Risk management: Reducing brownfield cleanup costs

Journal Article · Fri Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997 · Pollution Engineering

OSTI ID:544155

Graves, N

Balancing environmental protection with economic vitality is crucial to maintaining competitiveness in world markets. One key initiative that has been identified as important to both environmental protection and the economy is the redevelopment of brownfields. Brownfield redevelopment can stimulate local economies that have been devastated by lost jobs and can recycle industrial land use, thereby preserving undeveloped lands. Many existing brownfield sites appear on the US Environmental Protection Agency`s (EPA) National Priority List (NPL), which designates over 1200 sites and is expected to grow to more than 2000 by the end of the decade. EPA estimates the cost of remediating the sites on the current list will approach $30 billion, with the average cost of remediating a site close to $25 million. Thousands of additional brownfield sites that do not appear on the NPL are listed under state cleanup programs.

• OSTI ID: 544155
• Journal Information: Pollution Engineering, Journal Name: Pollution Engineering Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 29; ISSN PLENBW; ISSN 0032-3640
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
COST
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
REMEDIAL ACTION
RISK ASSESSMENT
WASTE MANAGEMENT