Risk Management Research
Technology
Technology is the practical application of our scientific knowledge to solve problems, especially in a particular area. It is the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment.
Environmental technology is the force behind research conducted by EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL). Innovative environmental technologies hold the promise of being more effective and less costly than traditional methods, and of being able to address the far more complex environmental problems we face today.
Many technological processes produce unwanted by-products or deplete our natural resources. NRMRL provides the risk management solutions to help prevent, mitigate, or eliminate the degradation of our environment.
Everyday, NRMRL researchers demonstrate how technology can have profound effects on our lives and in our world. The scientists begin with idea development. Their scientific designs are then evaluated at the bench, pilot, and field scales, and demonstrated and verified for commercial performance. These steps are embodied in NRMRL’s technology programs and projects.
| Sustainable Technologies |
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| EPA Risk Management Sustainable Technologies works to advance the scientific understanding, development and application of technologies to address a variety of areas related to sustainability, including systems analysis, environmental management and clean processes. |
| Technology Assessments |
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 EPA Risk Management Technology Assessments provide state-of-the-science knowledge on technologies that address priority environmental problems in air and energy, water, and solid/hazardous waste and remediation. The assessments summarize what is known about a technology category across the research, development, and demonstration continuum, and identify gaps in knowledge. |
| Technology Verification |
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 The Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program verifies the performance of innovative technologies that have the potential to improve protection of human health and the environment. ETV accelerates the entrance of new environmental technologies into the domestic and international marketplaces. |
 The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program was established by EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response and the Office of Research and Development in response to the 1986 Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act. This act recognized the need for an “alternative or innovative treatment technology research and demonstration program.” SITE materials are specifically developed to aid engineers, scientists, and other remediation professionals in the efficient monitoring, measurement, and remediation of hazardous wastes. |