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INNOVATIVE RESEARCH FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Sustainable Materials Management
is a systematic approach to using and reusing materials
more productively over their entire lifecycles. This
transformative approach to natural resource use and
environmental protection advances the scientific
foundation used to manage and develop innovative
solutions for municipal, industrial, biological, and
emerging wastes and materials.
Introduction
The Center Hill Research Facility (CHRF) in Cincinnati,
Ohio, is EPA's center of expertise for sustainable materials
management and land management research. Scientists
at CHRF specialize in nanomaterial research, sediment/
soil contaminant interaction, form and transport of
contaminants in the environment, and waste management.
This research directly supports two of EPA's six National
Research Programs that provide the scientific foundation
needed to protect public health and the environment:
Sustainable and Healthy Communities.
Chemical Safety for Sustainability.
Facility and Staff
Facility: Located on 18.5 acres of land, the 20,500 ft2
facility includes nine laboratories (11,000 ft2), high bay area
(4100 ft2), and field research equipment staging and
storage enclosures (5,400 ft2). CHRF is one of four EPA
research facilities in Cincinnati.
Staff: CHRF staff includes eight EPA employees and
18 non-federal contractors, students and interns.
The Center Hill Research Facility's High Bay Experimental Area
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research arid Development
Capabilities
CHRF's unique, specialized equipment and instrumentation
enable researchers to determine and measure the chemical
and microbiological characteristics of waste, leachates, soil
and sediments. Unique capabilities at CHRF include:
a High Bay, accommodating pilot- and larger-scale
experiments not possible in standard laboratories, is
equipped with a large-scale lysimeter, simulated soil
columns, waste composters, and digesters;
a suite of equipment for nanomaterials research
includes a dynamic light scattering zetasizer nano
instrument to determine size, zeta potential and
molecular weight of engineered nanomaterials, as well
as a nanomaterial capable fume hood;
EPA/601/F-17/003

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CHRF Capabilities (Cont.)
a Mossbauer Spectrophotometer measures specific
elements (usually iron) in soil and helps determine how
the content affects the bioavailability of arsenic in soils;
advanced atomic level analytical equipment
includes a scanning X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy
(XPS) unit, which can estimate formula and elemental
composition, chemical state and electronic state of
the elements on the surface of a material.
CHRF scientists have access to the Advanced Photon
Source of Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois, where they
apply their expertise to determine the atomic-level form,
fate, and transport characteristics of specific metal
contaminants.
Technical Support and Assistance
CHRF scientists are part of EPA's Engineering Technical
Support Center (ETSC), headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.
ETSC delivers expertise on the latest methods, approaches,
and technologies to characterize, remediate, and manage
pollution at contaminated sites. Through ETSC, CHRF scien-
tists provide technical information and expertise in soii, sedi-
ment, and mine waste to EPA regional offices and
Superfund site project managers. Their efforts ensure the
cutting edge research is considered during complex
contaminated site cleanups.
Science Contributions
CHRF scientists lead EPA's sustainable materials and land management research programs. These scientists produce
advanced methods and technologies for environmental sustainability solutions. They address materials that raise risk at
disposal sites and provide tools for waste reduction. CHRF scientists' research efforts continue to minimize environmental
and human health risks from materials when used, reused, recycled, and ultimately disposed of on land. Materials include
municipal, hazardous and electronic waste; and building materials from construction and demolition.
Active research topics include:
Research protocols for engineered nanomaterials
(ENMs) and for evaluating exposure and toxicity in
complex biological or environmental systems.
Characterization and remediation of contaminated soil
and sediments.
Essential data on the bioavailability of contaminants in
soil at Superfund sites for site assessors.
Research methods to study elevated temperatures and
effects of landfill leachate and approaches for treating it.
Long-term performance of waste containment systems.
Landfill bioreactors to actively degrade waste after
disposal, reducing reliance on containment systems.
Management of construction and demolition of debris,
Including disassembly and reuse of materials.
Oil spill simulant development to allow the study of
simulated spills in open waters without environmental
contamination.
Notable scientific products and achievements include:
Pioneering EPA's nanotechnology research program.
Creating systems, approaches and models that have
helped transform land and waste management
practices in the U.S. including:
Waste containment systems using geosynthetic
and natural barriers and liquid collection layers.
Waste degradation approaches to minimize
footprint of waste materials management.
Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance
(HELP) model for leachate estimation.
Waste Reduction Model (WARM).
Developing data and methods on the bioavailability of
arsenic, lead and other contaminants in soils that
support the selection of less costly, risk-based cleanup
approaches.
Advancing the science underlying the use of passive
treatment options for contaminated surface water at
remote, abandoned mine sites.
Mine Waste Field Research
2
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research arid Development
CHRF Contact:
David Carson, carson.david@epa.aov

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