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Environmental Related Research | |
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| Home > Research > Environmental Related Research | ||
Remediation of Brownfield Sites |
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Dr
Abir Al-Tabbaa
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is a large number of brownfield sites (that is previously developed land)
in the UK. There are two ways of dealing with such problem sites: one way
is to treat the contaminated site by removing the contamination - but this
is easier said than done. The other way is remediation based on risk management
and suitability for use. This is the approach that the Environment Agency,
under Part IIA of EPA 1990, is taking.
The most common forms of risk management for contaminated sites are
landfilling, containment, stabilisation/solidification treatment and cover
systems. Stabilisation/solidification technologies involve physical and
chemical encapsulation of contaminants within the soil using additives.
Although such a remediation method does not remove the contamination it
prevents its further spreading and minimises its impact on the environment.
Conventional additives used include cement, fly ash and lime. Current
research work looks at the use of novel binders including waste materials
e.g. dried sewa A pilot scale trial was carried out on a site in West Drayton, near Heathrow Airport contaminated with a cocktail of heavy metals and organic compounds. Core samples have been extruded at various times over the past five years and have been tested for various physical and chemical properties. The long-term performance and hence the sustainability of this remediation method is currently being established. In parallel, we are devising methods to simulate and hence accelerate the aging process, and to model this so that we can perform accelerated ageing tests to predict what will happen in the long term. An EPSRC funded Network on stabilisation/solidification treatment and remediation (STARNET) has been established. An EPSRC funded multi-disciplinary multi-institutional consortium SUBR:IM - Sustainable Urban Brownfield Regeneration: Integrated Management has been etablished. |
E-mail Other environmentally related projects: Treatment of contaminated land with in-ground barriers |
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ge sludge.