This document discusses international perspectives on green and sustainable remediation. It highlights established frameworks from organizations in Denmark, Austria, the US, and Italy. Emerging drivers include international agreements on climate change and clean energy. Adaptation strategies are discussed to ensure remedy resilience against climate impacts. Challenges include the immense extent of contaminated lands and limited regulatory regimes. Demonstrating economic and social benefits is key. The World Bank promotes considering social needs and job skills. Gentle remediation examples from the EU include biochar and phytoremediation. The document recommends public-private partnerships and capacity building to institutionalize sustainable remediation.

1. Green & Sustainable Remediation:
International Perspectives
State of the Practice, Challenges, and Opportunities
Barbara H. Maco, MBA, Wactor & Wick LLP
Amanda D. McNally, P.E., AECOM
2015

2. Agenda
• Objectives
• Overview of Established Frameworks
• Emerging Drivers
• Technical and Financial Tools
• Public/Private Partnerships
• Recommendations
• Acknowledgments & Contacts
Page 2

3. Objectives
• Highlight established and emerging examples of Green and
Sustainable Remediation (GSR) frameworks and
applications
• Recognize international collaboration efforts
• Discuss how sustainability assessment and management in
land remediation can contribute to sustainable
development, climate change adaptation and community
resiliency.
Page 3

4. Established Frameworks
Page 4

5. International SURF Organizations & Initiatives
2009
•Copenhagen,
Denmark
2012
•Vienna,
Austria
•Washington,
DC, USA
2014
•Ferrara, Italy
2016
•Montreal,
Canada
Page 5

6. International Collaboration and Support
• Proposed International Alliance of SURF organizations
• International Conferences
• Publications
• Support for Initiatives
• Case Studies
Page 6

7. Emerging Drivers
• Bilateral and multi-lateral climate change and clean energy agreements
• President Obama Executive Orders
– EO 13514: Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance
– EO 136353: Manage U.S. lands and waters for climate preparedness and resilience
– EO 13677: Climate Resilient International Development
• EU reports on Gentle Remediation Technologies and
Brownfields avoidance and regeneration
• World Bank reports on contaminated land management
in low & middle income countries & innovative financing
Page 7

8. Climate Change Adaptation
• Seek to ensure remedy resilience in the face of climate change impacts
• Incorporate climate change adaptation (CCA) throughout remedial process
– Remedy selection, planning, and implementation
– Data collection and use of best available models for local conditions
• Adaptation Strategies
– Berm reinforcement/armoring
– Caps/liners to reduce potential for mobilization of contaminants
– Measures to maintain hydraulic control during flood events
– Elevation or relocation of key infrastructure and waste storage
• Five Year Reviews offer opportunities to consider potential CCA needs
Page 8
Source: USEPA Climate Change Adaptation Webinar 4/1/2015 cluin.org

9. Climate Change Adaptation
Increased
extreme
temperatures
Sustained
changes in
average
temperature
Sea level rise
Decreased
permafrost in
Arctic regions
Decreased
precipitation
days, increasing
drought intensity
Increased heavy
precipitation
events
Increased flood
risk
Increased
frequency and
intensity of
wildfires
Increased
intensity of
hurricanes
Source: USEPA Climate Change Adaptation Webinar 4/1/2015 cluin.org
Page 9

10. Climate Change Adaptation: A Case Study
Grasse River Superfund Site Region 2
• Remediation of PCBs in sediment and water in
Massena, NY
• Reevaluation of a sediment capping remedy in
consideration of “ice jam” events that occur in
spring or during mid-winter thaws and cause
scouring, loss of capping material and underlying
sediment, and redistribution of PCBs.
• Additional RI/FS work, three different pilot studies
and demonstration projects.
• Final Proposed Plan included cap armoring to
protect chemical isolation cap and underlying
sediment
Page 10
Source: USEPA Climate Change Adaptation Webinar 4/1/2015 cluin.org

11. Advancing Sustainable Remediation: Challenges
• Immense extent of impaired and underutilized lands
– USA: 22 million acres
– EU: ~ 2.5 million sites
• Diffuse pollution in agricultural lands
– Belgium & Netherlands ~700 km2 metals
– China: ~ 20% metals/ pesticides
• Urbanization
– Latin America 75-85% population
– Contaminated H2O may lead to water rationing
• Limited regulatory regimes, practioners and available technology
• Negative impacts: vulnerable populations & governmental budgets
Page 11

12. Demonstrate Economic & Social Benefit
• US EPA and DOE resources: Green Remediation, RE-Powering America and
Brownfields
• UK Natural Capital Initiative
• World Bank Innovative Financing Models
• EU GREENLAND
• EU HOMBRE Holistic Management of Brownfield Regeneration
Page 12

13. World Bank: GSR in Low & Middle Income Countries
• Fully and equally address economic, social
and environmental aspects
• Base site decisions on local public health &
& environmental context
• Link remediation to meeting basic social
needs (ambient air, drinking water, sewage,
working conditions, health care)
• Improve health and create community long
term job skills
• Pool resources
Dr. Robert Montgomery, World Bank
Presentation at SURF 28, February 2015
Page 13

14. World Bank Innovative Financing Models
Ginkgo Project: Versailles – Satory, France
• Former military shooting range → transport technology research park
• Move’eo Cluster: 127 companies and 48 research entities
• Strict energy efficiency standards
• ~11 mil € revenue & 10,000 jobs
Page 14

15. EU Greenland: Gentle Remediation examples
• Biochar (with/without organic amendments)
– Pathway management, e.g. to protect water resources, facilitate revegetation
– POPs and trace elements (depending on formulation)
– Durable
– Carbon sequestration (carbon income?)
– Improves soil fertility
– Can be applied with phytoremediation (depending on approach)
• Phytodegradation
– Source removal (diffuse sources) and pathway management
– Degradable organic contaminants
– Degradation is permanent / stabilisation durable
– Carbon sequestration and harvestable biomass possible
– Supports soil fertility
– Works with plant and amendment-based stabilisation for other contaminants
www.r3environmental.com15

16. EU Greenland: Gentle Remediation Case Studies
Touro Mine Tailings
• Cadmium, zinc, and copper contamination
from mining operations
• SLM tandem phytoextraction (HA) &
phytostabilization using Alpine pennygrass,
poplars, and willows
Landfill Remediation
• Zinc contamination from historic landfill
• Tandem SLM phytoextraction using high
biomass crops, including sunflower and
tobacco
Page 16
EU Greenland, a EC FP7 supported project; www.greenland-project.eu

17. EU Zero Brownfields Opportunity Matrix
Simple Detailed
www.r3environmental.com17

18. Brownfield Regeneration Opportunities
Services
• Risk management
• Renewable & resilient energy
generation & revenue
• Greenhouse gas mitigation
• Habitat conservation, flood
management and water
resource protection
• Education opportunities
• Strengthened community
economic resilience
• Improved health and well-
being
Interventions
• Water Management
• Sustainable Land Planning
• Soil Management
• Renewables (energy,
materials, biomass)
• Other Remediation Options
• Implementing Green
Infrastructure
• Gentle Remediation Options
Page 18
HOMBRE Project (www.zerobrownfields.eu), a EC FP7 supported project

19. Public & Private Partnerships for Revenue & Resiliency
UK Land Trust
– Beam Parklands, East London
River Basin; £15.4M saved in
flood prevention and public health
benefits
US RE-Powering America
– New Hampshire Landfill
Community Solar Garden – 900
KW solar installation
– Mass, USA Brightfields >100 MW
RE on landfills “ATM for local
communities”
Page 19

20. Emerging Economies
Colombia
• Developing best practices & innovative techniques
to extract gold without mercury
• Assessing risk in Cordoba agricultural sites
Huangshi, China
• Recovering 100 strip mining bluffs to prevent
flooding and protect resources and human health
(Rockefeller Foundation 100 Resilient Cities)
Page 20

21. Recommendations
Vision:
Contaminated sites as “Engines for economic
development, including sources of
sustainable energy and food security and
resource efficiency—all while assuring public
health and environmental protection.” (World
Bank 2009)
How to get there?
– Invest more in public/private partnerships
– Pilot studies
– Capacity building for effective governance
– Institutionalize GSR via integrated planning, national
land management plans and regulatory frameworks
Page 21
•Strategic and integrated consideration of soft re-use project services for rehabilitating potentially contaminated land, linked to priority p
•Capacity building and regulatory development for effective governance and
•Value creation for local communities, considering revenue, broader economic benefits, cultural capital, and natural capital.

22. Barbara H. Maco
MBA, Sustainable Management
(510) 205-0416
BarbaraMaco@ww-envlaw.com
Amanda D. McNally, P.E.
Environmental Engineer
(412) 316-3506
amanda.mcnally@aecom.com
Thank You!
Acknowledgments:
• United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
• World Bank
• European Union
• International Sustainable Remediation Forums & Partners