Environmental impact assessment using a GSR tool for a landfarming case in South Korea

Qualitative and quantitative simulation of best management practices (BMPs) for contaminated megasite remediation using the SiteWise™ tool

Remediation activities, particularly in megasites, may induce substantial secondary environmental impacts that must be addressed for green and sustainable remediation (GSR) practices. Only limited studies are available quantitatively assessing the environmental footprint and environmental benefits of implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs) in megasite remediation. This study used the SiteWise™ tool, a quantitative environmental footprint assessment for scenario simulation and benefit quantification of BMPs, on a contaminated megasite in Hebei Province, China. We observed a considerable environmental footprint and energy from the remediation. Taking the final implementation alternative (Alt 1) as an example, which is characterized by combining multiple remediation techniques, the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reached 113,474 t, the energy used was 2,082,841 million metric British thermal units (MMBTU), and other air pollutant emissions (NOx, SOx, and PM10) amounted to 856 t. Further BMP analyses highlighted the benefits of substituting the conventional solidification/stabilization agent with willow woodchip-based biochar, which could reduce GHG emissions by 50,806 t and energy used by 926,648 MMBTU. The overall environmental benefits of implementing all applicable BMPs in the remediation were significant, with a 66.85%, 50.15%, and 56.05% reduction in GHG emissions, energy used, and other air pollutants, respectively. Our study provides insights into quantifying the environmental footprint and exploring emission reduction pathways for contaminated megasite remediation. It also offers a feasible path for quantifying the environmental benefits of BMPs, promoting the development of GSR of contaminated sites.

Design of a central tool for sustainability evaluation and weighting to decision-making support of contaminated soils remediation

Sustainable remediation remains unstandardized and ambiguously regulated, thereby limiting its adoption in the management of contaminated areas. Although a considerable number of tools are available for this purpose, numerous shortcomings continue to be detected, especially with regard to the integration of a complete assessment of impact and sustainability into a single framework. In view of these problems, the objective in this study was to develop and validate an integrated tool for assessing the sustainability of remediation techniques for contaminated soils. To support the sustainability analysis, were prepared impact assessment matrices, which list components and criteria for obtaining integrated impact scores for each sustainability dimension/pillar (i.e., social, economic, and environmental), factor, and component. These impact scores were incorporated and fitted into a mathematical model used to ascertain the sustainability of the techniques. The tool was subsequently validated by comparing and analyzing the sustainability with which five techniques: phytoremediation, electrokinetics and excavation/disposal (Case Study I), nanoremediation and soil washing (Case Study II). The techniques' probabilities of sustainability followed the order presented in the preceding statement. The determination of sustainability was supported by the direct interaction between the effects derived under each dimension and technique. These findings led to the conclusion that the proposed tool prioritizes the basic principles of sustainability, which call for harmony among the three pillars, and that it is a favorable instrument for the evaluation and selection of a sustainable remediation technique.