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Green Remediation
National Information
A Micro blower powered by a solar cell at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina (source: Clemson University)
Sustainability is a critical component of EPA’s environmental protection activities. Conserving natural resources, minimizing waste generation and reducing energy consumption can improve the environmental performance of Superfund activities while fulfilling Superfund’s mission to protect human health and the environment.
Green remediation (Clu-in) 
helps EPA ensure the sustainability of Superfund activities. Green remediation considers the environmental effects of cleanup activities at every stage of the Superfund process to maximize the net environmental benefits of cleanup activities. In September 2010, EPA finalized its
Green Remediation Strategy (PDF) (32 pp, 264K, About PDF). The Strategy describes how the program can improve the environmental performance of Superfund cleanup activities.
In Region 4, Superfund has created a Clean and Green Policy (PDF) (2 pp, 700K, About PDF) that builds on the Agency’s Green Remediation Strategy and focuses on regional opportunities and priorities. The policy provides a framework to enhance the environmental benefits of cleanup programs in Region 4 by promoting sustainable cleanup technologies and practices.
The policy’s objectives are to:
- Protect human health and the environment by achieving remedial action goals.
- Support sustainable human and ecological use and reuse of remediated land.
- Minimize impacts to water quality and water resources.
- Reduce air toxics emissions and greenhouse gas production.
- Minimize material use and waste production.
- Conserve natural resources and energy.
These green remediation practices are already in place at several Superfund sites in Region 4, including:
- Sanford Gasification Plant Site, Sanford, Florida (PDF) (2 pp, 690K, About PDF)
- Savannah River Site, Aiken, South Carolina (PDF) (22 pp, 1.9M, About PDF)
- Gulf State Steel Site, Gadsden, Alabama (PDF) (2 pp, 1M, About PDF)
- Barite Hill / Nevada Goldfields Site, McCormick, South Carolina (PDF) (17 pp, 1.9M, About PDF)
Additional Green Remediation Resources
- Alternative Energy Use at Superfund Sites
- Green Cleanup Consensus Standard Initiative
- RE-Powering America's Land Initiative
- Sustainability at EPA
- Green Remediation Technical Information and Best Management Practices (Clu-in)
- Green Remediation Training and Webinars (Clu-in)
- Green Remediation Primer (PDF) (56 pp, 670K, About PDF)
- Sustainable Remediation Forum (SURF)