Regulatory constraints are perhaps the most important factor in selecting bioremedia-
tion as a treatment process. Regulations that define specific cleanup criteria, such as land
disposal restrictions under the U.S. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA),
also restrict the types of treatment technologies to be used. Other technologies, such as in-
cineration, have been used to define the "best demonstrated available technology"
(BDAT) for hazardous waste treatment of listed wastes.
The schedule for a site cleanup can also be driven by regulatory issues. A consent de-
cree may fix the timetable for a site remediation, which may eliminate the use of bioreme-
diation, or limit the application to a specific biological treatment technology.
Specific cleanup tasks for which biological treatment is suitable include remediation
of petroleum compounds (gasoline, diesel, bunker oil); polynuclear aromatic hydrocar-
bons (PAHs) found in coal tar, creosote, and some petroleum compounds; soils with
volatile and nonvolatile hydrocarbons; contaminated water; drilling muds; polychlorinat-
ed biphenyls (PCBs). The general approach given here can be used for the named pollu-
tants, plus others amenable to bioremediation.
Data in this procedure are the work of Chris Jespersen, P.E., Project Manager, OHM
Remediation Services Corp., Douglas B. Jerger, Technical Director, Bioremediation,
OHM Remediation Services Corp., and Jurgen H. Exner, Principal and President, JHE
Technology Systems, Inc., as reported in Chemical Engineering magazine. The data in
step 4 of this procedure were prepared by the Handbook editor,
David R. Hopper, Chemical Process Engineering Program Manager, ENSR Consult-
ing and Engineering, writing in Chemical Engineering magazine, notes that:
Many of today's contaminated sites are the result of accepted and lawful waste-disposal prac-
tices of years ago. While the methods of disposal have improved and the regulations prevent-
ing disposal techniques that might result in future contamination are in place, there is no
guarantee that today's landfilled wastes will not end up being remediated in coming years. In
addition, the new regulations and technologies have come at a time of increased disposal cost
and ever-diminishing landfill capacity.
Waste minimization, or pollution prevention, is one way of avoiding the whole disposal
problem, and its associated long-term liability. By reducing the creation of waste by the man-
ufacturing process, or recovering and recycling potential wastes between processes, the
amount of waste to be disposed of is reduced....
Pollution prevention programs are gaining momentum at both the federal and state levels.
Several states (e.g. Texas and New Jersey) have introduced legislation aimed at promoting
waste reduction. Federal agencies (e.g. EPA, Department of Defense, Department of Energy,
and Department of Interior) are actively supporting research and development of waste-mini-
mization methods. However, the major driving force remains the economic benefits of reduc-
ing the amount of waste produced. Savings in raw materials and avoidance of the disposal
costs result in attractive returns on investment for waste-minimizing process improvements.
Between the potential savings and the future regulatory focus, waste minimization is likely to
be an active, and beneficial, aspect of future waste-management programs.WORK REQUIRED TO CLEAN OIL-POLLUTED
BEACHES
How much relative work is required to clean a 300-yd (274-m) long beach coated with
heavy oil, if the width of the beach is 40 yd (36.6 m), the depth of oil penetration is 20 in
(50.8 cm), the beach terrain is gravel and pebbles, the oil coverage is 60 percent of the
beach, and the beach contains heavy debris?