Green Remediation Highlights in EPA Region 4 Sanford Gasification Plant Green Remediation Benefits Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions Waste Reduction and Recycling and Local Economic Impacts


GREEN

REMEDIATION

SEPA

United States
Environmental Protection
Agency

Sanford Gasification Plant Green Remediation Benefits: Greenhouse Gas Emission
Reductions, Waste Reduction and Recycling, and Local Economic Impacts

SITE BACKGROUND: The Sanford Gasification Plant (SGP) site is located in a
residential/commercial area of Sanford, Florida, approximately 25 miles northeast of
Orlando. Historically, the SGP site was a Manufactured Gasification Plant that operated from
the 1880s to approximately 1951. Water gas and carbureted water gas were manufactured
at the SGP by carbonization or destructive distillation of bituminous coal and coke. At the
end of the manufacturing process, gas holder tanks, frequently used to store waste tars and
condensates, frequently leaked resulting in contamination,

CONTAMINATION AND REMEDIAL ACTIONS: Since the early 1990s,
several potentially responsible parties (PRPs), referred to as the Sanford PRP Group,
have undertaken actions relating to environmental concerns at the site, EPA and the
Florida Department of Environmental Protection also conducted site-related environmental
investigationstodetermine potential impactstosoil, groundwater, surface water and sediments
from operations of the former gasification plant. The Sanford PRP Group initiated cleanup
activities under EPA oversight in December 2009 to address contaminated subsurface soils
and creek sediments. The project included stabilization of more than 142,000 cubic yards of
soil as well as the diversion and restoration of more than 2,300 feet of creek bed. To date,
this is the largest completed environmental on-site stabilization project in the United States.
Contaminated ground water will be addressed through monitored natural attenuation, The
site is not listed on the National Priorities List (NPL), but is considered to be an NPL-caliber
site and is being addressed through the Superfund Alternative Approach.

A photo from the Sanford Museum shows the
gasification plant in the early 1900s.

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GREEN

APPLYING GREENER BMPS:

The Sanford PRP Group in collaboration
with EPA, Natural Resource Technology,
Inc. (remedial oversight contractor), and
WRScompass (remedial construction
contractor), voluntarily adopted and
implemented greener BMPs that reduced
the environmental carbon foot print resulting
from cleanup activities in addition to other
benefits.

Minimizing Total Energy Use and
Maximizing Use of Renewable Energy

The primary way the Sanford remedial
team minimized total energy use was by
using granulated blast furnace slag instead
of cement as part of the contaminated soil
stabilization formula; this resulted in 13,700
tons of avoided C02 emissions. The Sanford
remedial team also used a gravity drain
system along the creek instead of relying
on large diesel pumps to divert over 500
linear feet of stream during remediation of
contaminated sediments. In addition, the
team used solar-powered backups for the
perimeter air monitoring system.

Beneficial Reuse of Materials/Reduction
of Materials and M/asfe Reduction

Actions taken related to the beneficial reuse
of materials/waste reduction efforts included:
use of recycled concrete for creek bed
material to limit erosion (i.e., riprap); chipping
and mulching of approximately 5,000 cubic
yards of trees and stumps removed for
heavy equipment operation subsequently
sent to local landscaping companies; reuse
of on-site soils determined to be clean for on-
site use; and concrete recycling.

Use of Local Labor and Supplies

The Sanford remedial team used local labor,
vendors and supplies where possible. Both
the remedial engineer and remedial contractor
hired local personnel to fill various positions
needed in areas of technical, administrative,
skilled labor and general labor positions.
Approximately 75 percent of the purchases
were made from local vendors, resulting in
approximately $8 million in local economic
impacts. In addition, the city performed on-
site recycling where appropriate.

www.epa.gov/superfund/greenremediation

Solar-powered backup power sources were used for the
perimeter air monitoring system.

POINT OF CONTACT:

Julie Santiago-Ocasio
U.S. EPA Region 4 Superfund
Green Remediation Coordinator
santiago-ocasio.carmen@epa.gov

LESSONS:

This project demonstrates that through team
work, coordination, and careful consideration
to the environmental impacts resulting from
all aspects of cleanup, opportunities for
significant environmental improvements
can be identified and implemented, even for
large-scale remedial projects. In addition,
it demonstrates that PRPs are willing to
adopt greener BMPs because they are
not only good for the environment, but in
most instances they result in time and cost
savings.

About the Calculations

Calculations of environmental and economic impacts as
well as cost savings were prepared by WRScompass. CO,
emission reductions are based on U.S. Energy Information
Administration emission factors.

Minimizing Air Pollutants and GHG
Emissions and Maximizing Use of
Machinery Equipped with Advanced
Emission Controls

Actions taken to reduce impacts to air quality
and greenhouse gas emissions, in addition
to those discussed above, included: use of
B20 (a biodiesel/petroleum diesel blend)
and ultra-low sulfur diesel; use of more fuel
efficient tier-2 and tier-3 equipment; use of
anti-idling for heavy equipment; and use of
biodegradable foam suppressants to reduce
air pollutants.

Minimizing Water Use and Impacts to
Water Resources

The Sanford remedial team sought to
reduce water use where possible, including
collecting and reusing site water. In total, 3.7
million gallons of water were recycled.

vvEPA

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