What is Environmental Remediation?

 What is Environmental Remediation?

An introduction to remediation practices and how they work


In the simplest terms, Environmental Remediation is the act of cleaning the environment, or maintaining future operations to protect the environment. It isn’t just large industrial sites that could need remediation. You could be in need, as many homeowners are, of mold removal. An environmental consultant will not only provide the physical service to eliminate the problem, but will help to prevent future contamination. Let’s explore what type of problems might lead to contacting an environmental consultant, and how you could help with the future protection of our planet.


Why would I need an environmental consultant?

Do you or your company deal with any of the following types of waste and / or contaminants?




  • Solid or liquid

  • Hazardous

  • Chemical

  • Biological

  • Organic

  • Electronic

  • Recyclable

  • Medical / Clinical

  • Construction

  • Environmental

  • Industrial

  • Commercial

  • Agricultural


Chances are, you have answered “yes” to at least one of these types of waste being produced by you or your company. An environmental consultant will help you remove waste and plan for future waste reduction, environmental protection and continued removal. 


Why can’t I just do it myself?

In many cases, properly handling the waste that you or your company produces requires specific knowledge. 


This can ultimately become a task much larger than you’ve anticipated, leading to a delay in projects, or contamination of the environment. Delays can lead to fines and fees; and environmental contamination will end in even more fines. The strict rules outlined in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) are best understood by environmental consultants. You can easily avoid the mounting costs of your time and money by hiring someone that specializes in environmental remediation.


Hazardous Waste Violations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can run incredibly high. The fines associated with non-compliance are in place to protect and clean up the environment from those who violate the rules. A chemical manufacturer in Bristol, Pennsylvania was fined nearly $45,000 in early March, 2021 for various hazardous waste violations. Their violations could easily have been avoided if the company had chosen to follow the advice of an environmental consultant. One of these violations simply involved obtaining a permit. Perhaps you’ve run into a similar situation, and you aren’t sure how to go about the process; that’s one way the service could eliminate receiving the violation in the first place.


I want to help the environment, how do I become an Environmental Remediation Specialist?


The occupational options vary greatly within the Environmental Remediation field. For some positions, a bachelor's degree is almost certainly required. Other areas simply include becoming certified for various pieces of construction equipment involved in material handling. If your goal is to become part of the movement that is assisting in the clean up and continued maintenance of the environment at large, you have a variety of career options.


According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are four main branches of environmental remediation occupations. They are:


  • Management and Business Specialist occupations

  • Science occupations

  • Engineering and mapping occupations

  • Construction and material-moving occupations


From the list of occupations, it’s clear that in order to protect the environmental cleaning process and future monitoring of a site as a career that you’ll need at least a Bachelor’s degree for the first three categories. However, the fourth category is the “boots on the ground” of the operation. Those who really want to get hands on experience in cleaning up soil, water, etc., don’t need to look much farther than equipment certifications.


How Environmental Remediation can improve your personal future

What does all of this really have to do with me, here and now?


If you have a future, you will be affected by environmental pollution. Every single one of us on this planet can do our part to keep the environment as clean and strong as possible for our own future, and that of future generations. If our parents and grandparents had the knowledge we do today to clean up the environment, and protect from contamination in the first place, we would be living in a much more pristine world. 


We all get our drinking water from the earth. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, or what income you bring home. All water comes from the same planet that people are polluting. If environmental remediation didn’t exist, the quality of our drinking water, for one, would be absolutely terrible. Contaminants that are prevented from going into the water source by environmental remediation would eventually end up in our water supply. The economic impact on taxpayers to clean these contaminated sources is far greater than preventing the problem in the first place with proper planning and waste disposal.


You and your family can help prevent many contaminants from entering the water supply every day at home. Simple changes to our everyday lives can have a large impact on the environment. For instance, we already know that things like oil, paint and household chemicals should not be thrown down the drain. But, what are you supposed to do if your local waste collection doesn’t take those items? Luckily, there are companies that exist to take care of these hazardous waste products. The first option is donation. Habitat for Humanity in particular will take extra paint in order to recycle it. Did you also know that overusing pesticides and fertilizers in your yard could lead to local water contamination? Topography plays quite a role in the pollution of waterways. Prevent runoff into your local streams and rivers by being cautious of how much material you are using, versus what may actually be necessary.


There is a great resource to help the average person find out how to get rid of hazardous waste products. When in doubt, call a local environmental remediation company for advice. Earth911.com has extensive sources to help you as an individual find the proper disposal for your household hazardous materials.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Earth Day 2021

Image
 Earth Day: Thursday, April 22, 2021 Promoting Environmental Consciousness since 1970 The very first Earth Day was observed on April 22, 1970. Since then, each year on this date, every citizen on the planet is urged to take a look at the consequences of their daily actions on the environment. Here in Central Pennsylvania, we have the opportunity to clean and protect the Susquehanna River Watershed. This is important because it is the largest tributary to The Chesapeake Bay. Holding the title of the largest estuary in the United States, The Chesapeake Bay provides a home and nourishment for more than 3,600 species; including the famed Maryland Blue Crab. This Spring, you can celebrate Earth Day by engaging in any activity that cleans or protects the environment. Whether you are picking up trash from the sidewalk of your own neighborhood, or advocating for the rainforests of Brazil; any contribution will make an impact on the future of our planet. Michaux State Forest, Fayetteville, ...
Read more

Everyday Environmental Impacts of Your Daily Routine

Image
  Everyday Environmental Impacts of Your Daily Routine How are your everyday habits affecting the planet? Imagine that you’re just waking up for the day. It’s true that for everybody, the first thing you do for the day is to step out of your bed and get ready for your day. Have you ever thought about how each and every action after that first step generally requires products and processes that affect the environment? Of course, we all know that using a gasoline powered vehicle will cause emissions that harm the environment; but what about something as simple as your breakfast? How can that affect the environment both at home and around the world? Let’s look closer at the minutiae of everyday life, going beyond the water we use, the cars we drive and the power we consume. Morning Toothpaste We’ve come a long way from using charcoal and oyster shells with mint and salt to clean our teeth. While our ancient predecessors used these locally sourced products to clean their teeth and gum...
Read more

Ethical Gardening

Image
Ethical Gardening Planting While Protecting the Environment Your home garden doesn't have to suffer from unwanted pests or  unwanted chemical runoff. Many pesticides will cause harm to the environment as rain falls and they flow into our streams and rivers. There are a lot of different ways that you can help your personal garden grow while also being mindful of the environment outside of your backyard. Plan Your Planting Is your yard level, or does it slope? Does the slope have a good place for runoff, as not to pool downhill? A few quick assessments of the topography of your yard are a great start to planting ethically.  Slopes Slopes will retain less moisture than level areas. Plant things like ornamental grasses, or wildflowers on slopes to take advantage of the rainwater so that you use less water overall while gardening. Switchgrass and wildflowers make a beautiful slope combination. Level Areas When using a level area to garden, make sure that it is at a higher elevation...
Read more