waste  product
   (gasoline) through sale to local fuel recyclers.
 By the end of active heating in the fourth (final) zone in 2012,
 approximately  880,000  pounds   of contaminant  mass
 (approximately 75% of the original mass estimate) had been
 recovered. A total of 10.4 MW/hr of electricity was used to
 operate the ERH system, at a cost of $1.8 million. The overall
 unit cost for this 1ST remedy was $90-95 per cubic yard.
                       2007 Groundwater Remediation Award
                          National Ground Water Association
Thermal Conductive Heating

Thermal conductive heating (also known as in situ thermal
desorption)  supplies  heat to  the soil through  steel wells
that contain heaters reaching to various depths.  In areas
of shallow groundwater, TCH implementation may involve
horizontal in addition to vertical  wells for vapor extraction
in  order  to  minimize  upwelling   caused  by  vacuum
extraction. BMPs for TCH design  include:
• Assure  suitable  sizing  of  in-well  heating  units,  to
  optimize energy use
• Include feedback loops in the process control system, to
  allow  precise  application  of  heat  and  the  desired
  temperature and duration
• Explore the use of natural gas-fired systems that enable
  in-well combustion  of the contaminants and recovery of
  associated heat, resulting in a lower energy demand
• Integrate  a combined  heat and power (CHP) system
  powered by natural gas or cleaner diesel, to generate
  electricity while capturing waste heat that can be used
  to  condition   air  inside   buildings  used  for  vapor
  treatment or other onsite operations, and
• Choose  designs that allow post-cleanup reuse  of the
  underground    piping    network   for   infrastructure
  components such as geothermal systems.

Steam Enhanced Extraction

SEE  technology  involves  introduction  of steam to  the
subsurface by injecting it from ground surface into wells.
The resulting condensate and excess  steam are extracted
for  above-ground treatment  through conventional water
and  vapor treatment  systems. Green  remediation BMPs
unique to SEE technology include:

• Choose  a water-tube  boiler  rather than  a  fire-tube
  boiler wherever feasible; the smaller tubes in water-tube
  boilers increase boiler efficiency by allowing more  heat
  transfer from exhaust gases
• Consider adding pipe  insulation to  prevent  heat loss
  and increasing insulation  wherever feasible  for  other
  components most susceptible to heat loss
• Install  heat  recovery  equipment  such as  feedwater
  economizers   and/or combustion  air  preheaters,  to
  recover and use heat otherwise lost in exhaust  gas
• Minimize excess air in the steam generation process, to
  reduce the amount of heat lost through the stack, and
• Install solar thermal  equipment to preheat boiler feed-
  water and  makeup  water, to reduce the energy needed
  for  raising water temperatures to the target levels.

More information about  opportunities to improve steam
system performance and  tools to assess steam systems is
available from the U.S. Department of Energy.5
       SEE System Optimization: Rules of Thumb
 Small changes in boiler efficiency can result in significant fuel
 conservation and related cost savings. For example:
 • A typical natural-gas fired 120,000 pounds/hour industrial
   boiler producing 700 °F steam at a  pressure of 400 psig
   could cost $13 million to operate over one year;7 a boiler
   efficiency improvement as small as  1% could reduce the
   operating cost by $130,000.
 * Boiler efficiency can be increased  by 1% for each 15%
   reduction  in  excess air or 4  °F reduction  in stack  gas
   temperature.
 " Minimizing the non-condensable matter in  blowdown from
   condensing equipment for boiler systems  is  critical; every
   1% of  non-condensables  in steam  can  cause  a  10%
   reduction in the heat transfer coefficient.7

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 Cleanup  of  Operable Unit 2 at the Grove/cmd Wells
 Superfund Site in  Grove/and,  Massachusetts,  in 2010-
 201 1  involved ERH technology with enhanced in situ steam
 production to address a trichloroethene (TCE) source area.
 Implementation included:
 • Subsurface injection of water-conditioning salts to increase
   electrical conductivity of the soil
 • Installation of  a  sound-absorbing  curtain to  reduce
   transmission of high frequency sounds emitted by the vapor
   extraction system blowers
 • Use of a steam generator to  operate 14 steam  "spears"
   that increased moisture content  and electrical conductivity
   in targeted portions of the shallow vadose zone, and
 * Installation of  two 2-inch-thick  polystyrene  insulating
   boards directly above the concrete vapor cover,  to reduce
   heat loss by approximately 98% during unexpected winter
   operations.
 Electricity costs  for the six-month  ERH application, steam
 enhancement, and extraction systems totaled approximately
 $604,000.   Upon  system   shutdown,  performance  data
 indicated removal of over 1,300 pounds ofVOCs and a 97%
 reduction in source area TCE concentrations.
Soil Vapor Extraction

The  environmental footprint  of  systems  used for ex situ
treatment of vapors extracted from 1ST systems is affected
significantly  by   generation  of  material  waste   and
wastewater  as  well as consumption  of  energy. Roughly
70% of SVE systems at Superfund sites have used granular
activated carbon  (GAC) treatment and approximately 25%
used  thermal  or catalytic oxidation.  Wastes  potentially
needing offsite treatment and disposal  include spent non-
regenerable  carbon canisters or liquid condensate from
air/water   separators.   Green  remediation   BMPs  for
designing vapor extraction systems include:

• Use the  minimum  air flow  rate that  can  meet  the
  cleanup   objectives   and   schedule  while  minimizing
  energy consumption
• Assure suitable sizing  of vacuum  pumps and blowers
  that are  used to extract air from the subsurface,  which
  will optimize  energy use
• Consider using combined  cryogenic  compression and
  condensation technology instead of thermal oxidation to
  treat    vapor    streams   with    high    contaminant
  concentrations; a cryogenic system  allows  recovery  of
  contaminant vapor as a liquid for potential recycling or
  resale
• Treat condensate in onsite systems where contaminant
  types   and    concentrations   permit,   rather   than
  discharging  it  to (and  increasing  the burden on)  the
  publically owned treatment works (POTW)
• Plan  to  recycle  condenser  water  as  supplemental
  cooling water where concentrations permit, to minimize
  use of fresh water
• Minimize  sizing of above-ground structures that  house
  extraction  or  treatment  equipment  and  use   green
  building  elements  such as passive  lighting,  rainwater
  collection  systems,  and  federally  designated  green
  products,8 and
• Consider including horizontal wells in the well  network,
  to improve overall efficiency of air extraction.

Additional  BMPs regarding vapor extraction system  design
are  available  in Green  Remediation  Best Management
Practices: Soil Vapor Extraction & Air Sparing.2c
                               Since   late   2009,   a
                               cryogenic    compression
                               and condensation process
                               has  been used to recover
                               hydrocarbons  from  SVE
                               operations  at the State
                               Road 114 Superfund site
                               in Levelland,  Texas. Over
                               the  first seven  months  of
                               operation,   the   process
                               brought in project revenue
                               of approximately $45,000,
                               approximately 70% of the
                               SVE  system's   electricity
                               costs.
 Construction
Well  installation   can  significantly  contribute  to  the
environmental footprint of 1ST system  construction. Green
remediation BMPs that can  help reduce the environmental
footprint of construction activities  relating  to wells and
other 1ST system components include:

• Use direct-push  technology (DPT)  for well  installation
  wherever feasible,  to   eliminate  drill   cuttings  and
  associated  waste   disposal,  avoid  consumption   or
  disposal of drilling  fluids, and  reduce drilling duration
  by as much  as 50-60% when compared to conventional
  rigs; for example, DPT can  be used to install standard
  2-inch diameter vacuum extraction wells, air injection
  wells,  groundwater depression  wells, and  monitoring
  points
• Segregate drill cuttings by appropriately stockpiling next
  to  a  borehole  and awaiting  analytical  results;  under
  many cleanup programs, clean  soil may  be distributed
  near boreholes or backfilled into a boring
• Choose  ground  surface  capping materials  containing
  recycled contents9
• Install a  thermal  insulation vapor cover to maximize 1ST
  operations in cold climates, and
• Winterize all  above-ground  piping  before onset  of
  freezing   temperatures,   to  avoid   downtime   and
  inefficiencies associated with freezing temperatures.

Evaluating  the  options  may include  consideration  of
potential  environmental  tradeoffs.  In  the  case of  using
DPT,  for example, its deployment ease can reduce fuel-
intensive field activities; however,  attempted  DPT use at
depths  approaching  the technology's  typical  limit (100
feet) could result in wasted  fuel or  well installation failure.

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Another  example  is the use of small-diameter injection
wells that can lead to large pressure drops and increased
energy consumption of the system.

Emission of GHG  and particulate  matter from trucks and
other mobile sources  during  1ST construction  can  be
reduced through BMPs such as:

• Retrofit equipment for cleaner engine exhaust
• Use ultra low-sulfur diesel in heavy machinery, and
• Institute a reduced idling  plan.

Additional BMPs regarding  fuel conservation and reduced
air  emissions  from stationary as well  as  mobile sources
are provided  in  Green Remediation  Best Management
Practices:  Clean   Fuel  &  Emission  Technologies  for
Cleanup211

Other   BMPs  that  can  be  used  during  1ST  system
construction  involve minimizing  disturbance to the  land,
ecosystems, and nearby residents or workers.

• Include  sound-proofing   material  in   aboveground
  housing  for vapor  extraction  equipment  that  often
  generates  high  levels of noise; acoustic barriers  with
  recycled  or recyclable components may  be constructed
  onsite or obtained commercially
• Choose   centrifugal   blowers  rather   than   positive
  displacement  blowers (which tend  to  generate  more
  noise) if the applied efficiencies are comparable
• Install air-line mufflers to  decrease  equipment noise
• Install directional shields on significant lighting sources
  such  as  safety  beacons  for the  power  distribution
  system, to minimize visual disturbance of nearby human
  or animal populations
• Limit  tree  removal  to  only those  truly  obstructing
  construction or operation of the treatment systems, and
• Transplant any shrubs from proposed extraction  points
  to other onsite locations.

Project  footprints  on  water  resources may  be reduced
during  construction by BMPs such as:

• Install  mechanisms  to reclaim treated  groundwater for
  onsite use such as dust control, vegetation irrigation, or
  process input for other treatment systems
• Devise    methods    to    re-inject    uncontaminated
  groundwater that was pumped solely for the purpose of
  depressing the water table (and consequently preventing
  upwelling) rather than discharging it to the POTW
• Create grassed  swales or grass-lined channels outside
  the treatment area, to minimize incoming  stormwater
  runoff and  route it to landscaped  areas for  gradual
  infiltration or evapotranspiration, and
• Choose porous  asphalt  that allows  water percolation,
  rather than impermeable  concrete, to  cover ground
  surfaces of adjacent work or storage areas.

Additional  BMPs  regarding treatment, conservation  and
management of water during site cleanup  are available in
Green  Remediation Besf Management  Practices:  Pump
and Treat Technologies.2"
Operation and Maintenance
Potential inefficiencies contributing to the environmental
footprint of 1ST applications  often  relate to release of
contaminant   vapors  through  vertical   short-circuiting,
incomplete treatment of off-gases, or migration of vapors
beyond the treatment zone. Unintended  vapor emissions
or system inefficiencies can be  reduced by BMPs such as:

• Consider adding a  low-permeability soil cap at an area
  with  negative pressure to prevent intrusion of clean air
  that can short circuit the extraction system
• Assure that  the  zone of influence  of  vapor extraction
  wells completely covers the treatment area
• Properly  maintain  surface seals around all  wells  and
  monitoring points
• Avoid or minimize dewatering  when  lowering of the
  water table  is  unneeded to treat the  smear  zone or
  otherwise unnecessary, by reducing the applied vacuum
  or installing  additional extraction vents
• Maintain flow rates sufficient to prevent vapors  from
  migrating   beyond   the   treatment   area   without
  overloading  the treatment system
• Regenerate adsorbtive media such as GAC filters, and
• Modify  the   vapor treatment  system   as  needed, to
  accommodate changing influent vapor concentrations
  as treatment progresses.

Periodic  remedial system  evaluation  can  help  identify
BMPs to improve performance and efficiency of 1ST system
operations  (including  vapor   or  dual-phase  extraction
processes)  as cleanup progresses, such as:

• Re-evaluate  efficacy of  the  air/vapor  treatment on  a
  periodic  basis,  to  identify any  opportunity for  reduced
  material  use or waste generation
• Periodically  re-sample  groundwater  of a  dual-phase
  extraction system to assure  adequate  characterization
  and  treatment  of  light non-aqueous  phase  liquid
  (LNAPL); for example, mineral  spirit LNAPL associated
  with  VOC   contamination  can  generate  a need  for
  increased backwashing
• Adjust flow rates as needed to  obtain  the minimum air
  flow  and maximum  amount of contaminants per volume
  of vapor removed
• Shut down equipment no longer needed; for example,
  electrodes or recovery wells  in some areas may be  shut
  down as soon  as  performance levels are  met while
  others continue to operate
• Modify any  wells no  longer contributing  contaminants
  within a  given  manifold system,  despite  proper  well
  functioning,  or take them offline, and
• Develop  an  exit strategy, including  performance values
  that  trigger  termination of the  active  heating  process;
  for example, a  pre-defined  level of diminishing returns
  could prompt heating system shutdown and conversion
  to one  or more remediation "polishing" technologies
  with a smaller environmental footprint.

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Monitoring
Decreases in field visit frequency and associated fuel and
material consumption or waste generation  during system
monitoring can be achieved through  BMPs such as:

• Increase automation through  use of equipment such as
  electronic  pressure transducers and thermo-couples with
  an automatic data  logger (rather than manual readings)
  to record data at frequent intervals
• Use  electrical  resistance tomography  to monitor soil
  moisture levels that may vary over time, which affects
  the  project's  soil  resistivity  estimates  and  associated
  energy demands
• Use   field  test  kits  or  analyze  for   only  indicator
  compounds whenever possible
• Monitor soil temperatures on a regular basis to assure
  uniform  heating  in target areas  and  avoid  unexpected
  heating  and energy waste in non-targeted areas, and
• Use  a control system that can be  remotely  accessed  to
  avoid  bringing staff to the site daily.
       Implementing In Situ Thermal Technologies:
                 Recommended Checklist
 Design
     Establish a conceptual site model
     Maximize use of high-resolution imagery techniques
     Consider a phased heating approach
     Integrate sources of renewable energy
     Establish a baseline on resource consumption and
     waste generation
 Construction
     Consider co-locating wells with heating equipment
     Choose materials with  recycled contents
     Employ direct-push technology wherever feasible
     Screen drill cuttings for potential onsite reuse
     Integrate techniques to lower or buffer noise
     Reclaim treated or clean pumped water for onsite
     use or return to the aquifer
     Employ cleaner fuels, clean emission technologies,
     and fuel conservation techniques
 Operation and maintenance
     Maintain surface seals
     Modify flow rates to meet changing site conditions
     Continuously evaluate the potential for downsizing
     or shutting down equipment as cleanup progresses
 Monitoring
     Maximize automated and remote monitoring
     capabilities
     Use field test kits whenever feasible
     Include data collection from  areas immediately
     beyond the target area
  Natural resource efficiencies during 1ST implementation can
  he gained through acquisition  of environmentally preferable
  goods   and  services.  EPA's   Green  Response  and
  Remedial Action  Contracting and  Administrative
  Toolkit contains sample language  for cleanup contracts and
  potential  reporting  structures  to   help   track  associated
  environmental improvements.10 Use of a performance-based
  contract  with  clear  criteria  such   as  target   heating
  temperatures   can   also   help   assure   a   minimized
  environmental footprint while controlling costs  throughout the
  life of an 1ST project.
  References [Web accessed: October 2012]
1  U.S. EPA Principles for Greener C/eonups; August 27, 2009;
  http://www.epa.gov/oswer/greenercleanups
2  U.S. EPA; Green Remediation Best Management Practices:
  "Site Investigation; EPA542-F-09-004; December 2009
  b Integrating Renewable Energy into Site Cleanup; EPA 542-F-l 1 -006;
   April 201 1
  c Soil Vapor Extraction & Air Sparging; EPA 542-F-l 0-007; March
   2010
  d Clean Fuel & Emission Technologies for Site Cleanup; EPA 542-F-
   10-008; August 2010
  e Pump and Treat Technologies; EPA 542-F-09-005; December 2009
3   U.S. EPA;  Site Characterization Technologies for DNAPL
   Investigations; EPA542-R-04-01 7; September 2004
4   U.S. EPA;  CLU-IN Green Remediation Focus; Footprint Assessment:
   http://www.cl uin.org/greenremediation/subtab_b3.cfm
5   U.S. DOE Advanced Manufacturing Office; Steam Systems;
   http://wwwl .eere.energy.gov/manufacturing/tech_deployment/stea
   m.html
6   U.S. DOE/EERE; DOE's Best Practices Steam End User Training;
   September 8, 2010;
   http://wwwl .eere.energy.gov/manufacturing/pdfs/efficiencydefinitio
   n.pdf
7   U.S. DOE/EERE; Steam Generation, Distribution, Energy Use, and
   Recovery;
   http://wwwl .eere.energy.gov/manufacturing/tech_deployment/stea
   mbasics.html#generation
8   U.S. General Services Administration; Green Products Compilation;
   http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/198257
9   U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration;
   User Guidelines for Waste and Byproduct Materials in  Pavement
   Construction;
   http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structu
   res/97148/
10  U.S. EPA;  Greener Cleanups Contracting and Administrative Toolkit;
   http://www.clu in.org/green re mediation/docs/Greener_Cleanups_C
   ontracting_and_Administrative_Toolkit.pdf

  EPA/OSWER appreciates the many contributions to this fact sheet, as
     provided by EPA regions and laboratories or private industry.

  The Agency is publishing this fact sheet as a means of disseminating
information regarding the BMPs of green remediation; mention of specific
      products or vendors does not constitute EPA endorsement.
             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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