Section Three
SITE REMEDIATION
11    COST-EFFECTIVE TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR
REMEDIATION OF AGRICHEMICAL FACILITIES
Stanislaus J. Zagula, Chemical Engineer
Woodward-Clyde Consultants
Chicago, Illinois, 60603
J. Bruno Risatti, Lead Organic Geochemist
Illinois State Geological Survey
Champaign, Illinois 61820
INTRODUCTION
The application of pesticides to agricultural lands has been identified as a potential non-point
source of pollution to groundwater, soils, and sediments. Additional sources of pollution include
point sources, such as agrichemical facilities which are usually located in or near small rural towns in
agricultural regions. At these facilities pesticides are mixed, stored, loaded, and distributed. The
groundwater and soils associated with some of these agrichemical facilities have been found to be
contaminated with various pesticides and with organic solvents used in pesticide preparation and
application.'
Once a site has been recognized as being contaminated and the extent of contamination has been
defined, plans must be developed for remediation of the impacted media (such as groundwater, soils,
and sediments). Successful completion of a remediation project depends on a thorough review of the
available remediation technologies, and the implementation of a remediation technique(s) that is
optimal for the constituents of concern and the characteristics of the site. However, in addition to
being technically sound, a remediation procedure must be cost-effective. That is, target contaminant
concentrations at a site must be reduced to levels protective of human health and the environment .
using a remediation technology that is effective but not prohibitively expensive. The identification
and development of cost-effective remediation technologies has been reported by the National Agrichemical Retailers Association to be one of the key factors in the continued financial viability of retail
agrichemical facilities required to undertake remediation of a site.2 In addition, several states have
begun to develop guidelines and recommendations regarding the long-term financial resources which
may be necessary to remediate contaminated groundwater and soils at agrichemical facilities. The
appropriate selection of cost-effective technologies for remediation of agrichemical facilities can be
an important factor in achieving site clean-up objectives and controlling overall remediation costs.
SITE ASSESSMENT CONSIDERATIONS
Prior to selecting potentially applicable technologies for the remediation of a contaminated agrichemical facility, a thorough understanding of the site characteristics, chemicals of concern, impacted
media and regulatory requirements must be obtained. Each of these factors are site-specific. However,
they play important roles in determining the most cost-effective technology for remediation of a
particular facility. Following the discovery of a chemical release, a site assessment may be conducted
to characterize the nature of the chemical release and of the site where it has occurred. The primary
objectives of a site assessment include the estimation of health risk, the investigation of exposure
pathways, and determination of the extent of contamination. In meeting these objectives, the site
assessment provides basic information that is vital in selecting an effective and economical remediation technology.
Samples of site media suspected of being impacted by the chemical release should be collected and
analyzed to identify the specific contaminants and to determine their concentrations. Samples of
surface and subsurface soils, sediments, surface water, and groundwater may be collected during the
47th Purdue Industrial Waste Conference Proceedings, 1992 Lewis Publishers, Inc., Chelsea, Michigan 48118.
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