Innovative Methods for the Assessment of Hazardous Waste on Remediation

The hazardous waste remediation process is completed through multiple phases each served by differing professions. First, geologists, hydrogeologists, the EPA and consultants complete a site assessment and investigation at a potential hazardous waste site. The environmental engineering and consulting professionals are then responsible for providing design services. Finally, construction professionals are acquired to implement the design. This process, although simple on the surface, is extremely time dependent and regulation driven. For some of the large Superfund projects an actual "clean" objective is years and years in the future. The excessive time requirements and cost increases that have been encountered with remediation projects are improving; however, comprehensive efforts are still needed to streamline the entire process. The work in this thesis is a tool for the remediation manager. The focus is on methods that have been used to improve site investigations on either hazardous waste remediation projects or construction projects with suspected contamination. New methods such as Field Analytical Methods (FAMs), developing a conceptual hydrogeologic model and the Superfund Accelerated Cleanup Model (SACM) will be discussed. In Part I of this thesis, the problems with typical site investigations will be examined. It is emphasized that these problems have not arisen from bad management so much as from inexperience with hazardous waste projects in the past. Only recently has the experience gained in the 1980s been used effectively to change the process. Part II of the discussion outlines the streamlining methods and analyzes their application with case studies. Therefore, this manual is intended to serve as a manager's guideline for streamlining site investigations. The case studies and discussion help to illuminate management practices and decision making processes which have led to time and cost savings during hazardous waste site assessments and investigations. Thesis Supervisor: Charles H. Helliwell Title: Senior Lecturer, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering