CONTAMINATED SOIL

THERMAL DESTRUCTION OF HAZARDOUS WASTE IN CONTAMINATED SOIL IS THE ONLY KNOWN METHOD OF PERMANENTLY MANAGING THIS THREAT TO GROUNDWATER AND THE ENVIRONMENT. HOWEVER, THE COST ARE SO HIGH THAT TEMPORARY STORAGE HAS BEEN SELECTED FOR THOSE SITES WHERE CLEAN-UP HAS BEEN PERFORMED. THIS PROPOSAL IS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRETREATMENT TECHNIQUES TO MARKEDLY REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF CONTAMINATED SOIL WHICH REQUIRES TREATMENT BY THERMAL DESTRUCTION. THIS IS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY SEPARATION OF THE CLAY, FINE SILT, AND ORGANIC MATTER WHICH ARE THE SOIL CONSTITUENTS EXPECTED TO CONTAIN MOST OF THE HAZARDOUS WASTE CONTAMINATION. IN PHASE I, DETERMINATION WILL BE MADE OF THE PORTION OF HAZARDOUS WASTE CARRIED BY THE FINER CONSTITUENTS AND ORGANIC MATTER. TECHNIQUES WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR THE REMOVAL OF SOIL CONSTITUENTS WHICH ADHERE TO THE LARGER PARTICLE SIZE CONSTITUENTS BY "SCRUBBING" WITH FINE MESH ADSORBENTS. PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING APPROACHES AND COSTS FOR SEGREGATION WILL BE ESTABLISHED. IF THIS APPROACH PROVES PROMISING, PHASE II WILL BE AN ENGINEERING STUDY AND APPROPRIATE TRIALS OF MEANS TO EFFECT SEPARATION OF THE CONTAMINATED PORTION OF THE SOIL. THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY TRIAL BURNS OR THERMAL DESTRUCTION OF THE SEGREGATED PORTION OF THE SOIL.