Sustainable remediation of contaminated sites

Selection of the most appropriate remediation technology must coincide with the environmental characteristics of the site and the ongoing fate and transport processes. In this paper, we will examine the means to select the most appropriate technique for site remediation, evaluate the progress of the remediation and determine the long termrestoration of the site using the GOLDSET software (www.goldset.com). The two main approaches, in situ and ex situ treatment, are examined further. Removal of the contaminated soil requires evaluation of the risks, determination of disposal methods and/or potential beneficial use. To work towards sustainability, waste must be minimized, natural resources must be conserved, landfill deposition should be minimized, biodiversity must not be lost and must be protected. Innovative integrated decontamination technologies must be utilized. The evaluation of three case studies of contaminated sites using sustainability indicators and analyses are presented. The adaptability of the software was shown for the different scenarios.